ROUTE NEAR THE THIRTY SECOND PARALLEL. 81 
route of the 35th parallel, and, with the assistant railroad engineer, reports the existence of 
good building-stone there. From the Guadalupe mountains to the Rio Grande excellent 
building-stone is found. 
The existence of coal upon the Brazos is of importance to this route. Fuel for working the 
road, as well as lumber, will be considered separately for the whole route. 
In general it may be remarked on this section of the route near the 32d parallel, from the Red 
river to the Rio Grande, 780 miles, that the topographical features of the ground present no 
unusual difficulties and many favorable circumstances ; that supplies of building material can be 
obtained throughout the line without excessive cost; and that the supply of fuel and water, 
throughout those portions destitute of it, can be had without greatly increasing the cost of construc- 
tion and transportation. 
The elevations are: 
From Preston, on Red river, 641 feet above the level of the sea, the ground rises 
inisixarmilesstowtheslevellomabouteme cee selet= ae Seine ineinlate aioeietereiee ee sine Sete 1,200 feet. 
fnew pper WO Koss: PaMDeTS a7 Se J2eieh.c a kes)- be -eimieeico sete Jalna ek iaeeisy= 1,782 feet. 
Ante RN Viest: tonkgoh a Drimit years artis tet rer bibl mista meh ote ce cleloa) staietele Aetel = Slama ever 1,524 feet. 
ANt Ging Brazos TING OC RS See on 6 Ose Senne eer e errs oan cod 1,700 feet. 
Atithe dividerotithe Brazosiand Colorado) rivers <..2.4. csc osc cemcie ac ce eo a ceeee 4,237 feet. 
AGED eA Col OLA Ope este erectile eleiictee e e Meiis od a ase Soe Be SMR Skee es Sesere 3,989 feet. 
M@thesbonderrotuthemalanomustacadOaes s\-masecis)- Cele a -okelaeinn 2 cleoee clase be wie 4,278 feet. 
The greatest elevation of the Llano Estacado is. ..-.....-------+--+e+2++-+-++----- 4,707 feet. 
The general elevation of the Llano Estacado is about.....---------------------- 4,500 feet. 
itherelevationkote they Pecos where iGrossed = G.cnt ek ce cic oye eiete) nee ee seicle om ele we eels 4,070 feet. 
The elevation of the summit of the Guadalupe Pass.......--...---+---.--+------ 5,717 teet. 
Wherelevation ofthe summit ofthesHueco: Passe. 62 ciste mc ccecmic co. ciele s axies aloe 4,812 feet. 
The general elevation of the table-lands between the Pecos and the Rio Grande, is 
OM yah aveah votes Rope Pe ene Oden he. bate Lpyainer west a s,- crepe aes eile sath cists 4,000 to 4,500 feet. 
The elevation of the Rio Grande valley, at Molino, is............--------------- 3,830 feet. 
ESTIMATE. 
The estimate for cost of construction is, perhaps, in excess; the cost per mile from Fulton, 
on Red river, to the Rio Grande, a distance of 780 miles, being at the rate of $50,000 per mile. 
On the northern route, the estimated mean cost of the first 780 miles is about $35,400 per mile, 
(240 miles at $25,000 per mile—next, 712 miles at $40,000 per mile;) yet, from the description 
of these portions of the two routes, it is evident the difference in cost per mile of constructing the 
two will not be great. This is mentioned to show what different judgments are formed in 
making these estimates, and what caution should be used in being guided by estimates in figures 
of the costs of routes that have not been subjected to the same judgment or same standard. The 
difference of estimated cost in this distance of 780 miles on roads that would not probably vary 
greatly in their actual cost of construction, is $11,700,000; and if the same difference should 
exist throughout the entire distance, it would sum up to about $35,000,000. 
2. FROM THE RIO GRANDE TO THE MOUTH OF THE GILA. 
After ascending from the bottom lands of the Rio Grande, in traversing the region examined 
by Lieutenant Parke between these two rivers, from Dona Ana to the Pimas villages, one appears 
to be travelling on a great plain, interrupted irregularly and confusedly by bare, rugged, abrupt, 
isolated mountain masses, or short ranges, seemingly, though not in reality, without system. 
Winding around these isolated or lost mountains, or using a few passes through them, a railroad 
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