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Reports of Explorations & Surveys Vol 7 Mississippi River to Pacific Ocean RR
Reports of Explorations and Surveys Vol VII by Lieutenant John G Parke assisted by Albert H Campbell NOTE: There were many pressed leaves between the pages. Some remnants may be observed on the pages. Back cover is in a little better condition than the front cover. Spine covering is missing the top half. Staining throughout. No pages are stuck together. Complete. Definitely not in the best of condition but the information is invaluable for research and the history of the growth of railroads. All pages are readable.
Ascertain the most practical and economical route for a railroad from the Mississippi to the Pacific Ocean 1853-1856 according to the act of congress.
Hard Cover
Approx 374 pages. TWO large fold out geogolivsl plan maps, one has a tear along the seam.
Copyright 1857
Report of Corps of topographical engineers, upon the routes in California to connect with the routes near the 35th & 37th parallels, and upon that portion of the route near the 32nd parallel lying inbetween the Rio Grande and Pimas Villages on the Gila. Conculision of the official review of the reports upon expolration and surveys for railroad routes from the Mississippi River to the Pacific Ocean.
GENERAL TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION.
INSTRUCTIONS FROM THE WAR DEPARTMENT.
PART I.
GENERAL REPORT.
No. 1.-Report of explorations from San Francisco bay to Los Angeles.
No. 2.-Report of explorations from Pimas villages to the Rio Grande.
PART II.
GEOLOGICAL REPORT. By THOMAS ANTISELL, M. D., Geologist of the Expedition.
PART III.
BOTANICAL" REPORT.
By JOHN TORREY, M. D
APPENDICES.
APPENDIX A.
REMARKS ON METEOROLOGY AND BAROMETRIC RESULTS, WITH METEOROLOGIC PLATES, BY ALBERT H. CAMPBELL, A. M., CIVIL ENGINEER TO THE EXPEDITION.
APPENDIX B.
REPORT OF CHARLES H. POOLE, UPON THE ROUTE FROM SAN DIEGO TO FORT YUMA, VIA SAN
DIEGO RIVER, WARNER'S PASS, AND SAN FELIPE CANON.
APPENDIX C.
TRANSLATION OF AN ARCHIVE FROM TUCSON.
APPENDIX D.
DESCRIPTION OF MAPS AND PROFILES, WITH TABLE OF LATITUDES.
APPENDIX E.
TABLE OF DISTANCES, AND BAROMETRIC AND METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS AND RESULTS, PREPARED BY ALBERT H. CAMPBELL, CIVIL ENGINEER TO THE EXPEDITION.
INSTRUCTIONS FROM THE WAR DEPARTMENT.
WAR DEPARTMENT, October 2, 1854. .
SIR : The following duties are assigned to you, under the appropriation for continuing ei p10--rations and surveys, to ascertain the most practicable and economical route for a railroad from the Mississippi river to the Pacific ocean.
1st. To make such explorations and surveys as will determine the practicability of a railroad from the Bay of San Francisco to the plains of Los Angeles by a route west of the Coast Range.
2d. To determine whether the valley of the Mojave river joins that of the Colorado, and will afford a practicable route for a railroad ; and to explore the line recommended for examination by Lieut. Whipple, from Soda lake, Mojave river, to the Colorado river, by the Chem-e-hplain or valley.
3d. To make the additional examinations and surveys, recommended: in your report, upon the route from the Pimas villages to the Rio Grande.
The geological examinations and surveys over this portion of the route are to be made with an especial view to obtaining an ample supply of water, for railroad purposes, by artesian wells, or by other means, if that prove to be improbable.
It is unnecessary to enter into details as to the nature of. the surveys required, and of the information to be collected. They will be such as to furnish all the important' elements in the solution of the question of practicability and economy in location, construction, working, and support of a railroad communication through the region of country passed over.
The surveys in the mountain passes will be sufficiently' careful and minute to determine with precision their practicability or impracticability.
The geological information is considered to be especially valuable, not only as determining the character of the country, the nature of the difficulties to be overcome, and the quality, position, and extent of the building materials to be found, but in ascertaining the probability of supplies of water in arid regions, at suitable distances for railroad purposes, and for irrigation, where this is essential to agriculture. In these arid regions the collection of soils becomes of additional interest.
Your attention will be directed to the botany and natural history of the country, and to such other objects tending to illustrate its present and future condition and resources, to which the attention of the parties heretofore organized has been called, so far as they have a practical bearing upon the question of building and supporting a railroad.
A comparison of profiles, over the same lines, made by the barometer and spirit level, on the surveys of Lieutenant Williamson, promises to yield some interesting information upon barometric levelling ; additional means of comparison are desirable.
To execute these duties you are authorized to employ the following assistants, viz A geologist, civil engineer, draughtsman, meteorologist and computer, at the rates proposed by you; they will receive, in addition to their compensation, the actual cost of transportation to and from the field ; to employ such hands, teamsters, &c., as are necessary; to purchase the instruments named in your requisition, also camp equipage, wagons, mules, harness, &c., should the quartermaster's department not be able to furnish the means of transportation to you upon the conditions specified in the order to that department. The commanding general of the Pacific division will be directed to assign an escort of infantry to accompany the expedition from Los Angeles, California, to Fort Fillmore, New Mexico, to instruct the commanding officer of the escort to furnish you such aid and assistance as will tend to facilitate your operations, and to designate an officer of the army to perform the duties of quartermaster and commissary to the :,expedition.
The quartermaster's department will be directed to furnish you with mules, wagons, and equipments, and such other public property as may be needed for the use of the expedition, which will be returned to that department upon the completion of the field duties, payment being; made for, such: miles as may have been lost, or as may then be found unfit for use, and of other public property lest or seriously damaged.
The commissary department will furnish you with such provisions and stores as you may need for the use of the expedition, to be paid for out of the appropriation for the survey, at cost, at the place of delivery.
The ordnance department will furnish arms, &c., and the medical department medicines, &c., for the parties, upon your requisition.
The sum of $39,000 is set apart from the appropriation for the expenses of the survey entrusted to you.. (In todays value $886,398.00)
With your assistants, you will proceed without delay to San Francisco, and organize your party there or at Benicia, as may be most convenient.
The best route by which to connect the waters of the Bay of San Francisco with the valley of the Rio Salinas will probably be by the Rio Pajaro to its mouth, and thence along the coast to the mouth of the Salinas. Ascending the valley of the Salinas to San Miguel or Santa Margarita, near the head-waters of the Salinas, you will then make a thorough examination of the valleys of the various affluents of that stream, and survey such as promise to afford practicable grades to the plain of Los Angeles, through the mountain masses of the Coast Range which come down to the shore at Point Concepcion.
The examinations and surveys must be sufficiently extensive and thorough to exhaust the sub ect.
Should this connection prove impracticable, you will ascertain the practicability of passing from the valley of the Salinas, near its source, to the coast, and along the coast to the plain of Los Angeles.
The department desires to be informed, at the earliest possible day, of the result of these examinations and surveys.
This duty being completed, and the connection made with the lines of survey of Lieutenant Whipple or Lieutenant Williamson, you will proceed to the Mojave river, near Soda lake, and ascertain whether a continuous valley from this lake to the Colorado exists, and affords a practicable route for a railroad. You will also, if practicable, explore the line recommended for examination by Lieutenant Whipple from Soda lake to the Colorado by the Chem-e-hue-vas plain or valley.
You will then proceed to the Gila river, and ascertaining carefully the practicability of a road between the Pimas villages and the month of the San Pedro, you will make the examinations and surveys recommended in your report upon the route surveyed by you between the Gila and the Rio Grande.
Over this ground the geological examination and surveys will be particularly minute, because it is especially important here to determine the practicability of obtaining a supply of water ample for the uses of a railroad, either by artesian wells or by other modes.
These duties being completed, should any further examinations or surveys be assigned to instructions will be sent to Fort Fillmore. Should no further field duties be required of you, you will discharge your party, dispose of your outfit to the best advantage, and proceed, with your assistants, to this place and make out your report.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
JEFFERSON DAVIS,
Secretary of War.
Lieutenant JOHN G. PARKS,
United States Topographical Engineers, Washington, E. C.
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