Arizona weekly enterprise., 1890-05-03
The Colorado Canyon Survey.

that end.
 The Colorado Canyon Survey.
 The Times was accorded an inter- esting interview by Robt. B. Stanton, Chief Engineer of the Denver, Colo rado Canyon and Pacific R. R. Co. Mir Stanton has just completed & per Ilous trip down the Colorado from the Green River to the Gulf of Cali fornia, being the only man in charge of party making the trip since it was performed by Major Powell many years ago. The voyage was consummat- ed in the interests of the company represented by him, the object being to ascertain by surveys the feasibility of a proposed railway route from Den yer to San Diego and, incidentally, a branch to the Gulf. Despite the most thorough examination no great difficulties have yet been encountered from an engineering standpoint while financially speaking, the company is possessed of ample means to carry the project through, and arc besides, very enthusiastic over its practicability. Originally the Gulf branch was intend ed as deep water outlet for the great coal deposits of the north where by this fuel could be laid down at the end of the route very cheaply, and coke at as low figure as nine dollars per ton. However, the country traversed has shown so much mineral everywhere, including gold, silver, copper, lead, iron, coal, etc., that. says MT. Stanton, the enlivening of the mining industries will in themselves offer so large traffic to the road as to surpass the most sanguine ex pectations of its promoters. The total distance will involve the con struction of some twelve hundred miles of railroad, standard gauge and the Colorado river crossing will be considerably north of Yuma at point not yet selected or, at any rate, not communicated to the reporter. More than one thousand photographs ol scenery were taken along the Colo rado at intervals not greater than from one-fourth mile to one mile apart | ! through the canyon portion of the river thus covering nearly every foot of the way, which will afford panor annie picture that will demonstrate when taken in conjuction with the maps showing the results of the sur veys, beyond cavil, the overwhelming advantages and comparative sim | plicity of the construction of the road It has not yet been decided wheI building will commence, as the com
 pany IS waiting for the completion and receipt of the engineer s re port.
 Relative to the trip through tn, canyon 1t may be explained that las
 December MT. Stanton, Mir. Johl
 Hissop, Assistant Engineer, and ter
 others started to complete the sur
 veys through the lower portion o
 Marble Canyon and down to Yuma
 the party becoming less by severa
 leaving before reaching the latte
 place. During previous exploration
 further north, Prest Brown an,
 others lost their lives, and pains wer
 taken that similar calamity should
 not again occur The three boat
 used were models of careful workman
 ship, designed especially for the trir
 The passage through the Grand Can
 yon was fraught with peril, owing t
 the rapids everywhere formed by tn
 deposit of immense boulders in th
 river from side canyons. Speaking C
 the gorgeous surroundings ever,
 where visible in this, the most wond
 erful of all Natures marvels, Mi
 Stanton says: "The scenery of tn Grand Canyon was not alone grand
 but it was surprisingly and almost 1T
 describably beautiful. Imagine gigan tic walls towering thousands of fee above you, reaching from benchto benc and from plateau to plateau, eac
 receding further away until lost i the distance. Far above, at the sun init, Is the virgin snow, cold and whit l in the sunlight. Then comes tn timber, showing every shade of greer
 and for two thousand feet furthe down are yellow and grey sandstonet followed by sandstOnes of brilliant re, ; merging finally into rocks of ever color, including yellow, purple, greer
 violet and black, to the river bank
 Grotesque rocks of every imaginabl
 shape mingle one after another unt ' the mind grows bewildered with tl - strange shapes and vivid coloring tha l blend into an ensemble of beaut, g grandeur and majesty such as I ca never forget"
 Mir, Stanton and party arrived O Thursday afternoon, leaving early u } next morning for the Gulf, with tn { expectation of returning by the follow ing Tuesday. He has performed
 feat of which he may we'll be prou, and one not likely to be repeatt + until the ringing of the pick al : hammer upon railroad iron bring tn busy wOrkmen as an advance guard
 the locomotive and swarming touris who, ere long will view the nave I of that stupendous gorge.-Yun
 Times.