Daily Los Angeles herald., 1881-08-04
The Atlantic and Pacific Survey
[BakersAeld californian, July aO.l

BakerHfeld Californian, July 30.
Mr.. G. B. Griffin, one of the en-
gineers engaged in the survey of
the Atlantic and Pacific, was in
town Monday and favored us with
q call. 1t will be remembered that
we referred to visit to his camp,
at the head of Pastoria Creek, in
our issue of the I'd inst, to which
point he had then brought his SUI
vey Of the route across the noun
tains into tbis valley indicated by
General Beale to the management
of the Atlantic and Pacific Com
pany. He informed us that he had
completed his survey down the val
ley of that stream to the plaiu and
found the route practicable and ali
that could be expected of q noun
tain pass. The only matter of
special difficulty was the necessity,
at certain point, of consider
able stretch of trestle.work, but
which might be avoided by loop
or corkscrew like that made py the
Southern Pacific in the Pass of
Tehachepi. If the line involving
the trestle.work should be adopted,
the road would have no curve in
the pass exceeding ten degrees.
His camp was then established at
the point where the creek enters
the plain, aud he was under orders
to proceed to Cummings' valley,
for the purpose of examining the
route thence down to the Iejop,
which is also believed to be per-
fectly feasible. Contrary to the
opinion that has generally obtain.
ed, he expressed the belief that the
route by way of the Fort Canon,
Cafiada de- las Twas, was also a
good one. He thought there was
no want Of good routes for trans
continental railroads to enter
this valley. Engineering con-
siderations, he said, were
decisively in favor of the adoption
Of the route of this valley, by his
company, to the Bay of San Fran
cisco. Unless there were influ-
ences paramount to these that of
the cost would not be taken. His
own belief was that it is an object
of supreme Importance for any
transcontinental road to reach its
Pacific terminus by as short line
as possible. Referring TO a state
ment that appeared in the Los An
geles HERALD of the 22d instant,
in regard to the failure OF the
Bates expedition, sent out by his
company to make survey from
the Mojave river to the Needles on
tn Colorado, he said he knew the
outfit he had; that 1t was
complete and all that was Deces-
sary for the purpose. There
was no desire to practice a
niggardly economy. Mr.. Bates IL
brave, humane, competent and ex-
perienced. He would leave nc
man lost in the desert to perish
through fear of expense, as was al
legged, in hunting him up; and ii
the search wes finally abandoned
he was sure it was not done until il
had become decidedly hopeless
The true explanation of the unfor-
tunate result of The expedition
based on his long experience IL
such matters, was to be found IL
the fact that Mr.. Bates had moi
been sufficiently careful in select
ing the members of his party, ant
that too many bad, WORTHLESS:
men had found their way into it.
He spoke of his work on the Beale
route, the survey of which he haC
JUS. completely as having been very
pleasant. He found plenty of grass
wood, game and excellent water; 9
fine, bracing, exhilarating climate
and no difficulty in obtaining sup
plies of fresh provisions. Mr.
Griffin Is q fluent talker, and as he
has been a great traveller his con.
versation is always replete will
facts-Dew, curious and interesting