The Conservative. (M'connelsville, Ohio) 1866-1871, 1869-10-01
6tntral SntslIt0eute.
THE CANYONS or THE COLORADO

THE CANYONS or THE COLORADO.
Letter from samuel Adams, ~ Govern
ment ENplOror-Descent of che Rap
Fertile valleys west OF tile Rocky
Mountain Range Rich Mineral De
posits.
From the Omaha Republican, Sept 10.
Samuel Adams, ESQ, n gentleman who
has been for the last four years in the SER
vice Of the War Department, engaged in
exploring the Colorado River, and the I'M.
explored region Of country lying west Of
the Rocky Mountain range, contiguous to
that river, arrived in this city on yesterday,
on his way to Washington, where he will
submit to the Secretary of War an official
report Of his explorations and discoveries.
Mr.. Adams has kindly furnished us the fol
lowing synopsis Of his forthcoming report.
which contains information of the most in
teresting and valuable character, of a vast
region OF county, of which little or moth
thing OF a reliable nature has hitherto been
known. We commend Il to the attention
of the readers Of the Republican:
Editor Republican:
"SrR:-At your request, 1 give you q few
hasty facts respecting the individual eN-
ploring enterprise with which ] have been
connected for the last lour years, having for
it's object the exploration of the Colorado
River and its tributaries. This river, and
the almost unknown country through which
II wends its way from the Rocky Mountains
to the Cult Of California, has been so much
misrepresented 10y professional letter writ
ers, aud n more recent explorer, who has
expended nothing individually and incur
red zone Of the hardships~ inseparably con
neoted with the development of the terra
iHcoTtitl) West, the public, in consequence,
have been much deceived, and very great
injustice has been done TO the mineral and
agricultural resources OF n neglected sec.
ton Of territory which must soon attract
the attention OF the government.
at is impossible for me, in this brief
communication, to enter into Il subject at
length upon which you have expressed SO
much interest, M | have donein my official
report, which will be published in q few
days.
MY exploring party Of eleven men, with
four boats constructed on the Bluo River,
left a point IN that stream, eight miles
from the main divide or summit of the
Rocky Mountains, July ~, 1869, for the
purpose of descending that stream TO the
Grand (tho main tributary oftho ColOmdol
10 a point on the Colorado River, where /
had assembled from the Gulf Of California
over three years since, tho facts Of which
were given in my published report to the
Secretary of War, and published in the New
York Tribune, and other papers Of the
East and West. For the first 100 miles,
after starting, ! found the descent of the
river 10 be over 9, 900 feet. The Rocky and
Gave Canons of the Blue, and the Grand
and Swift CanOns of the Grand River
| found to be swiitor and much more dan
gerous than the 'Moiaye, Painted, Long,
Black, and Big Canons of the Colorado
River, through all Of which l have rs
cended an 7 descended several times within
the last tho, years. A description of the
current, depth and length of canons, etc,
| gave in my published report. Where /
left the river last TO the Gulf Of California,
n distance Of about eleven hundred miles,
the descent of water cannot be over 500
feet, or more than five feet 30 the mile, thus
substantiating the statement made in my
first report. In descending through n sue
cession of rapid canons ! lost all my boats,
instruments, maps, etc. The instruments
were replaced, when, with my companions
Uour mem, / proceeded upon a cedar raft.
This was broken up, and all our provisions
lost, except four days rations. Forsevonty-
five miles the falling water would average
seventy feet 10 the mile; and in some places,
three hundred 10 the mile. While this was
"a source of satisfaction TO myself, and an
additional assurance that tho fall of wator
must necessarily be less below, il was n
cause Of alarm TO the balance Of my party,
who left me in the Rocky Cave Canon. In
these the perpendicular walls arose from
800 TO /, 800 feet.
I'm descending the river upon our raft,
AS we'll as for seventy-iye miles above
where we constructed ii, we passed through
a succession Of valleys from one mile to
fifty in length, where we unexpectedly
found wild oats, wheat, rye, barley, timo-
thy and clover growing spontaneously,
while the fine cedar and oak timber in
creased in size. The mineral resources We
foUnd 10 DO oithe most hattering character.
Time will not permit meto enter into a full
description of these or the superior iacili-
ties for making them available. Soon the
public will know and appreciate these facts,
and the press Of the East will no longer be
led astray by descriptions Of the canons Of
the Colorado, given by n recent explorer in
this, the eleventh hour, whose vision was 30
remarkably acute that at the distance of
three hundred miles from Green River, he
could see tho canona of the Colorado, in all
their length and depth, and whose letters
stated that he was the first TO ascend the
summit Of Long's Peak, when il is a matter
of public nOtOriety that women and men
have gone before him for the last ten
years, the day and date Of whose ascent
was marked upon the place Of his triumph.
/ feel that 1 am DEPRESSING from my object
in writing. Had ItimeI would enter upon
IL at length and speak Of il as its import
anoe demands. Respectfully yours,
"SAMUEL ADAMS