The Council Bluffs nonpareil. [volume] (Council Bluffs [Iowa]) 1857-1867, 1858-07-24
ooN.nlO 90
Additional amount required 24,50O 90


OMAHA, n. T., October |, 1857.
SIR: The report submitted to the bureau
of Typographical engineers in December last
by Captain }. Ii. Dickerson,. assistant quar-
master, of the survey and location bv
him of the road (thcn under his charge) from
a point (Omaha) on the Missouri river, op-
poste Council Bluffs, to new Fort Kearney,
Nebraska Territory, together with the map
and profile of the road: and the plans for
the bridges, also furnished the bureau by
Captain Dickerson, seem to embrace all the
information required by l,224 paragraph of
the regulations ''for the corps of engineers
and Typographical engineers of the surveys
and work done upon this road, up to the 3Oth
of June last, except the erection, previous
to that date, of the bridges contracted for,
as set forth in that report, over Omaha
creek, Big Papillon creek, Little Papillon
creek, and Rawhide creek.
Since the 30th of June the bridge provi-
ded for by the same contract, has been erec-
ted over Shell creek, and the bridge over
Elkhorn river, together with the embank-
ment at its west end, is progressing, and will
probably be completed within the contract
time, the 30th of this month.
A bridge Of twenty feet span, with rise
of eight feet, has also been built over Mon
roe creek, a mile west of Loup fork crossing,
from timber cut on the ground or near it,
by hired labor; and also, one of sixteen feet
span and nine feet rise over Prairie creek,
from timber cut on its banks, and both Sc
cured from fire by deep trenches on either
side, extending back sufficiently for the pur-
pose, and by heavy embankments of sand
thrown up against abutments apd covering
the approaches.
Other small improvements within the ap-
preparation will be made during the fall,
leaving, at most, balance of two or three
thousand dollars unexpended on the first of
January next.
The road will then, with tho exception of
the crossing Of the Loup fork, be good
wagon road for all the dry season of the year
but during the spring and June freshets
short portions of it will be nearly, and at
times quite impossible, especal, Y in the val
ley Of the Platte river, Gin which nine t, mt Is
of the road is necessarily located owing to
the deep miry sloughs and swampy places,
which cannot be avoided, and to the miry
soil west Of Elkhorn river for several miles,
and to the overflow Of the Rawhide and sew
eral other small streams.
These overfows and bad states Of the road
occur. unfortunately, in April, May and
June, during the passage over it of nearly
all the emigration gong annually by the
north side Of the Platte river to our western
coast, and are, consequently, the cause Of
much delay and loss to the emisrants and to
settlers, and are serious distractions to.the
mails of the country.
In submitting his report, last year, Capt.
Dickerson recommended an additional ap-
preparation to that now nearly exhausted Of
twenty-five thousand dollars, for cutting
bitches, throwing up embankments, grading,
and side-cutting, and building small bridges
and culverts at the points referred to on the
road, and have now the honor to renew
that recommendation.
This appropriation will, If made and ex-
! pended upon the road, make it 40 excellent