New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-05-01

There is grass with very little water and nothing in
we The valley of Flax River Is crusted over with
nlka, and the slopes OF tho Sierra madre, In the ap
proaches of Campbels Pass are covered with dense
There arc no valuable mineral deposits yet developed
The valuable mineral region OF Central Arizona lies
the southern slopes Of tho Magoon range and would be
reached with great difficulty from the 35t parallel line,
as the intervening range Is deeply crowded into m'
passable canyons.
The valley Of the ColOradOis of some value as agr-
cultural section and by irrigation could be made very
productive and II once wen populated would equal the
valley OF tho Rio Grande but now 1t Is held by tho Mo-
lave Indians.
The only available timber on the line between the Rio
Grande and the Sierra Nevada Is the belt on tho San
Francisco mountain The cottonwood IN tho valley OF
the Colorado and Mojaye Rivers Of no value and Is
found in very limited quantities. Some mesquite Ia
found 10 the valley Of the Colorado. .
The line would not be OF expensive construction In
fact the most favorable conditions exist cost fine
valleys and wide, easyrsing mountain slopes lead up 70
n and GRADES oconr on the San francisco mountain and
Techachepay Pass Numerous canyons are trayerseo
where maximum grades will DO necessary In lengths OF
one two three and four miles the FL RtO. az Las
Romances, head Of Val dc Chino. fampa Creek ana ran
occur at the head Of Tuare Valley and IN getting across
the valley OF the Colorado In going east from Inc So
the PcacHo or La Laa summit, distance of 15 miles,
rising 500 feet in three sections with maximum Rade
mules and heavy grade westward OF the valley 80 feet
per mile for miles In general the gradients are long,
n the arguments made in favor Of San Diego as the
Pacific terminus Of the sh PaE consdd rppS the p raSo
value of the route from from Albuquerque adown the
valley Of tho Rio Grando to the vGln OF E0t on
| the 32d parallel route, as described above. =. =
viz bewsen tie Rio Grando del NOrte aud Colo
RADIO aud the SAD and 35th parallels OF north latitude we
find peculiar system OF mountain ranges lying between
The sierra Madre or Rocky Mountains proper, form
the western rim Of the Valley OF the Rio Grande, Their
sun,mit being $50 miles west Of Albuquerque, at Camp
BELLS Pass and about co or 20 miles west from Fort
| the plateau of the Mexican boundary
Tie Mogollon range breaks on from the western slope
az the Sierra Nade nearly west from Fort Craig, ana
reaches to the Colorado RIVER being cut through by that
rivcr at the Moave Canyon and turning form
the Western rim Of the Colorado Valley rms range mas
three distinct spurs putting out towards tho north Inc
Bill Williams and san francisco range thrGugn Ine e
northern slopes OF which the Flax ana Colorado rivers cut
their way forming the great Colorado Canyon the Aqua
RUS range. and the Cer6l range ana several
Valley scarcely defined among the lost mountain system
The only considerable branch Of tho Rio Grande coming
In from the west Is the no pGeIco Win Us lpuaty tn9
San Jose. FL Rto. The Colorado has two important
TSc Fan Ryer rises in the Sierra Madre it's
branches heading Fort Defiance, Campbells Pass
san Francisco spu OF the MogoOn range, and turning
abruptly TO the north enters the colorado IN inc treat
Canyon eroded thousands OF feet into the solid limestone
The ella has its head waters in the western slopes Of
the Sierra Madre within 100 miles OF the RIO Grande and
runs wcstwardly along foot of the southern slope Of
tho Mogolan range, the Colorado near Fort Yuma
Mogollon range the Carlos the salado San Fran
CISCO aud Vordo we'll as the San Domingo San Pedro
and Aravaypa and Santa Cruz from the south The ella
| has no deep impracticabe canyons The branches
rising up in the Mogoion range are eroded deeply into
Flax River the north forming impossible canyons
The Bin Williams River rises In the western slope OF
| emptes into the Colorado, in the Mojavo Canyon.
These ysioal features Of mountains ana streams de-
tormne The two routes the RIO Grande and the
Colorado There is no natural indication oil practical
route between the 35th aud Sh paraes and following
the 35th parallel route, by Campbes Pass the San Fran
CISCO Aqans and Cebat spurs must be crossed to reach
the Colorado and barren waste travorscd 70 reach the
sierra Nevada Tehachepay Pass while by tho route
OF the sd parallel or CHA RIVER the hogoon range Is
turned and long watershed leads down to tho Colo
rado Fort Yuma without an intervening obstacle
BY the ssh parallel route three distinct SUBMITS
crossed making the sum Of the accents ana descents
1880 feet while by the ella River route but one
main summit is made the plateau OF tho Mmbres with
the Of ascents and descents about 5000 feet Com
Pas 700 feet higher than the valley Of the RIO Grande
at Albuquerque; while tho summit OF the Minbres pla
teAu 900 feet higher than the valley at La Me-ia The
valley OF the Rio Grando falls about 1000 feet between
| the points numed.
Very similar conditions Of difference take place be.
tween the Colorado and tho ocean rise oil 3o ieet 70
get UP from the valley OF the Colorado weStward an
Moiayo River then to reess1hapay Pass and finally by
ward San Diego Morongo, and San Gorgonio passes,
summing up 1900 feet OF ascents and descenta while
from Fort Yuma to San Diego there IS but mau
and by Warmers Pass the Of ascens and docens Is
parallel from Albuquerque 90 Diego, may be stated
as 1000 while by tue no Granhe ana ella routes IL
would scarcely be 1000 icet
The comparative distances arc SO miles by Campbes
Pass and Flax River and $50 miles by tho CHA Valley
route and Jacumba Pass and $50 miles by Warmers Pass
The maximum grade 10 passing from the Rio Grande Ia
the ella Is co feet per MILE and by warmers Pass aOont
the maximum gradient Will DO Jos feet Win Tar less eI
pensye than the Tehachapay Pass but not much
shorter. Judging from the report OF Mr. Poole and tho
ucs Is not difficult than tho Morongo Pass aud
Canyon aud far moro favorable than tho Iechaehapay
Pass Equatlng elevations by equivalent distances ana
adding 10 distances given he results are: ny Ihe sotn
parallel $50 miles and by me Ga Rygr ana marnsrs
Pass l22O miles Thus we haNo the comparative merits
OF the two routes as between Albuquerque and san
country On the 35th parallel route there viii be from 20
miles Of maximum grades OF no feet per mile ana
the CHA River route there is than IS miles Of
grades 90 feet mile There are no heavy grades
Madrc; and the entire distance may DO made without
| grades greater than 100 feet per mile.
| There arc many other cOgent reasons why the ella
route preferable to tho other all bearing upon tho
future prosperity OF tho country trayer5ed and s pres
ent and future contributions 10 the success OF great
Uonsdrrr the two routes with regard to their mega.
tive and affirmative values The 35th parallel route
the valley OF the Rio Grande under circumstances unfa-
future Contributions to the business OF the While
the contrary the down river line trayersos the valley
under such conditions as To call into active display all tho
energies OF thrifty population OF say souls whose
ancestors occupied this valley for years and
ACTIVITY and portance second to no valley west the
Mississippi River Only about Ouefourh OF the arabic
land In valley Is under cultivation because there
u no OF getting their products to market and the
resulting Development that would DO brought about by
taking the road down The valley for 400 miles Is apparent
in comparison with mere crossing Of the valley, as Is
The northern route does not traverse any Unknown
or determined mineral belt nor Is IL within easy reach Of
communication Win INC lcn ueposts o, Ceh,rai
Arizona which lie on the southern slopes OF tho MogOon
range while the southern Hue trayerses the long known
copper region OF NewMexicO and the gold and silver
and copper deposits OF the headwaers OF the ella and
lies conveniently accessible 10 the valuable mineral
Rlyers and invites by dowaYer carriage, tho products
OF region Of Bill Williams Fork and the vicinity Of
The lower route traverses better agricultural region
than the other tho Valley OF the Gal win some 0ld