IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 I I 1.1 m ^^ ■■■ ut lU 12.2 £f |£o 12.0 L25 iu IJ& 1.6 '* > ^•]f|tllrSll OdcOUcb CorpGration n WMT NUUN ITIMT WIMIM.N.V. IMM 4^ :^^ CIHM/ICMH Microfiche Series. CIHIVI/ICMH Collection de microfiches. Canadian Instituta for Historical IMicroraproductiont / Inatitut Canadian da microraproductions liistoriquaa Ttfchnical and Bibliographic Notaa/Notas tacl^niquaa at bibliographiquaa Tha inatituta haa attamptad to obtain tha baat originai copy availabia for filming. Faaturaa of thia copy which mcy ba bibliographically uniqua, which may altar any of tha imagaa in tha raproduction, or which may aignif icantly change tha uauai mathod of filming, ara chackad balow. L'Inatitut n microfilm* la mailiaur axamplaira qu'il lul fi< *t* poaaibia da aa procurar. Laa ditaiia da cat axamplaira qui aont paut-ttra unlquaa du point da VIM bibllographiqua, qui pauvant modif iar una imaga raproduita. ou qui pauvant axigar una modification dana la mAthoda normala da fllmaga aont 'idlquia ci-daaaoua. 1 t D Colourad covara/ Couvartura da coulaur I I Covara damagad/ Couvartura andommagte □ Covara raatorad and/or laminatad/ Couvartura raataurte at/ou palliculAa □ Covar titia miaaing/ La titra da couvartura manqua □ Colourad mapa/ Cartas gtographiquaa an coulaur □ Colourad ink (i.a. othar than blua or black)/ Encra da coulaur (i.a. autra qua biaua ou noira) r~71 Colourad platas and/or illuatratlona/ bZJ Planchaa at/ou illustrationa an coulaur □ Bound with othar matarial/ Rali4 avac d'autras documanta D D Tight binding may cauaa ahadowa or distortion along intarior margin/ Laraliura aarrAa paut cauaar da I'ombra ou da la diatortion la long da la margi. IntArlaura Blank laavaa addad during raatoration may appaar within tha taxt. Whanavar poaaibia, thaaa hava baan omittad from filming/ II aa paut qua cartainaa pagaa bianchaa ajo'jtiaa lora d'una raatauration apparaiaaant dans la taxta, maia, loraqua cala Atait poaaibia, caa pagaa n'ont paa At* fllmiaa. D D n D D D D Colourad pagas/ Pagaa dc coulaur Pagas damagad/ Pagaa andommagias Pagas raatorad and/or lam o OO) ^ i t: I ^4 tinont, by dividing its drainage almost longtitiidinally from a point considerably to the north and west of the South Pass, to the head of the Gulf of California, so that onr line must cross its valley upon any route that can be projected. By reference to Mr. Evans' \\ port, it will be seen that large quantities and varieties of timber abound in the Black Hills and Medicine Bow Mountains; and that indications of large deposits of coal are found at several points along the route. The distance from Camp Walbach to Green River is 26i)jYir miles. Assuming the elevation of Camp Walbach to bo 7,000 feet above tide, Mr. Evans reports the summit of the Black Hills, or " Cheye:rne Pass^'' to be 8,(556. The summit of the Medicine Bow Mountains, or " Rattle Snahe Pass,''^ to be 7,560. The divide of the continent, or ^^Bridger's Pass'*'' to bo 7,534, and Green River, at the termination of his line, 6,092 feet. The grades upon this portion of the route may be brought within the maximum fixed by Congress, by tunnelling 'he Cheyenne Pass, and elongating the line about six miles for the purpose of developing the grades. Mr. Case, in his report, gives some important information respecting the Passes through the Black Hill ranges, south ot the Cheyenne Pass, some of which is obtained from actual surveys ; and some from other sources which may be considered more or less reliable. He estimates the Pass at the head of Boulder Creek to be 1 1,900 feet above tide. The Pass between the head of the North Fork of the South Platte and one of the heads of Snake River, an affluent of ihalBlue, to be 11,500 feet. The Pass between the head of Tarryall Creek and Indiana Gulch, also a tributary of the Blue, to be 11,432 feet. Tlie Pass between the head of the South Platte and the Blue River, known as ^^ Hoosiers' Pass,^^ to be 11,500 feet. A survey was made through this Pass, from a point in the valley of the South Platte, about forty-eight miles easterly, to a point in the Valley of the Blue, about eighteen miles westerly of the summit, from which it appears that a tun- nel two and a half miles in length will be required, in order to reach the summit with our maximum grade ; and also that the :t. lino is very indirect, requiring a didtanco of 145 miles to malco 70 miles, of westing, between Denver iind the mouth of tlio Blue. There uro an abundance of good timber and building stone along this route, but it is estimated that snow falls to a greater depth in the vicinity of Iloosier Pass than in any otlier part of Colorado. In tlic winter of lSGl-3 the total fall was thirty- acven feet ; and in one storm it fell to a depth of cloven feet, at Georgia Gulch, situated upon Swan Iviver, one of the tributaries of the Blue. In relation Lo " Berthoud Pass," situated nearlv west of Den- vcr City, at the divide between the head of Clear Creek and Mo- BC!5 Creek, a branch of the Blue, Mr. Case gives the results of liis survey made in 1SG2, as reported to the Hon. John Evans, Gov- ernor of Colorado Territory, from which and his proliles, it ap- pears that a tunnel of three and {^^ miles will be required at the summit; and that the entrance to the tunnel would be 4,820 feet above, and a distance of 57.8 miles from Denver City. Upon the map accompanying Mr. Case's report, the following elevations above tide are given : J Denver City 5,302 feet Tunnel 10,050 " Berthoud Pass 11,410 " After giving the foregoing results, Mr. Case proceeds to give a more minute report of his surveys up the Valley of the Cache La Poudre Creek, a northern tribntary of the South Platte, com- mencing at La Porte and connecting with Mr. Evans' line, at the crossing of the Laramie River, from which it appears that the elevation of the summit of the Black Hill range, which he names " Antelope Pass,^'' situated at the divide between the headwaters of Dale and Willow Creeks, is 593 I'eet lower than the Cheyenne Pass, as surveyed by Mr. Evans, making Antelope P.oss 8,003 feet above tide, or 3,347 feet lower than the Berthoud Pass. This elevation can be reached from both directions with our maximum grade, without a resort to tunneling. Mr. Case suggests several improvements Avhlch can be made in his line, and among others a line up the Valley of Crow CrecJc, which to my mind promises many advantages over the routes heretofore examined. fit fi V- ■< S •1 > u> <3 H ■f > S ^ CD 5 c-> N > •H fj CD d H o r. c+ z ^ o ■XI H ■? zn ►— o 00 -n J) o > Q Ik IS I * alee 1 m luc. 1 ^1 tone atcr •tof 1 ^1 irty- t, at ^ ^1 irica '1 ^1 )en- CO H ^1 Afn m \C ^1 iJlO- > 'his 2 ^ -' tOV- CD 5 ^ O 1^ ^JB* ap- > 1^ il at CD 820 nncr O c ing c+ Z ro o a> X) '^ X ►— o OD -n O) *- 1 o o > 2:1 o f'V" • -M The timber along this route is rather sparse, but large quanti- ties of superior granite are found to the south, and at no great distance from the line. The indications of coal are not very promising. The distance Irom La Porte to Antelope Pass is 41 -j?„- miles, and to Station 1,300 of Mr. Evans' line, at his crossing of La- ramie Eiver, ()9 -/'g- miles. The altitude of La Porte is estimated at 5,0S4 feet above tide, making an ascent to Antelope Pass of 2,979 feet to be overcome in rt distance of 44 j?y miles. From the report of Mr, Samuel B. Reed, it will be seen that his surveys were commenced in the northwestern part of Great iSalt Lake City^ near Jordan Ilivcr ; and that he ran a continu- ous line from this point, near the westerly base of the Wasatch range of the Kocky Mountains, in a northerly direction to the mouth of Weber Canon ; and thence easterly up the Valley of Weber Tliver to the mouth of Chalk Creek ; thence up the Valley of Chalk Creek, and across the headwaters of Bear Eiver, to the head of the Muddy Biver and Black's Fork of Green Eiver ; and thence down the Valley of Blank's Fork, to and across Green Biver, to an intersection with Mr. Evans' line in the Valley of Bitter Creek, at Station No. 10,4( 9 j",/g- of Mr. Reed's line, and Station No. 13,508 of Mr. Evans' line. A line was also run from the Weber Valley, at the mouth of Echo Caiion, up the Valley of Echo Creek, crossing the divide between Weber and Bear Bivers at the head of Echo ; thence following the tributa- ries of Bear Biver, to an intersection with the line above de- scribed, in the Valley of Sulphur Creek. Another line, known as the " Thnpanogos Valley line,^'' was also run, comjnencing at a point in the Weber Valley near the mouth of Chalk Creek ; thence up the Weber Valley to and across " Kamaa Prairie,^'' to the Valley of the Timpanogos ; then(!e down the Timpanogos Valley to the Valley of Utah Lake ; and thence to s point '^alley ToiT from the Weber Valley line, near the mouth of Chalk Creek. ■^ wm The following altitudes are taken from Mr, Heed's tables Great Salt Lake City 4.2S5. 8 Summit at head of Chalk Creek 7.834. Summit at head of Echo Creek 6.879. 4 Summit between Bear and Muddy Rivers. 7.567. Summit between Green River and North Branch of Bitter Creek 7.175. ^ Junction of Mr. Evans' line 6.315. End of line in Tuilk Valley 4.243. ( >'i Kamas Prairie 6.667. Mouth of Chalk Creek 5.645. I The distance from the initial point in Great Salt Lake City, via the Echo Canon line, to the intersection of Mr. Evans' line, is 223 jW miles. As between the "VYeber Valley and Timpanogos Valley lines, the comparison seems to be decidedly in favor of the Weber Valley line. The line via Echo C'jfion seems also more favor- able than the one via Chalk Creek, being better in alignment and grades, and having 955 feet less elevation to overcome, although the tunneling is 1,300 feet more than on the Chalk Creek line, and it does not lie so contiguous to the coal and timber regions along the northeni slope of the Uinta Mountains, as the more southerly line of Chalk Creek. I icr I JO \< f r'l -< o > D |C3 ■n J- ^ too > |0) — r- O > The country adjacent to the routes above described v.as thoroughly examined by the engineers in charge of the surveys, 60 that it may be regarded safe to conclude that, with some slight and unimpoi tout amendments, the lines, as traced, show the substantial difticiiltics that must be overcome in the con- struction of the road upon a!iy of the routes described ; some of these difficulties appear quite formidable ; but they may all be surmounted by the use of skill, energy and perseverance. I do not regard the result of the surveys already made as affording sufficient data to enable the Company to make a defi- nite location of the route of the road. They indicate, however, beyond a doubt, that a practicable route can be obtained which will meet the requirements of the kw of Congress, as to grades 3 I and curves ; and also the wants of the Government and people, as a means of ti'ansport across the Continent. Other routes are to be examined during the present seaso/i, during which it is also hoped that the surveys may be extended beyond Salt Lake, to the western boundary of Nevada. In order to meet the requirements of Congress, as well as the just expectations of the Government and people, with reference to the early completion of the road, it may be necessary, at no distant day, to determine upon one or more proper locations for the erection of furnaces, rolling mills, and machine shops, for the manufticture of rails, cars, and other machinery, required for tiie construction and equipment of distant and isolated sections of the road, in advance of a continuous track from the Eastern terminus upon the Missouri River. With a view to this contingenc}'^, the information contained in the reports of the Division Engineers, with reference to timber, and deposits of iron ore, and coal, contiguous to the routes examined, must be regarded as of great importance to the Company. The surveys were continued Westerly from the termination of the tirst one hundred miles, during the summer and fall of 1804, to the One Hundredth Meridian of longitude, a distance from Omaha of about two hundred and fifty miles, beyond which l)aint it was not considered safe to go, on account of the armed hostility of the Indians. From the termination of this survey, no line has yet been run to the head of the Great Platte Valley (or eastern base of the Tlocky Mountains), a distance of about three hundred and twenty-live miles. It has been ascertained, however, from observation, that there are no natural obstacles in the way of constructing a road from almost any point on the One Hundredth Meridian that may be established by the President of the United States, to the best point of crossing the most easterly range of the Rocky Moun- tains. With a view to the rapid progress of the work, the first ques- tion to be determined is the proper point for the lino to leave the western end of the (Jreat Platte Valley. The location of the line across the One Hundredth Meridian, as well as the entire n)utc west of the first one hundred miles of the road, can- 1 ' ' 1 n • 1 /ti f|]f III 8 i li w not be properly deter m in etl until this question is decided : and it is respectfully submitted that all the interests Ij'ing East of, and couver<«;infr at the One Hundredth Meridian of lonffitude, are e(pially interested in a prompt aiul judicious decision of that question. It is believed that the information that will be obtained during the present year, will, in addition to that which has already been obtained, be sufficient to enable the Company to make an intelligent decision of this important question ; ivA at the same time enable the Tres* lent of the United States to de- cide '■ tVuin actual surveys," as to the proper point of crossing the One Hundredth Meridian. This will also (;nable the Company to commence the heavy work through the Black Hills, or most easterly range of the Rocky Mountains, during the coming winter ; and also to push forward the construction of the road without interruption, be- tween the Missouri River and the head of the Great Platte Valley. I take ])lcasure in bearing testimony to the skill and energy displayed by the Division Engineers in the performance of the duties assigned to them, in the face of serious difficulties and embarrassments, growing out of the almost constant depreda- tions committed by hostile Indians, either along, or in the im- mediate vicinity of all the routes examined. The thanks of the Company are also due to the officers of the army in command of the military posts along the route, for their promptness in rendering such protection as was in their power to the parties in the field. Also to Ex-Governor Brigham Young of Utah, for his kind attentions to the wants of the field parties on that distant portion of the line. All of which is respectfully submitted. TUGS. C. DURANT, ■ ; r Vice-President. To the Pri:sii)i:nt and D1UECTOR8 Of the Union Pacific Railroad Company, No. 13 William Street, New York. %, c z. o w z < > o < ^ S > O) — > r- 30 O > ::: 51 rr-^-'te-t'..''."^jWf' I 1 ' i ', MM ■M I APPENDIX A. Report 0/ James A. Evans, Division Engineer^ of Explo- ration from Camp Walbach to Green River^ made in 1864. Montrose, Penna,, January 3, 1865. Sir, — I have the pleasure of submitting the following report of explorations and surveys, extending from the eastern slope of the Black Hills, to Green River : On reporting for instructions, at Omaha, Nebraska, early in April last, it was found, in consequence of the non-acceptance of one of the appointments made by the company, that the work originally designed for two distinct parties would have to be done by one. By giving that single corps additional strength, the supposition was entertained that it could cover the ground. Subsequent events fully justified the arrangement ; hence the portion of line first assigned to the undersigned for exp tninatiog, formed but part of the country covered by this communication. Preparations for our journey up the Platte River having been completed, I left Omaha on the 16th day of April, looking to Old Camp "Walbach, at the eastern slope of the Black Hills, and on Lodge Pole Creek, as our point of commencement. In consequence of Indian difficulties on the border, I made application to Brigadier-General Mitchell for authority to pro- cure escort, which was very cheerfully granted by him, and very promptly complied with by Colonel Collins, then in command at Fort Laramie. \i \ il 9 MR. EVAN8^ REI'OET: Our line of travel wag on tlio north side of the Platte River as far as Fort Kearney, where we crossed, thence on the south side to Jttlesburg, on the south fork, distant from Omaha ttOO miles. At this point, in consequence of the liostility shown by the Cheyenne tribe of Indians, I telegraphed to the cojnmander at Fort Laramie (Col. "W. O. Collins) for escort. Witli promptitude highly commendable, he immediately sent a detachment, com- posed of a lieutenant and twenty men of the Eleventh Ohio Volunteer Cavalry. At Julesburg we crossed the south Fork of the Platte Iliver, a short distance below the mouth of Lodge Pole Creek, up the valley of which we continued our jouniey. Some forty miles up this tributary we met our escort, they having crossed the country from Fort Laramie for the purpose of intercepting, or rather meeting the party ; they remained with us until the com- pletion of our field work in September. We reached the deserted ruins of Camp Walbach, situated in latitude 41* 21' N., longitude lOS*-" 15' W., distant by travelled road from Omaha, 575 miles, on the 16th May. The instruc- tions given me contemplated my looting the country along the line of travel. As far as Fort Kearney the coiuitry is favorable for the con- struction of a railroad ; and the same is true of the entire route until we approach to within fifty miles of the Black Hills. For that entire distance, the uniformity of surface, the superior character of the material and the small amount of mechanical work required, as bridge superstructure, masonry, &c., combine to make this portion of the line everything that can be desired. When we consider that such is the topography of the country extending over nearly ten degrees of longitude, we can safely come to the conclusion that a region more favorable for railroad purposes does not exist in this or any other country. As we approach to within fifty miles of the mountains, the valley of Lodge Pole Creek gradually changes ; the distinctive smoothness of surface ceases, giving place to a more broken to- pography — by no means making necessary heavy or expensive grading, yet in marked contrast to the extreme uniformity of the lower part of its course, and of the Valley of the Platte. The only difficulty in the way of the engineer on the portion ■ \A <■■■ lipp •4 UNION PACIFIC RAIL ROAD sufivey OF lae* BLACK HI LLS VU'IN'ITY OK OM> TAMP WAI.ltA<'II . ^" Siiili' »<»«• l'<"Pt lol inch ni.iL.j..r»lliiii|TKi'l)Wlv»"'''''''"^*'"'""'' "''''' ./,i.r. . I A'»w//.v ihf Kili/ '■ 2" Ouril fer as Fc to Jttlesl At this ] Chejeam Jj'ort Lftn liighly CO: posed of Yolunteei At Jule short disti valley of t up this tril country fr rather inee pletion of t We reac. latitude 41 road from ( tions given line of travt As iar as struction of until we ap that entire character of work require to make this When we co extending ov come to the ( purposes doe As we api valley of Loc smooth neag o pography—b; grading, yet i the lower par The only di ME. EVANS REPORT. 3 of line above referred to is the scarcity of timber. Confining my observations to the Platte valley, it may be stated that as i*ar west as a point 80 miles above Fort Kearney, all the timber that seems to be available occurs at Loup Fork of the Platte, and on the Platte itself; principally cottonwood, with some cedar interspersed. At and near Cottonwood Springs, distant from Omaha 285 miles, from Fort Kearney 90, the bluiFs on the south side of the valley tend towards the river, approaching to within half a mile of the stream, and continuing parallel with it for some distance above and below Here, in a district very broken, and some- what difficult of access, a considerable growth of cedar is found, of excellent quality for cross-ties and kindred purposes. From this point to the mountains no timber is found, neither on the streams nor contiguous to them. The manner of supplying this portio" of the line will be hereafter indicated. BLACK KILLS. I On reaching the base of this chain of mountains, after a recon- noissance of the country in the vicinity of old Camp Walbach, I fixed the starting point of my survey directly south of the ruins, at a point distant 1,200 feet, and on the opposite bank of Lodge Polo Creek. The line follows that tributary of the South Platte to its source at the summit of the range, overcoming, in a dis- tance of lif^Q^ff miles, an elevation of 1,612 feet, giving an aver- age grade of ll^-^^^'^j^ per mile. It was found necessary to un- dulate this grade, not, however, to an extent seriously to interfere with any traffic this part of the road may be called upon to do. The accompanying map and profile will show the direction and arrangement of grades. A sufficient supply of timber (yellow pine and spruce pine) can be obtained in this mountain chain, and contiguous to the line, to supply all the wants of construction, besides furnishing a large surplus for the line to the eastward, and for fuel. The character of the material in excavation is indicated on the profile; specimens have been furnished. On the eastern slope it will prove to be granite, of different degrees of hardness and coarseness ; on the western slope, sandstone exclusively. A tunnel 1,500 feet long is^ found necessary at the summit. I MR. EVANs' EEPORT. i The gradient used from the Bummit of this range to the La- ramie Plains is 2.5 per 100 feet, 132 feet per mile. A lighter grade cannot be used over this ground without a large sacrifice of profile and direction. A reference to the accompanying profile will show this grade to be continuous for 8 4^¥ miles. Should this, or any other line crossing the Black Hills be the one finally adopted, additional or extra power will be required to make the ascent ; knowing this to be he case, and knowing too, that any attempt to use a lighter gradient over tiie ground would result in giving a very expensive line, I came to the conclusion that a sufficient saving in grades could not be made to compensate for the additional material it would be necessary to move. Efibrtii were subsequently made by me and the party under my charge, to obtain a more favorable crossing of this range of mountains, but vithout success, the details of which will be submitted in their proper place. By reference to the profile, it will be seen thai on the western slope of the Black Hills depression amounting to 1,080 feet is overcome by means of a gradient of 2.5 per 100 feet. To reduce this to our maximum grade would require additional distance as follows : 43,200 feet at 2.5 per station = 1,080 feet. 49,091 " at 2.2 per " 1,080 " 5,891 " additional distance required. 11 \ By using a 2.2 grade, 116 feet per mile from the mouth of the tunnel, say station 780 to station 881, there inserting a switch, and running back half the distance, cr 2,915^ feet, then switching again, wo Avould be placed 09 feet lower at station 881 than we are now, and could reach the foot of the slope from that point with a grade of 116 feet per mile, striking the table at the foot, as we do now, which I consider important. My reason for fixing upon station 881 as a point from which to switch back, is, that the requisite distance can be obtained there on a smoother slope, less cut up by ravines than else- where. MB. EVANS' REPORT, LARAMIE PLAINS. Soon after leaving the base of the Black Ilills, our line crosses the main fork of the Laramie River. From thence to the Rattlesnake Pass, at a point where the Medicine Bow range of mountains dro^^ off into low ranires of hills of comparatively slight elevation, our line crosses the drain- age of that mountain chain, and of tlie plains at rearly right angles. Some bridging will be necessary on this part of the route. For amount see item of *' Bridging." The principal streams crossed are — I u Main Fork of Laramie River. Right hand Fork " Cooper's Creek. Rock or Frappe's Creek. Medicine Bow River. •r !i The amount of grading necessary for the distance is light, the alignment excellent, the material good. The Medicine Bow Mountains, distant from our crossing of the Laramie River 16 miles, are in good part covered with tim- ber suitable for all kinds of construction. As our line proceeds westerly we gradually approach them, at Cooper's Creek we are distant but 2^ miles ; from thence we run nearly parallel with the range until we flank or turn it by the Rattlesnake Pass. The large amount of timber found here renders easy the solu- tion of a problem that would otherwise be extremely difficult to solve, viz., the supply of timber for that part of the line west of the North Platte River, a country desert in character, destitute of vegetation, and impossible to avoid by any line following the vallsy of the Platte. This consideration alone should, and doubtless will, have great weight in the comparison of routes — when wo consider, further, that the timber of this region is indis- pensable for the purpose of developing and making available the coal of Bitter Creek, too much importance cannot bo attached to its fortunate proximity to the line. Distance from the main fork of Laramie to the head of Rattle- snake Pass, 69^^ milea. The only difficult point for that distance ^H. / 6 MR. EVANS REPORT. is the dividinff ridffc between Eock Creek and the Medicine Bow River. Should it be considered desirable to lessen the gradients and obtain a smoother profile, by a sacrifice of distance at that point, a detour of four or five miles to the northward will accomplish it, as indicated by tiic dotted line on the map. The fixed points on this section of line arc, in my opinion, Sta- tion 1,520, near the crossing of the main I/aramie — the crossing of the Medicine Bow River — the head of Rattlesnake Pass. Should explorations already or hereafter to be made, demon- strate the practicability of aline ina the South Fork of the Platte and the Cache-la-Poudre Creek, the first point mentioned above would have to be made for the purpose of avoiding the broken ground at the base of the Medicine Bow range of mountains. Our descent from the head of Rattlesnake Pass is made by a gradient of IIC feet per mile for five miles nearlj'. This Rattlesnake Pass is a marked depression in the spm*8 forming the termination of the Medicine Bow range, which here loses the distinctive character of a mountain chain, dropping off into ridges of slight elevation, stretching far to the northward, and forming the eastern boundary of the VALLEY OF THE NORTH I'LATTE. The line here offers nothing remarkable, aside from the cross- ing of the North Platte River, which proves to be extremely favo~ab!e, being rectangular, and affording reliable foundations for pieis and abutments. The amount of bridging required is 000 feet. It will be seen that our line makes considerable south- ing to reach this point. A short distance below our crossing the river enters a cafion extremely crooked, bounded by perpen- dicular escarpments of sandstone rock, which feature it continues to have so far as the mouth of Pass Creek, some fifteen miles below. Any line via Bridger's Pass will, from necessity, make this crossing of the river a fixed point, there is no means of avoiding it ; hence I look upon the favorable character of the crossing as fortunate. After passing the Rattlesnake Pass, the country changes sensi- MB. EVANS KEPOBT. 7 bly — everything indicating tlie approach to a barren region. The abundant pasturage of the Laramie Plains being here re- placed by a stunted growth of sage brush. Grass is only found on the water courses, the more elevated points being almost en- tirelv destitute of vegetation. This feature of extreme barren- ncss increases in intensity imtil the western terminus of the division is reached at Green Kivei*. The topography of the valley of the North Platte River imme- diately bordering on the stream, and in the vi<;inity of our line, has been already referred to. The perpendicular walls of sand- stone commence a very short distance below our crossing on the eastern or right bank. On tlie western side, the slopes are gentle for nearly four miles, from thence the vertical rock borders closely both sides of the river, continuing, as stated before, to the mouth of Pass Creek. After crossing this river, our line continues down it to nearly the commencement of the canon. We then leave the valley, and by easy grades reach Sage Creek, striking the latter stream about two miles above its mouth. No information can be given in a report of this part of the line other than what may be conveyed by the accompanying map and profile. The grades are light, the amount of excava- tion necessary small ; building stone foa* what light structures may be needed, .ibundant. Thirty-one and one half miles from the crossing of the North Platte River, brings our line to the summit of 1 BUIDGEIl S PASS. Although this is a point of some geographical importance, .as forming the water-shed of two oceans, nothing formidable is en- countered either in approaching or leaving it. The maximum grade on the eastern side is 2.05 per 100 feet On the western, 2.18 per 100, and only for short distances. The approaches to this and the Rattlesnake Pass are the points where the greatest obstructions from snow may be looked for. The location of the line in the vicinity of botii has been made with reference to such contingency. In every instance where the nature of the grotmd admitted without sacrificLng 8 MR. EVANS REPORT. I- 4 profile, the line has been thrown to the right, by that means placing valleys and depressions between it and the prevailing northwesterly winds. Soon after crossing the divide or head of Bridger's Pass, we reach a branch of Muddy Creek, down which our line runs to its junction with the main stream, which we follow a distance of fifteen miles to a point where it bends strongly to the southward to form its junction with Little Snake River, of which it is a tributary. The valley of Muddy Creek, as far as follow:.d by our line, is extremely narrow, having but little flat or bottom land on its margin — much of the distance being what is termed in the phraseology of the mountains, a canon. Our line, in consequence, comes in frequent contact with the stream, and several changes of channel will be necessary. By a judicious arrangement of grades, the work is rendered light in character. Where changes of channel are necessary, the embankment will require protection on the exposed side, by a lining of loose rock (rip-rap), the material for which purpose is convenient, abundant, and easily quarried. This stream (Muddy Creek), it may be stated, is comparatively small and insignifi- cant, — in June last it was nearly dry. During the melting of the snow its section is much increased. From what observation I was able to make, I estimate its flood section to be 180 square feet. After leaving the elbow of Muddy Creek, the lino passes over a country of long, flat slopes, crossing Bridger's Fork of Muddy. By means of a tributary and easy grades, we reach the broad table-land at the head of UrrTEB CREEK. The distance from the broad dividing ridge at the head of this stream to its junction "with Green River, is 70 miles by our line, which keeps the valley for the entire distance with one excep- tion, where we cut off a bend the stream makes to the north- ward, saving a distance of four miles at a very slight sacrifice of grade and profile. The extreme scarcity of herbage for our stock made it neces- I 1<**« _„.«v^|^ tMaui .*> AI/trVA V/ft S. 11 m^ UNION PACIFIC RAIL R( SURVEY OF I86» .lAAIKM A KVANS DIV. INO- UPPER CANON OF MUDD> ^ SCALE 800 FEET TO AN HCH TlifHjiii. «Kn.ii.|. Kmimiisl.ill" "Mllllnuiilm-KV oooo>aoooo oe^f-iaooMoo^ ■4MAIQ3 l|M9 •|u«i: 3|Qnn e» 00 « ^ •^ rH »» 00 OS KJ C_ IS IQ ^ «il< © o o ■<«« ^ © iO © «Oi-<'< o o o o o © o 00 t- «C 04 I- 10 t» 04 t> r4 04 M lO t- A O g.? 000000000 eoc-«o4r-2c>o o«ooeocoi3>a> p«oico>Ar»»ooi 00 04 CI •£ ©1 3 a .2 « e V JtfE. EVANS EKPORT. 18 It may be proper to state here, that no temporary structures are contemplated in tlie foref^oing estimate. In all cases, even when there is a ^^ant of material, and where no located line would balance the excavation and embankment, the estimate • has been made under the supposition that material would be borrowed for the purpose ot making the fills. This has been done for the purpose of simplifying the estimate, and affording a basis to work from, in arriving at the cost of construction. The Black Hills are peculiar, in that the principal ravines on cither slope are deep and narrow, with no ridges between, mak- ing it diflicult obtaining the material necessary to fill them from the adjacent cuttings. On this part of the line the material is all rock. It is a question to what extent truss bridges or short viaducts may be used with advantage and economy. The cross- ing of Lodge Pole Creek, on the eastern slope, a type of all of them, would compare in quantities, as follows: ■*-l 1st. Estimate for full embankment, cubic yds 00,920 Arch culvert masonry " 810 2d. Estimate for truss bridge : Embankment, " 12,300 Masonry in piers and abutments, " 1,850 Truss bridging, lin. feet 3i)0 BRinOINO. Lin. Feef. Main Fork, Laramie River 350 Left hand Fork, Laramie Kiver 2r Cooper Creek 50 Kock, or Frappe's Creek 250 Bear Creek 50 Atedicine Bow River 150 Pass Creek 80 Xorth Platte River 000 Bitter Creek, 17 crossings 850 Green River 350 Total 2,980 ii ii; MR. EVANS BEPOKT. TABLE OF GRADES.— ASCENDING. DiSTANCB. Grade per 100 feet. Qrade Feet. Miles. per mile. 7,000 1.F25 2.8 147.84 48,700 8.276 2.2 116.16 44,400 8.409 2.0 ■ 105.6 7,600 1.439 1.9 100.32 16,600 3.143 1.8 95.04 22,500 4.240 1.6 84.48 42,500 8.049 1.5 79.20 37,700 7.140 1.2 63.36 30,700 5.814 1.0 62.80 83000 15.719 0.8 42.24 94,400 17.878 0.5 26.40 34,400 6.615 0.3 15.84 82,400 0.136 0.2 10.5ft 46,900 8.880 0.1 5.28 Total,... 102,963... ..Miles. TABLE OF GRADES.— DESCENDING. M n DiSTANCI. Grade per 100 feet. Grade , Feet. Mllei. per mile. 66,000 10.606 2.5 132.09 48,100 9.110 2.2 116.16 34,600 6.563 2.0 106.6 8,600 1.628 1.9 100.32 4,800 0.909 1.8 96.04 14,200 2.689 1.6 84.48 J9.600 7.5 1.6 79.20 4*^,300 8.768 1.2 63.36 : ,900 4.335 1.0 62.8 ti-i.^OO 11.837 0.8 42.24 flf.JOO 17.84 0.6 26.4 68,900 11.155 0.3 15.84 59,900 11.344 0.2 10.56 161,800 30.648 0.1 6.28 Total... 134.917... ..Mile?. Distance ascending 102.963 descending 134917 level 81.81 Total distance 269.69 MB. EVANS REPOBT. 15 if to QJ .*3 s 's tD a ai d o H us a, -D ^- a OO « o OS « i:- T|< o "5 ^ a eO c4 ira 00 (4 CO , «S a C3 *' wT ffl s %> ^ 11 1.05 mil a w z a) «• CO CO "U . O CO CO CO o a s ^ Eh O 9> • Q tn > n u C! a o H U .a (4-4 o bo a .d " 01 to "3 01 o 1-4 H If 11 •■: t 16 MR. EVANS EEPOKT. T A B L S. Latitude. Longitude. Altitude, Feet. Camp Wrtlbneli 41° 18' 41° 16' 41° 18' 17" 41° 45' 41° 42' 20" 41° 41' 09" 41° 31' 5H" 41° 32' 51" 105° 15' 105° 29' 48" 105° 34' 18" 106° 30' 12" 106° 69' 45" 107° 30' 48" 108° 16' 48" 109° 80' 20" 7,0ii0 Summit of Klack Ililla 8,656 Crossing of Main Fork of Laramie. . . RaiticMiake I'ass Crossing of North Platle Kiver 13ridg«?r'!( I'ass 7,175 7.560 (i,695 7,-Si4 Head of Bitter Creek 7 (190 Green Kiver. 6,092 1 KEMAliKS. the Black Hills with H Soon after crossinj^ impressed with the necessity of making a furtlier examination of that range of mountains, both to the northward and likewise to the southward of the ground covered by my instructions ; I should have done so then but for the following consideration : As stated before, my work was largely increased and extended in consequence of the non-accei)tance of one of the a])point- ments. I looked upon the necessity of having a line through as of the first importance. In accordance with that sui)position, 1 resolved to push my line to Green lilver, for the purpose of making my connection there, then, if time permitted, to return to the Black Hills for further examination. The country west of the North Platte liivcr proving much more favorable than was anticipated, enabled the l>arty to reach the terminus on the 2()tli Jnly. On the i'ollowing day (27th) we started on our return journey. I expected, if time permitted, on my return, to examine the country south of our main line over the Black Hills (the range being considerably less in elevation there), if i)0S8ible avoiding the drainage of Crow Creek, and finally reaching Lodge Polo Creek by means of a tributary of that stream (south of the main branch which we followed on the eastern slope), and designated on the mai)s as Mudily Creek. After that was done, it was my pur- pose to exatniuo the Caflon of the Laramie Kiver, supposing that if the I MR. KVANB BEPORT. 17 the latter aiforded but ordinary obstacles to constrnetion, the question of grades there would be an easy one, running, as this river does, completcjy through the range. On reaching Fort Ilalleck, on my way bade to this work, I found instructions requiring me, if possible, and if the state of mj' supplies warranted me in so doing, to return by way of tho South Pass. To make this part of my report intelligible, it becomes neces- sary to state here, that Fort Ilalleck was fixed upon as our baeo of supplies, and for obvious reasons, among which may be stated its central position with reference to the division, and the supe- rior facilities it aiforded for storage. In pushing our line west, we left Fort Ilalleck with rations suiKcicnt to take us to Green River and back to the fort. When we readied there on ^iir return our stock of provisions required replenishing. Had my instructions, therefore, found me at Green River in- stead of Fort Ilalleck, it would not have been possible to have complied with them. I regard it as unfortunate that the possibility of our being able to return by w.^y of the South Pass was not foreseen and pro- vided lor, and a different arrangement of supplies made to meet the emergency, as it would have enabled me to have based upon actual observaiion, what is now but conjecture and the observa- tion of others, When we left Omaha, the impression prevailed that the extent of the division would prove to bo all one corps could accomplish during the season. As stated before, the favorable nature of the ground, tiie for- tunate proximity of the travelled road to our line, enabling us to move our transportation readily and with despatch, combined with the strength and elliciency of the party, brought us to our terminus at least six weeks earlier than 1 anticipated. The geograjihical position of Fort Ilalleck with refcrcnco to tho South Pajis will show the dilllculty in reaching the latter. Had our supplies been in shape it is very queetionahle if tho integrity of the party could have been preserved. Tho tmleal our stock had passed through west of the North Platte River, made our teamsters extremely reluctant to traverse a similar ! ; i ■ ;/i i: )? 18 Mn. EVANS REPORT. 'M'i region still more extensive. Tlmt reluctance (had the order been given to retrace our journey) would have resulted in in- pubordination, and other and different arrangements for trans- portation would have become necessary. This I should not have hesitated about, however, had it been the only difficulty in the way. Here Mr. Finney, first assistant, left the party and returned to the States. I concluded, however, that I would carry out the programme I had already marked out, with reference to the head of Crow Creek and the Laramie Canon ; then, if rapid transportation nnd escort were provided me throngli the military authorities at Fort Laramie, I would go to the South Pass, taking with me a few men, for the purpose of examining the salient pohits on that line, the party returning to the Missouri meanwhile. The result of our labors in the Black Hills, south of our main line, may be summed up thus : The starting point (miming back) of the brancli line is a little west of our crossing of the main fork of Laramie River. Distance from the point of diver- gence to the foot of the range by main line 5} miles, by branch line 9 miles, caused by the latter striking the range more diag- onally. TJie broken nature of the surface after touching the Black Hills, had the effect of keeping us constantly at the foot of the slope. When it became necessary to turn to the left for the purpose of preserving our direction and to prevent our being thrown into the tributaries of Crow Creek, the elevation was found to be greater than we could surmount. Explorations have been made since on the Cache-la-Poudre Creek, in the country to which this line would have carried us, had we continued it, and is probably the line with which Mr. Case connected his survey. It must bo understood here, that our labors were done with a view of still making the valley of Lodge Pole Creek our eastern contimiation. Our journey to the Laramie Cafion was by way of Camp Walbach and the Valley of the Chugwater to near its mouth, yfhere we crossed a low divide between it and the Laramie River ; thenco ap the latter to near the mouth of Sibyllc's Fork, o >» •-5 MB. EVAN3 RKI'OBT. 19 where we established a camp, intending to devote some time to an exploration of the hills in that vicinity, the Canon of the La- ramie and the Valley of Sibylla's Fork. On producing a line 25 miles up the latter, we found it did not penetrate the range with unything like a distinct valley, besides carrying us far to tho southward. My explorations and observation now enable mo to form an idea of the several crossings of the Black Hills. Tho sections will compare as follows : o >» •5 n '3 c o a ft a 3 to o B 5 H B '^-^ ?."».- JS ra •s a o •• 1 a M ia >t a CO s JS 3 05 "^ y f^^ir^im^rfjr. s .Jp ' c Section A. — From Muddy Creek to Laramie Plains. B. — Section on main lino. C. — Sybille's Fork to Laramie Plains. It will be seen that both the sections A and C are lower than the crossing of our main line. What constitutes their inferiority is the great rapidity of tho descent where it does occur. Tho Laramie Canon remains to be noticed. 1 approached this part of my labor in the mountains with no little interest and solicitude. As our main line progressed acros3 the North Platte River, over Bridgcr's Pass, and over the country between Muddy Creek and Bitter Creek, a sufficient knort'ledgo of the country north was obtained to show the feasibility of a line, striking tho Medicine Bow River at its elbow, the North Platte below the mouth of Pass Creek, then north of Bridgcr's Pa^s, and by means of some one of the valleys leading into Bitter Creek from the northeast, forming a junction with our lino m the valley of that stream. The Laramie Cafion seemed to be tho key to this route. It will bo understood, then, that the importance of this gorgo was not underestimated by me — no information could be ob- tained as to its character, even from mountain men, supposed to PL. 1? \'" 20 ME. EVANS KEPORT. J '> I'' i\ L bo familiar with all the nooks and gorges of a country in which they had spent the whole of their manhood, and no small por- t on of their declining years. While camped within a mile of its terrible chasm, projecting points obscured it so entirely from view, that had it not been for the river rushing by our tents and ihe previous knowledge of its existence, it might have been passed unnoticed. Taking with me Messrs. Dutton, Sladdcn, O'^eil, and Booze, of the party, I started from camp 74 on the morning of August 30, with the intention of tracing the river througli the gorge. It is unnecessary to detail the dillicultics we encountered in pro- ceeding up it on merely a prospecting tour. The river has evidently cut its way through the range, com- posed principally of granite and gneiss; its channel is extremely crooked, hemmed in closely by (for the greater })art of the dis- tance) vertical walls of rock, ranging in height from 500 to 1,500 feet — what room there is is occupied solely and exclusively by the bed of the torrent. Where it cuts through the cone of the range it forms a succession of rapids for miles, dciccnding, it is estimated, from 'J to 5 feet in 100 ; these rapids would form a great obstac^.e, were the sides of the gorge otherwise favorable and the curvature tuch as could be overcome. From the necessity of keeping clo^c to the water, (as where the walls are not vertical, the t.ilus, at the loot is insignilicant, and by no means continuous,) it will be seen that the grade would have to undulate with the des- cent of the stream, and no advantage could bo taken of distance to overcome exlraonllnirij elevation at anyone point. In over- coming a distance of 12 miles in a direct line, this river must run through 22 miles at least of canon. For a portion of the distance it niore than doubles itself. Two cases were noticed, particular! y where the stream is only prevented from forming a perfect ellipse, by a vertical wall of gneiss 1,000 feet high and 700 leet through from water to water. The cases above were noticed as extraordinary, but the whole distance is a succession of short bends, many of them forming greater obstacles still to the construction of a line. A succession of tunnels and bridiios would be recpiired for almost the entire distance. Taking this view of it, 1 did not think it nuccssajy to run any line up it. It ecemed now tbat wo had, cither by actual trial or observation } J.A £V4NS. DIV.BNG.U.P.»R.OCL UNION PACIFIC RAIL ROAD SURVEY 0FI864. CANON OF LARAMIE RIVER. DEPTH 1500 FEET. LITH.Or UAJOKtKNAFP.'tltSIIOAPVVAr V V ti t I. '■ ■ robably about 11,500 feet above tide-water. From elevations kindly furnished me by Dr. C C. Parry, I am enabled to give some information that may be of use in judging of this route. At a point 12 or 15 miles below the pass (" The Forks,") the elevation is 9,153 feet, at 7 miles below it is 8,405, and at a point 4 miles further down b,018, indicating that a practical grade would follow the valley to " The Forks." The trouble I apprehended would be to overcome 2,300 feet luva- tion in the 12 or 15 miles from that point to the pass, wii ut a very long tunnel. The descent upon the western slope to the mouth of Snake River, a distance of not more than 20 miles, is 2,700 feet, upon the hypothesis that the pass is 11,500 feet above tide-water. The route for the entire distance from the plains to the Blue is through a narrow valley, and in many places doubtless very tortuous. THE TARRY ALT. CREEK ROUTE Enters the mountains via South Platte, and follows up the main stream 10 or 12 miles further than the last mentioned route, where it diverges, following up the valley of Tarry all Creek some 25 miles to the South Park, thence near the creek across the Park to Hamilton and Tarryall, thence up the main stream to o X X) r— > 5i Co to » I MR. CASE 8 REPORT. f a pass about the height of Hoosier Pass, from which it descends Indiana Gulch to the Blue above Breckenridcre. Of this route I can say but little advisedly. Dr. Parry gives the elevation of Tarryall (old town) at 9,932 feet. The pass, at a distance, in my opinion, not exceeding six miles, is 1,500 feet higher. I do not think that the maximum grade allowed by the charter would go within two miles of the pass, following the sti'eam. Whether there is any way of making distance on this approach or not I cannot tell, as I have not had an oppor- tunity of examining the route from Tarryall to the pass. I have been down Indiana Gulch to the Blue, and should say the des- cent was 150 or 200 feet to the mile. THE SOUTH PLATTE KOl'TE. I have made a partial survey of this route, and report here- with a profile of Iloosier Pass, a profile of a line 18 miles down the Blue, and one of a line 48 miles down the South Platte, through the South Park to the head of the cafion. A tunnel of 2i miles in length would be required at the cross- ing of the range. This tunnel would be through granite the entire distance, and would doubtless cross several gold lodes, which crop out \ipon the western, or rather northern slope. The line upon the western slope would have to follow the side of the mountain to get a practical grade. I should think dis- tance sufficient could be gained upon the east side of the Blue to allow the grade to reach the valley a few miles below Brecken- ridgo, from which point to the mouth of the Blue the line would follow a fine wide valley, with easy grades, as indicated by the profile, and good alignment ; except that the valley makes but very little westing in its entire length. A line down the South Platte nuiy be located so as to secure, very nearly, a nniform grade from the mouth of the tunnel to the head of the cafion, where my line terminates, with light curves and light work, as the profile indicates. When I reached the head of the canon, I found, by examina- tion, that it extended 9 or 10 miles, aiul there being no way of moving camp down the valley, except by " packing," I concluded j ■ f ! a < i I in % MK. CASES REPORT. to abandon the survey. From the head of the cafion to the plains, a distance of some 40 miles, the river runs all of the way through the moimtains. The greater portion of the distance the valley is of suflScient width to admit of a good location for the road, but there would probably be 20 miles, at least, of " close " canon, or one both walls of which are washed by the stream. There would necessarily be a good deal of tunnelling in the canon — ^how much I cannot say. I estimated the height of Hoosier Pass to be 11,500 feet above the sea. This estimate I formed from its being about 200 feet below the limit of arbor- escence or " tree line," which in that locality is about 11,700 feet above tide-water.* Allowing the pass to bo as estimated, the elevation at the head of the canon will be 8,432 feet. Call- ing the mouth of the canon 5,700, it would leave a difference of elevation of 2,732 feet between the mouth of the canon and its head, making an average grade of less than 70 feet per mile. In the matter of grades, I do not hesitate in the opinion that there is no route in Colorado with so easy an approach, on both sides of the main range of mountains, ab this route. Yet the easy grades are made at the sacrifice of general alignment. There will be a line of about 145 miles in length to make 70 miles of westing between Denver and the mouth of the Blue. There is an abundance of timber, the mountain varieties of fir, spruce, and pine, along the whole route, except that in the Park it is some distance from the line. Good building stone and limestone may be easily procured from the ridges of strati- fied rock that intersect the Park, and in the same formation in the valley of the Blue. From what information I have gleaned, in three and a half years residence in Colorado, the snow falls in the basin of the Blue and in the vicinity of Hoosier Pass deeper than in any part of Colorado. From some person (I cannot now remember who gave me this information,) who kept a meteorological record • I bavo «ince learned from Dr. Parry that the " tree line " at Georgia Tass, the nearest point to the Iloosier Pass, at which it has been taken, is 1 1 ,487 feet. F. M. C. I* I o c H o E ■n o >c -v 3Rt^ > o < o * -< 31 It/) — 3D O® > ^05 - > H H m i'"- the the i i If ! I MB. CASE S REPOBT. at Georgia Gulch, during the winter of 1861-2, I learned that the total fall of snow at that place was 37 feet ; and in one storm in February, 1862, 11 feet. Georgia Gulch is on the western slope — one of the gulches of Swan Eiver, an affluent of the Blue. I ) 'ii THE BERTIIOTJD PASS ROUTE. I did not have time to make any further examination of this route the past season, and have but little information to report that is not contained in my report to Gov. Evans in 1862. Which report, with a few corrections, such as further experience in the geology and climatology of Colorado dictates, I here in- sert, that I may embody in one paper all the information I have been able to obtain upon the subject, up to the present date. "CoLOTJADO Territory, ) Denver, August 15th, 1862. f "Hon John Evans, Gov. Col. Territory : " Sir, — In submitting to you this report of my late instrumental reconnoissance of the Berthoud Pass and its eastern approach, with the view of its being laid by you before the Board of Corporators of the Pacific Railroad, I am aware that the facts which will be of real interest to practical railroad men are very meagre ; yet, as many misrepresentations have been made upon mere opinion, the few facts I have gleaned may be of in- terest to the Board of Corporators, of which you are a member. " I have had a connected line of levels run from the Platte River (at the upper bridge in Denver) to the summit of the Pass and two and three fourths miles down Moses Creek, on the Pacific slope. From one "lile below Empire City a transit line has been run over the Pass — levels have been run up Clear Creek, a mile and a half above the mouth of Iloope's Creek, opposite the pass, and also from Empire City to the low pass between Bard Creek and the south fork of Clear Creek. Be- tween this low pass and Georgetown, one and three fourths mile south, the relative elevations have been ascertained by barometric i: t ¥ '"I 9 MR. CASES REPORT. observations, by Dr. Parry, a gentleman who is spending the summer near the Range, making scientific explorations. " I submit herewith a map of the route from Denver, west- ward, embracing the Pass, giving a very fair representation of tlie topography of the country in the vicinity of the Pass, with the relative elevations at certain points, as ascertained by the levels. Upon this map I have drawn a proposed location of a railroad line, which, in my opinion, will be near the most prac- ticable route for the real location. The lengtli of the tuimel I make three and a half miles. I have made tliis length by sup- posing an up grade of fifty feet to the mile, running westward in the tnnnel from the entrance, for two miles, and thence run- ning a down grade of ten feet to the mile, to the exit. " An up grade in the tunnel of one hundred feet to the mile for the first two miles, instead of fifty, would shorton the tunnel about one fourth of a mile. The grade, as you will notice, is less than 116 feet to the mile from the forks below Empire City to the tunnel, but the equation for curvature, on the line I have drawn, would probably bring the grade up to this maximum. " This range of mountains, on its eastern slope being subject to a very considerably less fall of rain during the year than the Alleghanies or New England mountains, are much less dis- integrated, and are fitly called " Rocky Mountains." The moun- tains on either side of the valley of Clear Creek are " rugged," with frequent points of rocks projecting into the valley ; lor this reason I have drawn the line bo as to get down into the valley with the grade as soon as possible. " I might say in this connection, that there would be a possi- hility of striking rich gold lodes in the construction of the tun- nel, for it is in the " Gold Belt," there being lodes on each side of the pass, yet I would not like to undertake the construction of the tunnel with the understanding that I should take this " possibility" in " part pay." " Of the Western approach to the Pass I will hazard no opinion as to gradients or courses. The Western slope of the Range seems to be covered with a much deeper soil, as it is covered with a nmch denser foliage, which is doubtless owing to the arrest and precipitation of the spring and summer rains by the snow of the Range ; the prevailing winds being nothwesterly. ?'- o = > n 3 c > o o ^ IS 1 T tli -!1 • 1 1 it ♦ MB. CASE 8 BEPOET. t ' I This fact, in case of having to keep the mountain sides to get down to the valley of the Grand Kiver, would render the cost of construction much less than upon the Eastern Slope. " I have made considerable inquiry as to the winter snows in the neighborhood of the Pass, and find that at Empire City, they have wintered cattle every winter without hay. From all the statements of settlers on the experience of three winters, I am of opinion that the winter snows would form no serious obstacle to the running of railroad trains from the tunnel east- ward. About three-fourths of a mile from the Pass, on the western slope, we passed a camp where a family were snow- bound last winter, for some weeks, and judging from the height of the stumps of trees cut by them while there, should think the snow must have been five or six feet deep. This depth, from all the information I can glean, would be about a fair average for about fifteen or twenty miles west of the Range, in the vicinity of the Pass. The prevailing winds being from the northwest, the snow piles in immense drifts on the southeastern slopes of the range. These slopes, in the vicinity of the Pass, being very precipitous near the summit, arrest the snows before they reach the valley of Clear Creek. This fact may account for the light fall of snow near Empire City. " The following table will show very nearly the distances between the points at which I have ascertained the elevations above the Platte at Denver, along the proposed route from Denver, westward to the Pass : Places. Distances. ElevalioD. Platte River, at Denver miles. 0. Divide between Denver and Golden City . . 7.5 " 544. GoldenCity 5.0 " 500. Ten miles up the Cafion 10.0 " 1580. Where Idaho road enters valley of Clear Creek 6.8 "2019. Idaho 5.2 "2395. Forks of Clear Creek below Empire City 7.3 " 3117. Georgetown 4.0 " 3519. Entrance of Tunnel 13.0 "4820. Total distance from Denver. 58.8 " I W MB. CASES BEPOBT. " In entering the Canon of Clear Creek, either from Denver or the mouth of Clear Creek, the road can go into the Cafion from one to five hundred feet above the water of the creek, if a better line can be found at such elevation. " Of the cost of constructiou of a railroad from Golden City to the entrance of the tunnel, I cannot, of course, make an estimate upon this reconnoissance, but should say the expense would not be greater than the average of eastern mountain roads for the same distance. " Hoping these few facts may be of service to you and the Board of Corporators of the Pacific Railroad, I am, " Very truly your obedient servant, , . i> " FEANCIS M. CASE, ^ ' ' '■ s v " Civil Migineer.^^ Since writing the foregoing report I have obtained from Dr. Parry the elevation of the head of the Middle Park, about ten miles of the pass on the western slope, which is 8,949 feet, or 1,340 feet lower than the mouth of the proposed tunnel 7^ miles above. The Hot Springs, on the Grand River, 20 miles farther down, he makes 7,540 feet, showing an average grade from the head of the Park to the Hot Springs of about 70 feet^to the mile. Tlierc is one difiiculty that would be encountered upon this route not mentioned in the above report, and that is in the form of avalanches or glaciers, which occur occasionally at two different points near the foot of the pass, upon the moun- tain side south of Clear Creek. The mass of snow and ice which accumulates at the head of gulches at these points, loosening next to the mountain by the action of the water from the melt- ing snows, sweeps down the mountain side with a velocity that carries everything before it. At the one above the mouth of Hoope's Creek, I saw trees and rubbish which had been driven before the avalanche across the creek, and four or five hundred feet up tiie northern s^ope of the valley. A located line would cross the track of both these avalanches. THE CACHE-LA-POUDRE ROUTE. Over this route I have run a preleiminary lino, commencing at / F M CASl . 0»¥. tun f OtL UNION PACIFIC RAIL ROAD SURVry OF 1864. MB. CASE 8 EEPORT. 9 La Porte, and running as indicated by the red line upon the ac- companying map, I connected with Mr. Evans' line at his station 1,360, near the crossing of Laramie River. Being entirely unacquainted with the topography of the country along this route, I kept my lines in the valley of streams until I passed Cherokee station, aud thence along what appeared at first sight to be the most feasible route. My party being short I was obliged to be with them so much that I could not devote as much time to reconnoissance as I otherwise would, I very much regret that I had not time to run a new line nearly or quite the whole distance from La Porte to the summit ; and also to try a line over the divide to the head waters of Crow Creek. I think I can get a fair line with lighter grades from La Porte to the Laramie Plains than are shown by any line yet sur- veyed over the Black Hills. Yet this is only my opinion. An actual survey only will determine this point. Some points are already settled by the present survey. One is, that Antelope Pass is 593 feet lower than the summit made upon the Cheyenne Pass route. Another is, that the descent to the Laramie Plains from Antelope Pass may be made with a grade not much, if any, exceeding 80 feet per mile. I have indicated by a red dotted line upon the map, my pro- posed location. I think a line may be obtained with a practical grade by keeping in a valley to the right of the stage road, and coming into the road, or near it, above Boner station. If so, it would be very much preferable to any line following the Cache La Poudre and Dale Creeks. For those valleys being so narrow the grade must of necessity, be laid at least 25 feet above the bed of the stream. Evidences of the flood of last spring show tliat the water was 20 feet above its present stage. If this route should be found to be itnpriicticable, I would try a route as indicated by the westerly dotted line passing over (or rather going through with a thousajid feet tunnel) a low pass, about opposite the junction of Dale and Cache La Poudre Creeks, and keeping along the eastern slope of the valley of Dale Creek, join tlie other line near the crossing of Stonewall Creek. From this point, I think, by keeping up the divide west of this creek, the line would (iiter Stonewall Cafion at a height suttieiont to get a fair line through the caAoii, and reach an elevation at its head 1? ■■ I '! it I 10 MR. CASK S KEPOKT. which would admit of getting up the divide beyond and near the stage road with a grade not exceeding 2.2 feet per station. Much time and care should be bestowed upon a located line, as the country, especially from Poison Creek to the pass, is very rough, broken by points and ledges of granite thrown u]) pro- miscuously. In some ])hices you see only bare and isolated peaks, in others, ledges, trending in every conceivable direction. In this connecticm allow me to suggest that a thorough exam- imvtion should be made of the divide, east of Dale Creek, and a few miles north of Virginia Bale, at the heads of Crow Creek and ]>ox Elder. From what information I can get, the foot of the niountiiins east of this point is as high, or even higher than the starting point of Mr. Evans' line. That point is 1,953 feet higher than my starting point at La Porto. Xow, if by some branch of Crow Creek or Howard's Fork, we can find a uniform grade to tlie summit, I think such grade will be within the limit fixed by the charter of the road. Py reference to the map you Avill see that such a route would connect with a line up the South Platte, with a much better general alignment than by La Porte ; or would connect with the Lodge Pole Poute, by way of !Mu(ldy Fork, without a serious sacrifice of alignment. [See also Stansbury's Report, p. 25S, et setj.l If a route can be ol)tained up the valley, east of Boner stati< near the line 1 have drawn, it would pass over, from La Porte to Stonewall Canon, soil that is underlaid bv stratified rocks, with occasional outcrops of the latter. From Stonewall Canon to Laramie Plains, the formation is all primitive ; most of the way however, the surface ia covered with a soil — the result of the disintegration and decomposition of the granitic rocks. In the Stonewall Canon the granite is close grained, hard, and in- tersected by veins, or dykes of some basaltic rock. Toward the Laramie Plains, the feldspar predominates, rendering the rock more friable, and susceptible to disinteg ating agencies. As far as my observation extended, the primitive formation along the route shows no traces of any mineral veins whatever. My second assistant, Mr. Pirn, says there is no doubt that Rock Creek, further west, comes down from a gold region. That lie has seen the evidences himself; and also assured me that there '■.t 1 r- C3 f— O > Zi o o 2 o r*- O :? S , ,, 00 > O) TJ 4^ O m 03 O ,5 I I I I H 55?i5S:'i!^H.i^.' .' <-'l' ■;.•/,< i- APPENDIX C. Report of Samuel B. Reed, Division Engineer^ on ; Surveys and Explorations from Green River ' ' to Great Salt LaJce City^ made in 1864. JoLiET, Illinois, Dec. 24, 1S64. Sir, — According to instructions, dated March 7th, 1864, I have the pleasure of submitting the following report of my ex- plorations and survey's in the mountains east of and in the vicinity of Great Salt Lake City : On rejx)rting in Omaha, Nebraska, the 2d day of April last, I found that arrangements were not made for me to leave imme- diately for Great Salt Lake City. Wiiilo in Omaha, information was received that the First Assistant assigned to my party declined the appointment — Mr. A. J. Mathewson was transferred to fill the vacancy. Arrangements for our journey being completed, we left Omaha, April 30th, via Western Stage Company's line, for Atchison, Kansas, where we were delayed until the 7th of May, before we could secure our scats in the Overland Stage for Great Salt Lake City. I was informed that Governor Brigham Young would fui*nish all my men, teams and supplies for the survey. When I arrived in Great Salt Lake City, he was absent on a tour to Bear Lake Yalley, in the northern part of the terri- tory His absence caused a few days delay, however arrangements were soon made, and wc commenced Held work the firat day of June last. ffRf*^ f MK. EEEU S KEPOKT. GKEAT SALT LAKE CITY TO THE MOUTH OF WEIJER CANON. The point of comnienccment is in the northwest part of tlie city, near Jordan River, which is connected by courses and dis- tances with the nionuniont at the southeast corner of Temple Block, in north latitude 40^ 45' 44", west longitude 112^00' 08". The altitude of the beginning of the line, as shown on tho profile is 4,285 j^g- feet above the sea. From the point of commencement the line runs near the base of the mountains, in a northerly direction, past Warm and Hot Springs, and in the vicinity of the Great Salt Lake, to tho mouth of Weber Canon, a distance of 3GA^ miles. By rclbrring to the map and profile, you will observe, that five or six miles of this distance can be saved l)y making a short tunnel through the low hills near the base of the moun- tains. Careful surveys and estimates will determine between the line run and the one suggested. The amount of excavation and bridging on this portion of the line is light, grades easy, and alig?unent good. The altitude at the mouth of the Weber Canon, is 4,055.5 above the sea. ; i !ii "WEBER CANON. ' * On arriving at the mouth of this cailon we found it to be very narrow. The general course is direct. The sides of the caijon sloi)e back at an angle which will admit of the road bed being uiadc on the slope when necessary. The river at the mouth of the canon is 120 feet wide, and from four to six feet deep, being swollen at the time of the sur- vey by melting of snow on the mountains. It has a strong, powerful current over a bed of water-worn stones, and fallen rocks of immense size. There is one obstacle to be overcome in this narrow gorge, known as the Devil's Gate. A heavy point projects from the south into the valley. This deflects the river GOO feet north of its general direction. The water rushes around this bend with tremendous force, where it is impossible to build tlie road on account of the shoit crooks, and tho rapid fall in the river. 1 % ''' ' A 1" MR. REED 8 REPORT. M To overcome this obstruction 1^ miles of maximum grade (IIG feet per mile) will be required. The line below the Gate winds along the side of the cnnon, crossing ravines and projecting points of rock. From the (jaU to tlie head of the fjorije no lieavv work is encountered. The excavation through tlie (;anon will be loose or sulid ro^-k. Granite and gniess predominate. At the upper end of the gorge W^ miles from Great Salt Lake City, the mountains recede to the right and left^ leaving a valley from one-half to three miles wide, and l~)^ miles in length, 1 fere the grading and bridging will not be expensive. Easy grades and curves of long radius are obtained. There is ntck for masonry at convenient distances on either side of t lie valley. A limited supply of limlter can be obtained in the canons for cross-ties and bridge purposes. The pi 'cr from which a -upply of timber for railroail pur- poses thrc . the mountains can be procured, will hereatter be described. From the npj)er end of this vjilley the mountains close in upon the river, forming a narrow crooked canon six miles long. The river winds from side to side of the narrow gorge, making freipient crossings necessary. The excavation and bridging will be expensive. About one-balf tlu' excavatit)n will be rock. ]>luck limestone, carboniferous saudrock, and clay slate are tlie prevailing rocks. Two short tunnels will be rctpiired, om- at station 1,*H.'', three hundred feet long, and one at station 1,08"), four hundred foet long. The high point crossed by thr line at station 1,053 to 1,072, can be avoided on the locMted line. (See inap and profile.) In tills cafion there is one mile that is very narrow. The " r/ci/v's," on both sid<'3 of the river, slopes to the water's edge. During storms of rain, «jir sudden nu'lting (/f snow, great cpiantities of loose rock slide down the side of the mountains into the river. M\|»ensiv(! retaining walls will Ix; necessary to protect the road-bed. From this place to the mouth of Echo Cafion (5.J miles) the «w«rv«kj^ei ^ iri?. KKKDS RErOUT. |M: valley is wide and of a very uniform surface. Excavation and bridging not expensive. Stone, for what few bridges are re- quired, can be obtained at convenient distances on both sides of the river. Mineral coal was seen in place, in the Weber Yalley, two miles below the liionth of Eclio Creek. The dip of the rock indicates that if coal is found north of this place it will be below the bed of Weber liiver. Kunierous indications of iron ore were seen. The farmers living in the Weber Valler informed me that there are larce deposits of this mineral on one of the small tributaries of the AVeber, on the nortli side of the river. The altitude of Weber Valley, at tlie mouth of Echo Canon, is 5,585 above the sea. The average grade from tlie Devil's <4ate, 29^ miles, is 22-jYo feet per mile. Tlie grade is somewhat unduliiting, but generally very uniform, as a refertMice to the profile will show. From tlic montli of Wel)cr Canon to thi;- place there will be sixteen bridges over Web(>r TJiver. Some Iributary streams and numerous irriijatinij ditches will have to be crossed. I will hero remark, that the protile of the line from Great Salt Lake City through the Wahsatch Mountains via Weber Valley to this place, 78 J- miles, is much more favorable than I expected to iind. From the mouth of Echo Cafion to the east branch of Sulphur Creek two lines were run — one via Echo Creek, crossing the divi Ik i •>« «! ^ «> ^ ^ r*i .T OD 5 m < 1 » 1 .^ o g > p asi o 'I H O < m z 3D c O z O o 7s 0") z 1 o > z < o r n -n 's o O ^^ -n l— 73 m w > o> 'o > r- 30 o < > m o 1— o >^ H A<^ '/ m o z m > From information received from various sources before leaving Omaha, and afler arriving in I; tab, I was led t feet in length, will be re- quired, through carboniferous sand rock, with expensive ap- proaches at each end. ' The altitude is 7,834: feet above the sea. This is the highest point reached on the survey. In the mountains, to the south, there is a large tract of pine timber, suitable for railroad purposes, acc<.'ssible from this point. From the suinuiit to Bear River the country is very much cut up by the various small tributaries of Yellow Creek. It is ne- cessary to cross the (h-aluage with the line. This makes heavy work, as will be seen on tlie prolile. Willie exploring the country at the head of Clialk Creek, I became satisfied that it was Imi^ossible to cross tlie divide be- tween AVeberand Bear Rivers, south of Chalk Creek, on account of the near apju'oach to the Vinta !^[ou^taius. Subsequent ex- plorati(Mis fully coniirm this opinion. From IJear River, which is l.")«) feet wide and one foot deep at low water, to the east branch of8uli>Iuir Creek, 11 ,",*) miles, the grading and bridging is light, alignniout good, and timber con- venient. As two lines wore run to (his place, I will return and describe some of the distinguishing features of the \ '?*• ■it. 6 MB. BEEU 8 BEPORT. ly ECHO CAfJON LINE. Echo Canon Is a deep gorge wora in the soft suud rock, 100 to 1,000 feet wide, and 23} miles long. Bold ctjcarpmenta rise al- most vertical from five to eight hundred feet high, and extend on tlio north side from Weber Valley twenty miles up the canon, or nearly to Cache Cave — on the south side the hills re- cede at an anij^le of 45°. From Cache Cave to the summit the hills are more rounded, and slope back at a greater angle, numerous short ti'ibutaries come in on both sides, cutting the country into a succession of deep ravines and sharp ridges. From the point wiiere we leave the Weber Yalley Line, up the canon to Cache Cave, 21-i- miles, the work is light, material good, and grades not as objectionable as in Chalk Creek Valley. The alignment is much better tham the same distance u}) the valley of Chalk Creek. The summit is reached with Sj^a^- miles of maximum grade, where a tunnel will have to be made 4,000 feet through soft sand rock. The altitude of this summit is 0,871^ feet above the sea. The average ascent per mile from the mouth of the canon to the foot of tlie maximum grade, near Cache Cave, 21 ^''y",;^ miles, is 44-n-O . feet From the summit, the line was run down the valley of a small tributaiy of Bear lliver, to the same ; thence up Bear River Valle_y and the valley of Sulphur Creek to its connection with the Clialk Creek line, 2i-^^J'^y uiiles or 40-,-,|'',y miles from the mouth of Echo cauon. The -work on this last i>art of the line will be light. 1 lock for masonry convenient, and the alignment good. By referring to the map and protile the relative merits of these two lines will be apparent. The altitude of the summit on Echo Canon line is 055 feet below the summit on Ciinlk C»"eek line. The total ascending and descending grades, 1,020 feet in favor of Echo line. Tiie alignment, ex(;avation, and embankment is also largely in favor of this line. Coal was seen on the Echo lime in Bear liiver Valley, which it is believed will prove good for locomotive fuel. ii' I^T ii MR. BEKd's report. % Tlie advantages of the Cluilk Creek line are its proximity to large bodies of timber ; its coiiveiiiencc to coal inines tliat are being worked in Chalk Creek Valley, and the difieronoc in the length of the tunnels at the summit, which Is 1,300 Icet in favor of Chalk Creek line. KAST BRANCH OF SULPHUR CREEK TO GREEN RIVER, From this place to the snmmit, between the water:^ of the Great Salt Lake Basin and the Gulf of California, tlie line fol- lows up a, small tributary of Sulphur Creek two miles ; thence over a low divide into the Valley of Quakingasp Creek — an atttuent of Bear River, — and up that to its source on tlie divide, 12-J:.87 miles from Great Salt Lake City. From the summit we reach the Valley of the l\Inddy, an atliuent of Black's Fork, in 7yYo "^i'es ; 2y\ miles of this is max- imum grade. The altitude of the summit is 7,570 feet above tide. The line v>'as run down the Valley of the Muddy nearly to its junction with Black's Fork ; thence 21 miles down the Valley of Black's Fork ; thence over the divide, between Black's Fork and Green IMver, to that stream, which is 20()-j''(/'_ miles from Great Salt Lake City. From the rim of the Great Salt Lake Ba^in to Green River the work is generally light, and the material good. Very little rock excavation will be encountered on this portion of the line. Lnmediately after crossing the summit there is a marked change in the topography of the country. Instead of the dis- turbed and upheaved rocks which characterize the region of the Great Salt Lake Basin ; flat tables or terraces of horizontal strata now form tlie distinguishing feature of tho country ; sometimes standing alone, like islands, In the barren plains, or forming bold escarpments along the streams. The hills are fast wearing away under the influences of wind and rain. In (Jrecn Kiver Valley I made thorough exploration to the mouth of Bitter Creek, a distance of twenty miles. The valley is narrow, with bold escarjjments on both sides of the river, rising in many places hundreds of feet, almost vertical frt)m tho water's edge. I': I MK. KEED 8 EEPORT. 1; f To follow down tlio valley of Green River to Bitter Creek will require sixteen bridges over the river ; otherwise the work would be light. This involved an exjjense which I was anxious to avoid, if possible. The only way that seemed practicable, was to cross the high tableland between Green Eiver and the north branch of Bit ter Creek. I traversed this country, hut not as thorongljly as I wanted to do, an account of the hostility of the Indians, who were com- mitting depredations on the whites in that vicinity while we were there. I recommend that a more thorough exploration he made from Green Itiver to Bitter Creek before a final location is made. From Green River to the north branch of Bitter Creek the grading will be expensive. Some rock excavation will he en- countered, as shown on the profile. This is over a ('csert country. No fresh water was found, and but ver}' little grass for our animals. From the place where we descend to the valley of the North Branch of Bitter Creek to Rock Sjirings, the point of connec- tion with Mr. Evans' line, the grading and bridging is light. It will be seen by an examination of the protlle that to follow this line over the high table land the altitude to be overcome is very much increased. _ <■- From Great Salt Lake City, ^•/a, F^cho Canon line, to our con- nection with Mr. Evans' line in Bitter Creek Yalley is 233^" miles. The altitude at that point is (!,315 feet above the sea. It will be observed that the profile shows a great prejionder- ance of light work; there is a portion that is very heavy, but I think the work will compare favorably with the Baltimore and Ohio or Pennsylvania Central Railroads. C T < n > ,. TIMPANOGOS VALLEY LINE. This second line through the "Wahsatch Mountains was com- menced at a point in the Weber Valley line, near the mouth of Chalk Creek, and continued up the valley of Weber River, to and across Kamas Prairie, 26^Yo "liles, to the Timpanogos Val- ' ■► W^T :v MB. BEED 8 BEI'OKT. I w C T < ley. The work ovor this portion of the lino will bo very light, grades easy, and alignment good. Stone, for all the bridge struc- tures required, convenient and abundant. In order to conform as near as practicable to instructions, I made an extended reconnoissance of the valley of Weber River to its source, to sati'fy myself beyond a doubt about tlie practi- cability of a line crossing tlio divide between "Weber and Bear Rivers south of Chalk Creek. My route was up the narrow valley of Weber River, in a northeasterly direction, 20 miles from Kamas Prairie, where the river is doubled back upon itself, and heads five miles east of Kamas Prairie. The hiffh mountain range which forms the divide, is from 1,800 feet in the lowest pass, to 4,000 feet above Weber River. The summit appears to be not more than two miles from the river and is like a continuous solid wall. The water-shed to the river is narrow and steep. The altitude of the lowest point on this divide is 9,162 feet above tide. I crossed over the divide to the west branch of Bear River, and fol- lowed up that stream in a southwesterly direction, fifteen miles, to its source. From a high point, the sides of which were covered with snow, I could trace the valleys of the various rivers that take their rise in the Uinta Mountains. On my le- turn, I followed the crest of this divide a distance of twenty miles, to the place where I ci-osscd it on my outward trij). I am satisfied there is no possibility of getting aline over this divide without a tunnel at least three miles long, and at a much greater altitude than on the Chalk Creek line. In the mountains I saw an abundance of white and Norway pine timber, suitable for railroad purposes. That growing on the Bear River slope is of easy access, and can be rafted down the river to the line. On my return, we continued the line down the valley of Tim- panogos River to the valley of Utah Lake. Heavy work and 2^^,^ miles of maximum grade is encountered to get from Kamas Prairie down to the valley of the river. From thence, down the valley of the stream, 8yY^ nnles, the valley is narrow, and the grading and bridging will be expen- sive. From thence across Round Prairie, lli^o*V niiles, good grade?, easy curves, and light work, are obtained. Ih 10 MB. KEED S REPORT. From tho west end of Round Prairie to the month of tl canon in Utah Lake Valley, li /g\ miles, the most ditlicnlt pa of this line is encountered. The cafion is narrow, and, nniiki Weher, is very crooked. The points, from opposi e sides of thi river, project past each other, making frequent crossings of thi river necessary, and a constant snccession of heavy rock excaviv tions unavoidable. Tiie ]>revalling rocks are granite, lime and sand. Ko indica tions of coal were seen in this valley. j Thirty-four bridges will be required across the Timpanogoi River. The grade from the month of the canon, to the foot of thi maximum grade near Kainas Prairie, Sl-^'^^''^ miles, averages 4? feet per mile. Frctm the i)oint where the Timpanogos River enters Utal Lake Valley, there is a wide table land or terrace extending from the mountains to the lake. We ascended from the Tint- panogos Valley to this terrace, and run in a northwcsterli direction throngh the thriving towns of Battle Creek, America! Fork, and Lehi ; crossed the Jordan Hiver at the narrowsj from thence over the extensive stock range on the west ■■ de ol Jordan to the point of the West Mountain, which is ,' 2 milef west of Great Salt Lake City. From thence westerly betweei the base of the West Mountains, and the Great Salt Lake, t^ the end of our line in Tuilla Valley, 106 ^^^ miles, from tlu "Weber Valley line, near the mouth of Chalk Ci'cck. ■ An examination of the profile will show the work in Utal Lake Valley, and the valley of Great Salt Lake^ with the exce[i tion of crossing the Jordan River, to be light alignment are unobjectionable. % The grades an( j !«.• EXPLORATIONS. During the summer, and after tlio above surveys were comi pleted, I made extensive explorations of the Wuhsatch, Uint< and Bear River Mountains. The Wahsatch range was crossed at every place where thert seemed to be a possibility of finding a line through the moun! tains between Timpanogos and Weber Rivers. }| '> .9 :. Jtal; aiiC rw. ;^» inti ,:: r3.0tf-'fi.i:A:_ ^j^f jbjjft^-i ]'.-» fa- ther I louii ^1 IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 ^i^ li£ |||| II £? L£ 12.0 III Bi u \2^ iU 11.6 «■' Photographic dClGOCcS CorparatiGn ^ ^ ^i' v> ^\ aa «MIT MUM STRUT WIMTn,N.Y. HIM (7U)t79^MI ^^^\ ^4^ ^^ '4^ I? (S^ k SURVEY OF 1864 S . B . H £ £ O OIV. E N O" WEBER CANON from its Month at o to Sta isb SCALE 800 FEET TO AN INCH TlK'kU<<'r«KhijfiEii4Mli)&lj*('->-H9[lrawl«4rN-\ PROFILE OF LINE FROM MOUTH OF WEBER CANON AT O TO S I , CANON AT O TO STATION N' (60 '/■'■«\vi'^''„ZT:Zt , \ ■'?-w. *t h f^ V / ' :ril i r fi- r M, ?4"f^ SI ./■ - v= C/J 3P > < o m — ^ -^ o 5 CP > / / o > a ■J i. ^-fe-.; ■^ ' f I -, "i I 4 .y MR. BEED S BEFORT. 11 Between Weber and Bear Rivers I traversed the summit of the mountains from the liead waters of tlie Timpanogos lliver, in the Uintas, north to the source of Lost Creek (known on Stanl ary's map as Pumbar Creek.) Echo Cafiou Line crosses this divide in the lowest phice on the range. Between Bear River and Muddy, 1 f((llowed the riiiv of the Great Salt Lake Basin, from the head of Sulphur Creek, in the Uinta Mountains, to the head waters of Ham's Fork, crossing with my line at tiie lowest place on this summit, which divides the waters of Great Salt Lake Basin from those of the Gulf of California. From these explorations I am satisfied that 1 have shown the best line that can be found through the Wahsatch range, north ot the Uintas, unless a line should be run down the valley of Bear River. This, if practicable, will increase the distance to Salt Lake Valley about 80 miles. You will observe that I have confined myself to the maximum grade. When 1 could not overcome the various dilhcult sum- mits that I encountered, I abandoned the survey and sought a new line. ' TTMBEB AND FUEL. i Tliis is an important subject, and it was with great interest that I observed the various places from which a partial supply oftind)ercan be obtained. Before exploring the Uinta Moim- tains, I looked upon the scarcity of timber as the most serious obstacle to be overcome in building the road through the mountains. On the head waters of Bear River, contiguous to the various tributaries of that stream, there are largo tracts of white and Norway pine, suitable for railroad purposes, that can be rafted down Bear River to the line. I was informed by Mr. Granger, who lives on Ham's Fork, that there is a large tract of pine timber on Green River, 40 miles north of the crossing of that stream. If this information is correct, of which I have no doubt, cross-ties can be obtained from there, and rafted down Green R"ver to the line, to build the road between Green and Bear Rivers. z; 12 MB. BEED S BEPOBT. In tlie Walisatcli Mountains a limited number of cross-ties and some bridge timber can be obtained. Coal is abundant on Bitter Creek, Ham's Fork, Sulphur Creek, Chalk Creek, Weber and Bear Rivers. Indications of coal were seen on the Muddy, Yellow Creek, and in Echo Cafion. There are Petroleum springs in the valley of Sulphur Creek, and in Pioneer Cafion, about three miles north of the place where the line crosses the divide between Bear River and Muddy. We closed our work and started for Omaha on the 28th day of October. Wo encountered severe storms in the mountains and on the plains, which prevented our reaching Omalia until the 18th day of November. In conclusion, I wish to acknowledge my obligation to Gov- ernor Brigham Young for the courteous and gentlemanly treat- ment I received from him. To his cheerful and prompt compli- ance with all my requisitions for men, means of transportation, and subsistence, the company are in a great measure indebted for my success. To Mr. Granger, for supplies loaned us, and for liis valuable assistance in exploring the country in the vicinity of Black's Fork and Green River without charge. To Mr. A. J. Mathewson, F. J. Paris, J. F. Smith, assistants, anh all other members of the party I am obliged for valuable assistance rendered during the survey. All of which is respectfully submitted. SAMUEL B. REED, Division Engineer. To T. C. DuBANT, Esq., Vice-Prea't U. P. R. E. Co., No. 13 William St., Now York. wmm ':-imK)ifm:mm0;immn>emimmm.''-' ■ . % \ n m ■-mm41$' SarvPA-^ itV 1864 ^^ —■ ^ -__. S.B.fiEEO DIV. ENG ( ( SECTION^ WEBER CASC Station 990 ro 1150 SCALE SOO PEKT TO AN INCH. TI-.M.r«-4Kii4n,Iin««ft»L«ll<"«9Ilio.d«iTSV 7 Mdll mAM >v 1864 :r — yfV. ENG. BER CANON ) ) to 1150 TO AN IMCH. >4«IIIrMjinrN'V -^^ m- MW /a«a PHOFILE OF SECTION OF WEBER CANON STATIOH mo to i,$o nWRMK- ^^ ^^* ^^ WW i !O'Mf0'^ ^M^i^fC MAIL m>AB — -- Sarvey of 1864 _ S.B.fiEEO OIV. ENQ. Z>^ ( ( SECTION^WEBER CANON) ) ^ Station 990 to iiso SCALE 800 PKCT TO AN IMCH. 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