Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1868-02-14

the Sierra Madre, furnish n large supply
of superb frs for timber. But the excel
lent coal which Is said to crop out Of the
Carunnel Pass, and in the famous basiD,
Cibolleta, would, with railroad transpor-
tstion, afford large supply.of this neces-
sary commodity. Hence, with increase
of population, the development OF the
precious metals, the manufacture Of
wine, and the produce of wool and
other articles, viii furnish rich freights
east and west in exchange for fabrics Of
every kind, and luxuries required from
the older States.
West of the Rio del Norte, ridge easily
crossed, brings US 10 the RIO PuercO, a
branch called San Jose, passing beds of
coal, leads by a gradual ascent to the
summit Of the Sierra Madre.
The route across the Sierra MRdre passes
forests of excellent timber"
The report shows the country fcom the
Rio Grande TO ths Colorado to be on ex-
celIent route for railway, through a
region capable of great development,
snd abundantly supplied with timber.
As he approached the Colorado on this
route, Liept. Whipple bEasks out into
raDtures " What we saw OF this coun-
try was full of interest TO each depart
ment of seienea. There were extensive
forests, Astounding with game wide
grass valleys, affordipg pasturage to in
Vulnerable herds OF deer; crystal creeks
alive with trout; taeir fertile banks once
cultivated, and now lined with ash aud
walnut timber. From the heights were
frequently seen, looking down upon Us,
the feet cimar0D, or mountain goat.
.Tbat this solitude had not always been
.unbroken by man was shown by the
numerous stone houses that lined the
borders Of the streams, and the still high
walls of extensive Notifications that
covered the heights surrounding. We
l.trayersei this region in winter, but the
climate was of spring, and vegetation
already rspidiy advancing. IL was q
beautiful view that burst upon US as we
assembled a hill aud first beheld the Colo
RADIO sweeping from North to West, Ia
unite with Bill Willisms' Fork, almost
beneath our feet. Oae long and loud
huzza burst spontaneously from the men,
sending a thrill through every nerve"
| This description shows what has since
! been fully Gscertaired, that there is more
rain in the vicinity OF the thirty-tifth
| parallel than either north Of it or south
/ west of the Colorado. II is stated il
| WhippIe's report that the Zuni Indians
| and those on the Colorado where Z |
| crossed. raised good crOis without il |
cation. There is = good farming rega |
I on the beadwaters of the Giia, whicH |
visited in she summer by the trOpil |
rains which pass over Sonora. The 4 /
! tiers recently established IN the vicln. |
/ Of Prescott speak Of the summershows |
| that are often violent, and render Z
| grass and vegetation green for the ~ |
round.
Lieut.. Beale, In his more recent egB |
| ratiops in 1853, thus sums up the sdvis /
| tages Of this route: Without intend !
| to draw invidioGs comparisons betwl |
| the various routes from our Western |
| der TO the Pacific ocean in favoring |
| by the thirty filth parallel, 1 think | G |
| with safety, say that none other oBg |
the same facilities for either wagopd |
! railroad. 1t 10 the shortest, the ee |
| limbered, the best grGssed, the 6es
watered, and, certainly, in point Of grIde
better than any other line between th'
! two oceans with which am acquainted
| For the first of these assertions an il
spectiOn of the map is quite suiHcieD
| proof; for the second, / rely upon the re
port of Lieut. Whipple and my own Oh
tservations, and especially my last explo
| ratioss, which, by the discovery of fiDt
pine timber in Harry Eiwards' muur-
tain, enable nls 10 stale that the thirty
fifth parallel road carries an sbun
dance of cedar and pine TO within
| forty miles of the state line e
California, within which, Oh th'
same parallel, there is abundance 10 TN
whole Sierra Nevada (San Bernardino
range. For the third proposition, rel.
1 upon tha concurrent testimony Of all VIII
i nave Travelled the road and compared
with other traus-coDtiuentai routes, VIII
agree with metbatitis babitah!e through
out For the fourth assertion, l thinl
there can be no better proof than th
fact that water is al but one point thirt.
miles distant; and for the last assertion
| rely upon the profile Of the countr.
which has been prepared from the instru
mental observations Of my two oxploE
Gtions.n
1t is estimated that on this route th
wood, land, cultivatsblc, and pasture
is eighty-two per cent; rocky hills, bar
rem aud sandy desert, eighteen pc
cent" 1t would be difficult to find an
route Of the came extent over q mo:
productive country.