New-York tribune., 1867-04-05
The COLORADO or THE VEST.
ADAsis's REpORT.

Mest rs being the central route between the Atlantic
and Pacific Oceans In tho individual and difficult
enterprise Of demonstrating that Il was capable OF
being assembled with steamers for over go miles from
6ts mouth | have, in connection with Capt True
worthy. been engaged for the last three years. In
the Spring of 1864 descended the river SO miles ON
a small raft everywhere seeing the most unnds-
takable evidences that this natural thoToughare
had been much misrepresented by published reports
as well as by the exaggerated statements of those
who professed to be familiar with the rapids canyons
&c. of the same. Imade representations to Capt
Tueworthy of San Francisco, who consented to come
20 the Colorado for the purpose ofrelievng mining
community of the imposition which was pT2cuced
upon them rs well as upon the Governments by the
. only Steam Navigation Company on the river which,
for over ten years. had mOnOp0nzed the entre tI1de
of the Colorado for 300 mics from lhe t'ul. ms
company being a branch OF the powerful comblna-
tion NAVIGATION Company of California, which con
trolls at VIII the commercial interests as well as each
of the navgabo waters OF the State. every enort
was made in san Francisco to prevent the expedition
from starting TpOn It's mission. insurance companies
lent their aid by refusing to grant policy OF lnsnf
ance upon the steamer, schooner and cargo gong 10
The mouth Oi the rgcr after agreeing TO insure thesf
upon the terms as they had other vessels gong
30 the same destination. Arriving at the NOUN
of the river without insurance, opposition
manifested itself IN a more 1olnilcaDle man
Der to defeat the purpose Of demonstrating
fiOnal in its character. At this time thcre was a
appropriation OF each alternate section OF the most
valuable mineral lands along the river 1Or dD lhlleS,
and also to get the of SjOUO appropriated fOr the
purpose Of removing obstUct0ls sad 10 prevent tne
navigation OF the riveI, WMch nave SUBSEQUENTLY,
been proved to have existed only IN the Inauguration
of those seeking TO practice glgantic lIauu upon
the Government. In proportion as the steamer az sS
cendcd. in that proportion We're the means the most
eyOlting in their character adopted to prevent the
success of The enterprise by frequent ehOItS 10 l9S
her boiler fire her cabin destroy her machinery and
by cutting down and floating Oft the timber for miles
along the most destitute localities, that sulnclenI
wood might not he obtained for steam purposes
These are but few of the efforts which were llAde
bv those interested in disappearing the Colorado
Rver In nv communication in TIE SciCftHc fFcss
of San Francisco. and in other papers pubNhed IN
that city. lnow in my posSession). have gwen the
facts in full.
As we approached localities said not to be nav-
gable the river increased IN depth, from the l5Gt
ihat it became narrower and was confined generally
for the last 100 miles, IN succession OF cal9 OlS
where the rock in many places on born slaes rose
perpendiculaIly IRON go to l,OVO leet. At thfse S
places Xpecte0ly found the current 10 run! Win
the single exception of the rapids, bnt - hlieS au
hour where the fall was from eighteen inches 10 I9uI
feet in from 10 10 400 yards. Our steamer was laO
feet i'm length towing barge lt6 feet, with over lOO
tons ot frejght. passed Explorers Rock before we
were aware OF the fact. This the spot where the
steamer EyplOrtr Ji feet 0ng of Lieut.. IyesS cSpc
diton. s.rucl aHd returned lmade an eXanlIali9h
OF this rock and found i 10 be Two inches under the
surface ono foot the top in the shape OF cone
On each side of this there was smooth culIch5 ot
water from 20 $50 fest in breadth the water run
ming - miles per hour, with an average deph Oh from
The most difficult rapids we encountered were
In Tient Ivcs's report The steamer and barge was
seven minutes in ascending these. The fall here was
four feet IN 10 yards when we entered upon
AT this point we met several persons coming down
the river from Callvilie Utd. who Iiorlico US tnat
the persons who had expected the, uelghb ny .U9
steamer had left in consequence OF having received
letters from those who's had opposed the enterprise
from the first informing them that the steamer was
IroEen down and tho expedition abandoned. The
steamer, barge and carga then dcacended tG river
s.FidoroJn Copyopr when Can't 1ucwOTthy aud |
Il. tro 10 Sal
time to read the Ielegraphic dispatches from san
Francisco confirming The torcgOlng uEou1ueu 1 W
excellent road. capable Of being Travelled at an
seasons of the year. Along this arr situated - beautl-
lul cities and towns containing m all about OOVJ
inhabitants Tie inhabitants living an brick. stone,
and Gdobc bOuScS. Cotton ana No)lfA MUS we're ia
successful operation; Wlut me green hel''S 90 tti
and cotton and the tIuiI tietS' HlIu'!Is M" 'IH
yards presented @ cheerful appearance rs tiey sh0-
denly burst upon our view. g..
Bv the success Of this tTip MP the river, IT was
demonstrated that goods could De delivered al tai-
vile -O miles from the month oi lhe INeit I. III
seasons. at % freight, from san franclsco 9I N'N-
York of cent, per pound or - cents 10 Salt Lake
City-uaHing difference IN favor oI THIS route ol
On onr return to San Francisco. the most violent
efforts were renewed e. prevent the facts respecting
the success Ci the expedition beng brought 10 me
knowledge of the rublc. SGitS for over year.
instituted against Capt. TTuewortby by the Coiubma-
ton Navigation Company; to prevent ms return 10
meantime cut .ldIitt and sent 10 the ocean All com
muncatiOn between thece and san tIJncisc0 was
prevented hI tiklu4 Inc lttttlr anu 'lcIilhE anu
DESTROYING them Meantime, the influence OF The
Navigation Company was placing upon tnc statutes
DfCalifOnIa act tending TO repudate the currency
of the nation. would uOt allude SO mlAutclI 20
these facts were it not tlat dese Ih&s the public
should know the real character oi those influences
which have operated to msIeme5cut TINS important
thOrOughtUe. =, 900. Al,
Columbia River Oregon, to negotiate Tor % steamer
for the Colorado. Some OF the lde steamers OF me
Combination Company would be SoId, unless me
uarty buying would bind themselves not 10 take
Al. -tg 10. Z Law F
bla hearing that ship had started nCin Sal ran
cisco with cargo for salt Lake CITY, struck sOuth
200 miles 10 a point On the Colorado above (ail-
,iIIe Here built a raft, and descended the river
lOmiles 10 La PaZ. where | met the steamer ana
cargo and re-aScended the river 10 C&llylllc. tbe
water being two feet higher than at the time OF iny
first irip. Prom this cause the rapids were less
difficult 10 the ilrst fup of the steamer
beiug in i'ebuuary when the ilyer was fOtr inches
lower than when the cxpeGi,lon oi ives was ilhucI-
A. BIG CANYON" This represented as btlngitc
largest on the river passed NJ 70 the head OF this
built another raft and descended through tIe same
Thus far found no insurnOuutabe distractions
TO navigation. / aScertancd thus 10 be ABOUT ten
miles iu length Prom eminence at the head OF
This CANYON could see open valley, ~ miles IN
length extending 10 the northeast frOm that point
for so miles the country has been considered tara
incOgpjt0. Prom ms observation. and from infoTma-
tiOn received from lnda1s !and IRON the maps and
correspondents in the Historical Societys library az
salt Lake City. am satisfied that there are none Of
those dangerous Instructions which have been repre-
sented by those who may have viewed them at dis
tance. aud those imaginary canyons and rapids Tor
several hundred miles below, had almost disappeared
Rt the approach OF the steamer
should have assembled the river farther, but my
means were exhausted, the explorations of the last
two years and half being attended with great pecu
MARY embarrassment 10 Capt IrucwoTthy as well as
myself. Iii an expedition should DC sent out by the
Government to explore the river and country above
1 should be glad 10 be placed III position 10 c0nsun