The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1858-01-28

~ October ~, 1894.
Sia: have the honor to report my ar
rival in California after a journey Of orty-
eight days. II gives me pleasure TO INFORM
you that we have met with the most complete
SUCCESS in our exploration for wagon road
from New Mexico 10 this State.
IN harriet letter Of this kind Il il not
possible that should give you much Of the
detail Of our exploration. Leaving that for
my daily journal TO disclose ] shall eudeavor
briefly to give you an idea Of the character
Of the country, az well M the advantages Of
the road have explored.
Leaving Zuni, the point from which the
road -hould properly start we found the
country easy aud rolling, aud bearing good
grass, with water mt convenient intervals,
untii CTR arrival at the banks Of tho Little
Colorado. This | found fine stream, the
bottom Of which is wide and fertile, filed
with excellent grass, and the banks Of the
stream itself frnged with heavy growth Of
cottonwood The whole region through
which il runs il Of character TO make it
most valuable 10 the agricutaralist and
grazier After following this stream for
several days, and fordng il with our wagons
without difficulty, we left il, and pursued our
course westward To San Francisco mountain.
/ The country 10 the foot Of that mountain Ia
gradually ascending plain) although some
what rocky, in places was covered with the
finest gramna grass, with timber sufficient
for fuel and water in abundance.
From this point--twenty miles from the
base Of the m0nntain-until we commenced
the descent Of its western slope, the country
il undulating with frequent extensive level
pateaus, well wateieI with springs, and il
by far the most beautiful region ever re.
member 10 have seen in any portion Of the
world. a vast forest OF gigantic pine. in
/ tersected frequently by extensive open glades,
| sprinklcd all over wi h mountain meadows
and wide sayannas. filed with the richest
grasses, were traversed by our party for
/ many successive days
! From the western slope TO the country
| dividing the head Of Big Williams fork from
the Colorado river, the only change is in
! the growth Of the tlmber-ccdar Of the lar.
I g,st size for the most part taking the place
! Of pine; but the character Of tie soil remains
| unchanged, and is Of the same fertile nature,
hearing in all parts the richest gramma
! grass
From the divide Of Bill Williams to the
Colorado, the country assumes Il barren rs.
/ pect, and becomes a desert on the banks Of
the river. excepting in the bottom lands for
II few miles in width on either side Ar.
rived at the river crossed the wagons and
people without difficulty. At the point Of
our crossing, found II TO be about two hun
dred yards wide a smooth surface as far as
the eye could reach up and down unob-
structed by bars or rocks, flowing at the
rate of three miles an hour. 10 feet 10 depth
in mid channel, apparently perfectly naviga-
bic for steamers Of the largest size. Qucs
,ioning the Indians closely, derived from
them satisfactory information that il bore
/ the same character the entire distance from
that place to Fort Yuma, some two hun.
| drci miles below.
Iou have thus. sir, in few words, a
short account Of our journey on the road we
were sent to explore OF its advantages in
detail have not time in this letter TO speak
except in general terms enumerate them.
II is the shortest from our western frontier
by three hundred miles, being nearly d.
d ~
wagons only double teaming once in the
entire distance, and that II short hill and
over surface heretofore unbroken by
wheels or travel Of any kind. II il well
wa,cred--0ur greatest distance without
water ut any time being twenty miles. IL
is well timbcrcd, and in many places the
, growth is far beyond that OF any par, Of the
world have ever scen. II ia temperate in
climate passing tor the most part over an
elevated region II is salubrious- not one
Of our party requiring the slightest medical
attendance from the time of our leaving 10
/ our arrival II is well grasscd-my com.
mand never having made bad grass camp
the entire distance. until near the Colorado
7 II crosses the Great Desert which must be
rroaSeL by any road to California; at its
uarrowcst point, |, passes through coun.
try abouuliug in game, and but little in
ks,od with Indians. On the entire road
until our arrival NJ the MbGavc villages, we
did not stc in all over dom Indians, and
those Of u ,imd, inoftusiyt character At
the point Of the crossing Of the Colorado,
grain, vegetables. and brcadstu.s NAV b.
obtained in any quantity from the Indians
who cultivate extensively though rudelv. the
fertile bottom lands Of the Colorado Ii is
paS~able alike in winter and sumner. These
are the advantages which claim for the
road which We have discovered marked
and eN plor,,l from New Mexico 20 this State.
From the Coarado tnd OF the settlements
the country has been surveyed and mapped
by the United States Surveyor OF this
state, which, apart from TIE act ,ha, It
,lps no, come within nv Instructions,
leaves me but little - sag III relation ~ il.
shall mention, then. only one important
hc,-that il leaves To thr option ct The emf.
grant the choic' OF entering California either
a, the city Of las Angeles by the regularly
travelled road m the most fertile part of the
southern portion o! the State, or turning Of
FROM that river. and by an easy road, ir,~
queutly travelled. aod comirS INTO the bead
IL the great IulAre valley and hy a good