New-York tribune., 1874-05-11

their lines OF survey made specified purposes They
viii also useful In determining the annual ana other
fluctuations of the magnetic neede-an element enter
ing 50 largely into the record that gives tc 10 Iahus
TYPOGRAPHICAL WORK.
The present survey first undertaken while the
officer now IN charge duty upon the sah OF Bre'
vet MaiorGen L. o. c. Ord then commanding the mill
tarv Department Of California to which duty he was
assigned in the In the Spring OF 1859 the
pedition for the reconnaissance In SOUTHEASTERN Ne
yada then an almost ra & 'Ie2gHa was orGanzfd & 81
Thomas, commanding the Military DIVISION Oh 'he IA
since the expedition OF Capt Simpson in 1889, from
Great salt Lake to virginia CITY, no military p5res Or
capized for survey Of the Western interior had been IN
the field with the exception OF the survey OF the 4oll
parallel Clarence King in charge, who had begun these
surveys in 1861. Al the breaking ont " the war the
COrps OF Topographcal Engineers, 10 which hai Dcsh
intrsed prior TO this date OF duties unaer th
Government taken from these anu otAer Woihs ol
a similar character aud sent with inc armies III ln tno @
field During the this class OF interior surveys Ie
After the war en- gincer officers wore detailed at The
headquarters OF the several military depilmehl5 a'
were called upon t0 carry surveys of various kuds
The amount OF money allotted was very sh anu ~ Mas
impossible % to the expense OF assistants 9ther '.
i'm the astronomical and typographical branches OF ne
work where ability scientific mapping or me resaits
season is6o and ts reduced at tho Office
in san FancscG nm TGpTr; a1a ppaptnen OF
California, and another map, upon scale OF one men 20
partEent The Inal .report OF this expedition is no"
Tbe onicer in charge having changed his station to
Washington, D. C., commenced IN the early @prlng or
1871 the organization Of large eNpedtrn 70 taHe tnG
Pacific Railroad at Carln and Battle Mountain, New,
moving in souherly direction, closing lhelr ,'0s ~
the end of the season at Tucson, Arizona In many
respects this was Of the most extraordinary exped
dons that ever entered our western 'ertl.ory y It ~
duties were both on the water and the iand' %PIuc
sub-e XpcditlOn ascended the Coofd1o NV IL hn
Camp NIoave to the mouth OF Diamond CGteS 1 m .pe
Grand Canon. The area covered was over 1900 slu@ap @
miles OF tins helng the most desert dGclt, ana
dangerous OF like area within the Onted 9'aes'
EXPLORING TIE DEATH VALLEY
1aft he
in the middle of December, 1871. The boat party
leaving Camp M0iave on Sept. l3, reached tue mo"'n
OF Diamond Creek Oct. 49, The ascent OF the river
was comparatively easy from the Black ana Bo"luer
CaIons until reaching the point OF crossing 10 the
so,,bwar5 when not having fully anticipated the IN.
cIeasing obstacles entering the jaws OF the Grdlu
Canon, tho dangers OF tine trip were suddenly realyu
and only after mach prvation and severe labor, with
scarcity of food. aid the party heDned III Dy fro"ng
walls, reach the mouth OF Diamond Cfeeh' "heio 'eie
Death Valley in California Is detrta sink OF UNIQUE
physical characteristics. TINS whole region Preshos
series valleys detrtal plains each entirely eoseu
by the ridges of Cordileras that are more or ess
as series of.mountan masses Inc IN DiI,n & nniTS ,e
proper one OF the most remarkable or All known n
rior continental depressons, aud has portions near ne
center OF its axia line below tho level OF the sea- AZ
though far inland, and lying much 10 thc HoI ~ vi @
lower border OF the Interior Basin IL Tue snh
Of the Amarcosa River which has its source III the areas
OF drainage formed TO the south ana ea't o.
New, traverses the desert Of that name whe Passlg1
southwark until reaching lat 80 AZ o. u makes an Az
rupt angle the west ami thence at right angles 20 he
80. @ iorches the point OF greatest Depression hte
less than 800 feet below level IN the heart ol Dcath
Valley proper This valley OF the ordinary oVal iofln'
fully 10 miles in length varying from TO i5 nts III
width surrouadedlty iIownnk mountains VI 'ogan,c %
aud sedimentary origin, the Telescope i"nge, i!Sihs
higher tnan TO- 600 feet The line Crossing thir dsni area
from the mouth OF Death Valley Canon 10 the thermal
springs Ia Furnace Creek presenting alDy rlhtan aLe
OF cOrescen saline forms, creates at the level OF VISION
miniature the vibrations OF whose cOhtprtcu
has sickenIUg effect upon the senses The lnrd
glare hOriZOn0i by the blush haze radatcd from TOE
mountain sides appears focused to thls pt taougn
broad IN expanse. II seems, coupled WIKI the extreme
heat TO cali for the Utmost powers OF mtntaI aud phyr
ical endurance.
The Journey through the Valley Of Death occasoned
the utmost apprehension eVlnced through tne tHthe
10 this added the effect OF the feaI1u cio
burst experienced While among the Telescope Mounan
to the west aud the absence OF the guide who nai Ne
turcd toward the nurthW western OF Ndtl'y u
feared 10 return The transit OF ~ hours
in "a temperature that rcmainedat 17 F. at mdnlght 70
exhausted both and animals that further aVe was
rendered precarous.
PATHLEsS FOREST.
San Francisco forest through which Lieut. Ives con
Quoted his land explorations, trIversed for dis
OF nearly 200 miles from San Francisco Mountain
the Sierra Blanca range TIE subsequent expedition
OF 1873 xended its limits far into NewMcxlco, proving
nc probably the largest continuous forest area IN
the UDted Estates south OF the 10th parallel In the
Spring OF 1874 with larger appropriation, the survey
entered upon it's dulles with more completely organ
iZci force, having for It's field portions OF Utah,
Nevada and Arizona The point OF departure AMI re
not large extent, bat the result fully valuable
details gathered. In 1873 the TOpUgraphi-
cIICOrps was stl further enlarged. Tie Instruments
methods also further perfected.
TGc pIrtIes SIX Ia uunO. H. took tue hcd from SAT-
Lake C,ty, Denver, and santa fo. The local.
ties OF tae pryninens natural objects, snch
"s mountain peaa'. mesa edges bnties, a.,
~ as.ei -uSd w sSs.ie. v. sSSs-.'s u-L. 4al.ss