El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1901-03-13
Report of a Survey
for a Wagon Road
Through the SaCr
mento Mountains in
lS49.

Camp at Las CrucItas, on Rio Grande.
October 3, 1S49.
Sir: have the honor to report that,
in obedience to your orders. / pro-
ceeded. September 81, from the camp
opposite FL Paso. with the escort des-
ignated, to make a reconnaissance of
the Sacramento mountains. and ascer-
tain if there existed pass
through them practicable for wagons
Leaving camp at p. m, and taking the
Salt Lake road, the day following
reached the Arroyo Solidad, the first
water from the Rio Grande-estimated
distance thirty-eight miles. and general
direction north 40 degrees east. This
creek rises in the Sierra Solidad, its
handspring being about one mile dis
tant from my camp, and was represent
ed by the guides as being generally dry.
except at the spring. The next water
on the road (Which I still followed)
was that of the Ojo de San Nicolas, dis
tant twenty-one and half miles. in
southerly direction slightly east of
north. From this point. leaving the
wagon road. / followed a large Indian
trail to the Canon del Perro, the near
est point of the Sierra Sacramento
distance thirty-two miles: course north
90 degrees As east. This canon fur
nishes a fine supply of water but it is
so narrow and rough that the Indian
trail. in place of following it. leads di-
Tectly over the mountain. Passing
along parallel to the base of the noun
tain. as near as the rocky spurs would
admit. L crossed a small running creek
distant ten miles from the Canon del
Perro, and reached the creek lei Aqua
de Nuestra Sonora de la Luz" nine
miles beyond. The general direction
from Canon del Perro was north 10 de-
greeS 10 west. The canon from which
this creek flowed was but little wider
than the first one mentioned and. at
the distance of one and a half miles
from it's mouth. branched into two mar
row ravines. From this creek follow
ed the base of the mountain for six
miles, in direction north 10 degrees
west. and arrived at the entrance to
what was said by the guides to be a
pass through the mountains. A ride of
two and a quarter miles in a direction
about north 73 degrees east, brought
me into the narrow rocky valley of a
salt creek. Finding that there was no
pass here, made my way out of the hills
by travelling down the bed of the creek
for about two miles. and then taking an
Indian trail leading off to the north
east across several spurs and interme-
mediate valleys: at the distance of five
miles. entered the valley of La Cienegu
"a marshy creek flowing between the
Sierra Sacramento and Blanca. The
width of this valley was about five
miles; but The greet number of small
spurs putting out on either side from
the mountains to the banks of the
creek would cause considerable
amount of labor to be laid out on them
before being practicable for wagons
About seven and half miles above
the point of entrance into the valley
the creek forked-one branch coming
in from the southeast. and the other
from thenorth of east. / first exam
ined the left branch; but the difficulties
encountered in distance of three
miles. and the appearance of the valley
ahead. where it became narrow and
rugged. caused me to retSace my steps.
and attempt the valley of the other
branch. Crossing the left branch with
much difficulty. | found. after a miles
travel in the second valley. that it pos
seSsed no advantages over the first.
and started for the Rio Grande. The
portion of the Sierra Sacramento to the
south of the Canon del Perro | did not
examine for the reason that the guides
informed me that there was neither
water nor a country practicable for
wagons. On my return after arriving
at the Salt creek. I left the trail made
in going up, passed below the running
waer of lei Aqua de NueStra Sonora de
la Luz" and struck for the southern
point of an extensive range of white
sand hills. situated in the middle of the
immense valley lying between the
Sierra Sacramento and the mountains
near the Rio Grande. This course
(south 80 degrees 80 wesD led by a
brackish spring, and about one mile
and half to the right of Salt lake.
From the sand hills to the Ojo de Ste.
Nicolas. the course was south 50 de-
grees 80 west. and distance sixteen and
three quarter miles. Agreeable to or
ders. on leaving Arroyo Solidad, l en-
tered tha, yalley OF thu. Il 10 era nda by