File:Reports of explorations and surveys, to ascertain the most practicable and economical route for a railroad from the Mississippi River to the Pacific Ocean (1855) (14779476573).jpg

Identifier: reportsofexplora02unit_0 (find matches)
Title: Reports of explorations and surveys, to ascertain the most practicable and economical route for a railroad from the Mississippi River to the Pacific Ocean
Year: 1855 (1850s)
Authors: United States. War Dept Henry, Joseph, 1797-1878 Baird, Spencer Fullerton, 1823-1887 United States. Army. Corps of Engineers
Subjects: Pacific railroads Discoveries in geography Natural history Indians of North America
Publisher: Washington : A.O.P. Nicholson, printer (etc.)
Contributing Library: San Francisco Public Library
Digitizing Sponsor: California State Library Califa/LSTA Grant

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ile, covered with extensive meadowsof grass, and abounding in game and wild horses. The narrow line of timber, thirty-five milesdistant upon the Rio del Norte, is plainly seen from our trail; but it is represented to be difficultto cross the valley with wagons, on account of the marshes along the river and the miry banksof the sunken creeks, and we have therefore followed the base of the Sierra Blanca, whichextends from the Sangre de Cristo to Gunnisons Pass. To the north of this range, but partiallyconnected with it, a broken range of mountains extends towards the Arkansas river, called theSierra Mojada or Wet mountain, from the constant rains which fall upon it. The Indian name ofthe range on the west of the San Luis valley is Sahwatch, but it is more generally known bythe Spanish name of San Juan. The San Luis valley is from 40 to 70 miles in width, and stillmore in length, and so level that trees are seen in any direction, growing on the streams, as faras the eye can discern them.
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3c > CHAPTER IV. From Roubideaus Pass, via the Coochetopa Pass and Grand River valley, to the Nah-un-Jcah-rea or Blue river.—August 25 to September 20, 1853. Gigantic sand-hills.—Williams Pass.—Stampede.—Sand and sage.—Chatillon, Trois Teton, and Leroux creeks.—Game.—Scene of Colonel Fremonts disaster of 1848-49.—Vegetation and soil.—Homans creek.—Currants.—Sahwatch spring andbutte.—Coochetopa Pass gate.—Sinking of Sahwatch creek.—Sahwatch valley.—Light dusty soil.—General character of SanLuis valley.—Favorable character for a railroad of the lower part of the Sahwatch valley.—Deer, grouse, and trout.—CaptainGunnisons examination of Homans park: its fertility.—Gunnisons Pass: its position and railroad practicability.—Punchacreek and country east of the pass.—Indicated lines for roads.—Mountain sheep.—Approach to the Coochetopa Pass.—Car-nero Pass.—Leaving Sahwatch creek.—Mountain forms, timber, rocks..—Passage and character of

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