The weekly Arizona miner., 1869-08-07
The Canyon Of the Colorado.

Not long since we published a synopsis of the report of Professor Powell of Chicago on the great Canyon of the Colorado, which he has partially examined and is about to thoroughly explore. He states that the can yon has never been explored, and that but one man has ever passed through it. Profes- sor Newberry of New York denies this state ment, and in a letter to the New York Trf- bnne makes public the following in relation to that mysterious gorge. He says;
 "The first knowledge gained of the exis tence and character of this stupenduous gorge through which the Colorado flows was from the explorations made by Spanish priests, who, with zeal and ntrepdity worthy of the highest admiration, penetrated, at ah ear iy day, into every portion of the widespread Spanish possessions on this continent
 "One of these priests, Padre Escalanti, in 1776, went from Santa Fe through the Nav sjo country, to the Moqui towns; thence he proceeded northwesterly, and reached the Great Canyon where it is deepest Cover GOO feet), crossed it at the ''valo del Padre and passed through much of Utah, returning to the river and crossing it at a point consider ably below the Priests Ford
 "EscalAnti gives graphic description of the Great Canyon, in which be says that at the Valo del Padre, rock lying in the river, when seen from the cliff, seems no bigger than one's head, but that when the descent (of more than mile verticaD had been made to the water level it was found to be as large as the Cathedral of Seville
 "Escalanti's narrative may be found in the library of the War Department Bureau of Engineers) at Washington, and his route is plotted on Colonel Macomb's map of the country bordering on the Upper Colorado, (San Juan Exploring ExpeditionD published by the War Department.
 ''The Colorado Expedition sent out in 1857 by the Government, spent year in explor- ing the river, navigating it 500 miles to the mouth Of the Great Canyon, and exploring the course of the canyon for more than POO miles, to the mouth of the Little Colorado Tn this part of our route-for I was connec- ted with the party-we descended into the gorge at two different points, and with the barometer carefully measured its depth, where it is respectively 4,000 and 5000 feet deep The Report of the Colorado Exploring Ex petition was published by the Government and may be found in most public and private libraries of any considerable size.
 After the return of the Colorado Expedi tion in 1859, another expedition was fitted out by the War Department for the explora ton of the country bordering on the Uppe Colorado. This expedition-called the Sar Juan Expedtion-was commanded by J. N Macomb, Corps of Engineers, United State Army, with whom was associated as sur geon and geologist. During 1859 we ex plored the country about the junction 0 Grand and Green Rivers, fixed the importan geographical point of the confluence of thre streams, and traversed the valley of the Sal Juan, the principal afiiuent of the Colorado stream as large as the Connecticut-whos banks, lined with ruins, and once supportin 10000 people, are now entirely deserted.
 "The map of the country made known the San Juan Expedition has been publshe by the Government, but the printing of tn report, arrested by the war, has never bee resumed. It is, however, probable that will soon be published.
 Most of gour readers are also aware ths some three years ago two miners attempte to float through tho Great Canyon of the Co orado, and know that while one was drowne. the other came safely out at Callville, an that his story was published in the transa tions of the St Louis Academy of Science
 "With all the facts before me, you will pc haps not wonder that should be little SUI prised to read, in Professor Powells lette that he thinks it doubtful if these canyon have ever been seen by man"
 We hope this controversy may not prevel Professor Powell from prosecuting his exp!o ations of the Colorado Canyon in the mann announced He is substantially correct his statements, and should he succeed in seending and describing the river, the wor will accord him the credit of whatever di coveries he may make.