Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1863-06-27

water had deserted and found n0tDlng 10
quench the thirst of his perisblng oxen.
Passing westward hundred miles or so,
you cross the northerly sfluent of the Ar.
kansas, (which heads further northward
than | ever saw laid down Gu a map j aud
this stream also shows, quite early IN June,
perfectly dry. wide bed of coarse sand
for miles in length, covered at intervals for
quite distance with that wbtish incrusta.
lIuu or ,fflUrescence which on SO many
Western water courses proclalms the vicli'
age OF vast alkaline deposits, whereby lakes
aud springs Of seemingly delicious water are
made waters of death TO the reckless men
or animals that imbibe thereof. Written
cautions against drinking at these tredcher
Gus pools are not uncommon; and was
especially impressed, when very near the
South Pass of The Rocky Mountains, with
the appearance of pei feet gem OF lakelet
~ al emerald setting OF grass, without
rack leading down to it from the bealen,
dusty way over which 50 many hungry,
thirst st.muddened cattle were constantly
passing. The aspect was most Inviting
oat sad experience had long since proved
The deadly qualities of the transparent
fluid aud now oil hurried by it in quest
of more healtful though scantier nourlsh.
ment ahead.
The Pacific Railroad will doubtless strike
the Platte near Fort Kerney and follow 1t
westward TO its forks where think it
will bend southwestward, either following
the South Platte to Denver or leaving IT
near the mouth of the Cache'ie'Pon or
some other Western tributary, which 1t
will follow into and partly through the
Rocky Mountains, ill it interlocks with
the White r the Yampa tributary OF the
Green River branch Of the Colorado. The
route up the only other considerable Yves
lie. II uffluent of tue South Platte; known
as 'LoGge Pole Creek seems more direct
aud facile on this side ; but it is open to
the main objection of the North Platte or
South Pass route, that 1t carries the ROAD
too tar north, making 1t longer than 1t need
be, and lakes 1t over the high aud diillcuIt
GROUND, intersecied by very deep wafer
courses, which separates Fort Brluger from
the valley OF the Bear River Of Utah.
There are of course difficulties 10 be over.
come OH any route, but l am coDhdent "a
more soulherly aud direct way can be
found that will be less expensive than any
winch traverses the South Pass (ot itself
easy enough, but with serious obstacles at
either eud or crosses the high ridges west
ward and southwark of Buuger.
Water will be procured beyond doubt,
through not without cost, on any route ;
for Utah and its surroundings ure monu-
tuinous. and moustains breed springs. l
think there are few valleys between the
crests of the Rocky Mountains and those
of the Sierra Nevada IN which water nigh.
not be brought TO the surface ny the A
teslan process, boring less thdn o"e hdn
ured lcet through SOFT aIiuVium, aud ne'eI
toucnng a rock. Tue tuFthereot apart
found Springs or running streams ia cross
lng the continent was hity m.eS-!u .ah,
100 to $50 miles southwest oI oai' Lake
ana tnls was late Ill July. Lo" mdun
taus abound throughout, aud L AIN Goa
hdent that wafer might have been cheapit
aud quickly had by oofIng IN ~ leiSI 'en
places along this fifty miles. Springs u
moug the mountains aud AZ their BASES a
ny no mans rare throughout Cehteral Z tah
are scarcest along lne neVeflaliing Hum
DoIdl, aud tnence across tne strip vi SANDY
desert winch separates Inc einK' VI tnls
81. cam f,om the kindred snailo" es uarivs
whose thirsty beds uIu uoa. ders driuk up
The waters at intervals ho"ing down tue
eastern slope of tbe Sierra Nevada.
Judge that ,Jne Mhou Dollars, wisely ex'
pended, will supply the Pacific Railroad
at or lust below the earth's surface, WITH
all the water it will need But wood Is
scarce for most Of the way, take what rou t
you please aud the road mus, be ioca'eI
with view TO facilities for ootaiuug II.
ln the Rocky Mountains aud The Sierra
Nevada, Indeed, ne supply Is inexnausIl'
ule, aud though mainly eVergrsens ot The
Pine or Fir genus. II VIII serve very well.
But immense quantities VIII oe needed for
Ties, bridges, dspoIs, etc., etc., aud these
must be cut lu the mountain valleys aud
hoaled down the adjacent streams IL either
direction 50 Tar as possible. Ii the Color.
ado ran through the middle of UtaD, Will
strong lrlUu arleS lroW the gteal mountain
chains reaching II at rgnt angleS from eth
er side, the Pacific Road might be con
structed far cheaper Than Is no" possible
Rn, The rivers OF the Great BASIN are pool
affairs al best, WINE Tue llinoeT, mainly
confined to the mountains, Is for The moSl
part. a low scrubby Bunch Cedar-thret
or four stems sprlDgng from common
root, rarely large enough for ties, aud too
stupted for most uses Other than that o.
fuel. The Mountain Pine which is mex,
in quantity, is no better. There are few
canonS (deep. narrow ravins) among the
higher mountains, where better varities o.
Pine grow tall and luxurant, sheltered
by the adjacent cliffs from the fierce gales
of Winter: and it will be work re
qnring rare combination OF know
ledge and judgment to locate this roaG
through the Great Basin so wise
ly tina, timber shall be always attainable a
a tolerable cost. Otherwise, l cannot deeu
the engineering difficulties more formidable
than those which have been surmountec
in the passage of the Alleghane
by the Baltimore aud Ohio, Pennsylvania
Central, and other works-hardIy greater
than those triumphed over by the Mas
sachusetts Western in passing from Con
nectcut to the Hudson.