ROUTE NEAR THE FORTY-SEVENTH AND FORTY-NINTH PARALLELS. 11 



From the Kocky mountains to Seattle, wood, stone, and other building materials, are found 

 along the line of the route, or at points so accessible to it, that it may be considered well sup 

 plied with them throughout. 



The information upon the character of the soil upon the route does not admit of satisfactory 

 conclusions to be deduced. It is sufficient, however, to show that in this latitude, as in that 

 of the Arkansas, the uncultivable region begins about the 99th meridian. Immediately under 

 the Rocky mountains the soil improves, probably from the mountain wash. The tertiary and 

 cretaceous formations extend, in these latitudes, from about the 97th meridian to the eastern 

 base of the Rocky mountains, and, under the meteorological conditions found in this space, 

 are unsuitable for agricultural purposes. There are some very limited exceptions to this gen 

 eral character in portions of river bottoms. These tertiary formations in the arid regions of 

 Asia and Africa form the great deserts of those countries. 



The country west of the Rocky mountains to the Pacific slopes may likewise be described as 

 one of general sterility. The eastern portion of the Great Plain of the Columbia is represented 

 to be grassed ; its middle and western parts almost entirely sandy, rocky, arid sterile. The 

 mountain masses, spurs, and table-lands of the Cascade chain, east of the main crest, are sterile. 

 There are exceptions to this general sterility in the mountain valleys, where the soil is better 

 constituted for fertility, and the rains more abundant; but, although portions of these are 

 suitable for agricultural purposes, they are better adapted to grazing. The sum of the areas 

 of cultivable soil in the Rocky mountain region does not exceed, if it equals, 1,000 square 

 miles. West of the Cascade mountains there are rich river bottoms, clay formations that are 

 arable, and prairies offering good grazing. 



The principal favorable characteristics of this route are its low profile, low grades, and the 

 low elevation of the mountain passes, and its connexion with the Missouri and Columbia rivers. 

 The reported sum of the ascents and descents is the least of all the routes; this proportion 

 may, however, be changed when the minor undulations are measured. The principal unfavor 

 able features are, in construction, the tunnel required on the Rocky mountains, and the difficulty 

 and expense of construction from the eastern approach of the Rocky mountains to the Spokane 

 river, and the expense of the construction along the Columbia river, from the Dalles to near 

 Vancouver. These, when considered carefully, are serious objections to the route, not only in 

 the money, but the time, they will consume. Iix thickly-populated countries their construction 

 would be difficult and costly ; situated as they are the Rocky mountain region especially the 

 difficulties, cost, and time required, are greatly increased. 



The severely-cold character of the climate throughout the whole route, except the portion 

 west of the Cascade mountains, is one of its unfavorable features; and, for national considera 

 tions, its proximity to the dominions of a powerful foreign sovereignty must be a serious 

 objection to it as a military road. 



Its cost has been estimated by Governor Stevens, by the Columbia River valley and the Cow- 

 litz, at $117,121,000 ; the cost of work at eastern prices having had 25 per cent, added to it 

 from the Bois des Sioux to the Rocky mountains, and 40 per cent, thence to the Pacific. It 

 has been thought safer to add 100 per cent, to the cost at eastern prices from the eastern slope 

 of the Rocky mountains to the Pacific. This would swell the estimate to $150,871,000. 



Should Governor Stevens have included a full equipment in his estimate, $10,000,000 should 

 be subtracted from this sum to bring the estimate in accordance with those of the other routes, 

 and the cost then becomes $140,871,000. 



The length of the route from St. Paul to Vancouver is 1,864 miles. The sum of ascents 

 and descents, as far as reported, is 18,100 feet, which will be equivalent, in the cost of working 

 the road, to an increased horizontal distance of 343 miles: this added to the length of the 

 line of location, gives for equated length 2,207 miles. 



From St. Paul to Seattle, by the Columbia route, is 2,025 miles, which the sum of ascents 

 and descents increases to an equated distance of 2,387 miles. 



