El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1901-03-13
Report of the First
Survey for a Military
Road from San An
tonic to FL PaSo. in
1S49.

San Antonio de Bexar, May 25. 1S49.
Sir: | have the honor to inform you
that in obedience to orders received on
the 9Th of February last 1 left this
place ON the 18th of that month for Ell
Paso del Norte, via Preside del Norte
and the valley of the Rio Grande-ob-
ject Of the expedition being to find, IL
possible, a suitable road for military
and commercial purposes from this
point to Ell Paso. Our route lay
through Fredericksburg. and thence
partly by the old Pinta trail, to the
head-waters of the south fork of the
San Saba river. The road from this
place to Fredericksburg being well
known and frequently travelled, shall
emit description of it. From there
To the head-lake or spring of the San
Saba. the distance is about one hundred
and six miles, the country well wooded
and watered. and requiring but little
labor to make a fine wagon road. The
approximate latitude of our camp, sit
uated about a mile from the ford of the
river. near the month of Camp creek, I
found to be 30 degrees So o" g. From
the spring of the San Saba for about
fourteen miles. we passed up one of the
Aead-guIIies of the river. in which we
found five or six water holes, but were
unable to pronounce them permanent
Leaving this point We assembled to the
high table land. and travelled for about
one hundred and ten miles in a direc-
ton somewhat south of west, without
finding even water holes. and being oc-
eupied tire days and night in making
that distance. This portion of the
route was mostly over the table land
though at times We entered and fol-
lowed for short distances the head-gul-
lies of the San Pedro river. The table
land is thinly covered with the meZ-
quite tree; and in the gullies leading to
the rivers heading in that portion of
the country are occasional clumps OF
the live oak. Through this country
for the distance of one hundred and
twenty four miles, was such as to re-
quire no labor in advance of the wagon
train. yet the great want of water caus-
ed us to consider the route as imprac-
ticable, except at the enormous expense
of digging wells along it. The water
we first struck after leaving the head
gullies of the San Saba. was the Live
Oak creek. a tributary to the Rio Puer-
co, or Pecos, and running in south
westerly direction. The distance from
the first water attainable in this creek
to its mouth is but eight miles The
PuercO is a muddy. swift. and narrow
stream, never exceeding forty. and in
many places probably not more than
twenty-five feet in width. The ford by
which we crossed the animals appears
to be frequently used by the Indians. in
their incursions into Mexico. The riv-
er here was probably not more than
three and a half or four feet in depth,
but the velocity of the current was so
great that the mules were obliged to
swim for a short distance. Leaving
the Puerco about forty miles above this
IL <lrr, ha foh
hills to the Ojo Escondido. distant
.lDout twenty-five miles, in a southwest
direction. From this point. for about
twenty-seven miles. the route is nearly
west-passing by one large spring, (the
Ahuache). at a distance of about seven
teen miles. and reaching the last prai-
RE spring ten miles further on. From
this point to the next permanent water.
"a running creek. the estimated dis
lance is thrity-five miles. though it
may be found to be four or five miles
less The creek is followed for a dis
lance of about twenty-five miles to the
Painted Comanche camp; and here the
road to Presidio del Norte passes to the
southwark and westward, while the
road to FL Paso del Norte strikes
northwestward towards the pass in the
mountains on the Rio Grande. striking
that river about ninety-five miles above
Presidio Gel Norte. The road from this
camp may either follow the creek to
its head. passing through the noun
tains there. or. by leaving the noun
tainS directly pass along parallel to
their western slope. thus obtaining
road with less labor and less water.
The distance from the last water in
this chin (the Diablo) to water in the
mountains or the Rio Grande cannot
exceed thirty I've miles. About twelve
miles from the water in these last
mountains the road strikes the river, at
Il distance of about one hundred and
twenty miles fro n FL Paso- After fol-
lowing the river Tor about seven miles,
the road passes though the mountains,
which here jut il to the river, by the
valley of dry creek. returning to the
river by another cret% bed. having run
ming water in it. The distance between
these points of the river is about thirty
miles Touching the river on coming
through this pass, it is necessary to
leave it again Immediately, passing be-
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