Evening capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1888-1893, 1890-04-03
COLORADO CANYON.
An Account of It's Dangers and
It's Unique Grandeurs.
Some Interesting Facts Furnished by
Major Powell, the Only Man who
Ever Explored 1.-THE Inflated
Brown Expedition.

The account Of the attempt by Frank NJ
Brown to survey the Colorado river to as
certain the feasibility of a railroad between
its high banks, and the end Of the enter.
PRISE in the death OF Brown and two mem.
bers of his party in the nyon, induced
me, says New York Tribune correspond.
ent, to make some inquiries Of Major J. w.
Powell, director Of the Geological Survey,
the only man whose parties have ever sue
ceeded in traversing the deadly gorge.
Asked why Brown failel Major Powell
answered:
"For the same reason think the other
parties have always failed. He underesti-
mated the perils to be encountered. The
Colorado Canyon, to speak of many canyons
as one, is unique. There is nothing else
like it in the world; none but itself can be
its parallel, and so it is difficult for the
imagination to foresee and appreciate it's
furious whlrlpools, dangerous rapids and
tremendous abysses. think that Brown
failed to comprehend the significant fact
that nothing can get through the Colorado
Canyon that can not float Boats are re-
Deatedly upset and in4erior boats are
mashed like eggshells."
did You know Mr.. Brownl"
"Yes, somewhat. Last winter Ireceived
letters from various persons interested in
locating railroad route down the Colorado
river. 1t was believed that water grade
for railroad could be found, and that thus
the vast coal-tields of Utah and Colorado
could be connected with tide-water in the
3ulf of CALIFORNIA; most desirable thing
70 accomplish. The president of the Deu-
yer company, Mr.. Brown, finally visited
Washington and called upon me and made
inquiries about the best method of making
10 ,Nl
judicious. But in my Judgment the plan
was quite impracticable, and told him so
and fully stated to him my reasons for such
a conclusion"
"What were the reasons2"
"They can not be repeated in limits more
brief than a magazine article furnishes
But can outline them in word No rail
road can run along the rocks at the top
OF the canyon, because the whole region is
labyrinth of stupendous lateral gorges
from half a mile to mile deep and running
back from the Colorado for many miles on
both sides, and no engineering known to
man can bridge them. In the main canyon
the river often rises forty to sixty feet, so
that the road-bed would have to hang upon
the sides of the cliff, which much of the way
is perpendicular. The floods here surpass
in size and suddenuess any others on the
globe"
"Was Browns party overwhelmed In the
most difficult part of the descent2"
''Oh, no, by no means. Brown had lust be-
gun to encounter the real difficulties when he
net with disaster in Marble Canyon. 1t ls
bad place, but he had not yet reached the
most dangerous portion OF the river. He
lad descended less than six hundred feet
While the fall of the Colorado below was
more than two thousand feetn
''Was the boat q suitable onel"
II would not have gone in it, by any
means. was anxious about it even before
le started. 1t did not seem to me adapted
o canyon waters. 1t seemed too flat-bot-
'omed, and must nave been at Ine mercy of
The swirling currents"
Major Powell was asked about the stories
that various parties had succeeded in de-
scending the Grand Canyon at different
times, and answered:
"Nobody has ever successfully traversed
The Colorado Canyon but my parties The
story that raft once lived to get through
IS preposterous and was long since ex-
ploded Invariably all attempts have been
or have met with disaster. The
boat to go down the Colorado Canyon must
be sturdily built on q pattern which expert
ence has proved the strongest and should
have three air tight compartments; the
men should wear ife preservers at all
places of danger, and all tools, clothing and
rations should be carried in air-tight ocean
mail sacks, so that they will float. If these
conditions are fulfilled, if the boats are
tough enough, and the men at once plucky,
intelligent and prudent enough, and at the
maximum of their health and strength, the
canyon may yet be run again"
/ could not forbear saying: "You do not
seem TO have been quite up TO this mark,
for you first attacked the canyon long after
you had lost an arm at Shiloh"
Major Powell smiled whimsically and said
~ was lucky"