ROUTE NEAR THE THIRTY-SECOND PARALLEL. 23 



ROUTE NEAR THE THIRTY-SECOND PARALLEL OF NORTH LATITUDE. 



Among the considerations which determine the general position of the route near the 32d 

 parallel, are the low elevation of the mountain passes in this latitude, and their favorable 

 topographical features, as well as those of the table-lands, extending over more than 1,000 

 miles of the route ; the favorable character of the surface generally, on the route, by which the 

 most costly item of construction in railroads, the formation of the road-bed, is, in a great 

 measure, avoided ; the shortness of the line, 1,600 miles, from the navigable waters of the Mis 

 sissippi to the Pacific, and the temperate climate on the elevated portions in this southern 

 latitude. * 



The explorations made upon this route are, from Preston, on Red river, to the Rio Grande, 

 by Capt. John Pope, Topographical Engineers ; from the Rio Grande, near Fort Fillmore, to 

 the Pimas villages, on the Gila, by Lieut. John G. Parke, Topographical Engineers. From 

 the Pimas villages to the mouth of the Gila, the reconnaissance in New Mexico and California 

 of Major W. H. Emory, Topographical Engineers, in 1846, has been used; and from the 

 mouth of the Gila to San Francisco, the exploration of Lieut. R. S. Williamson, Topographical 

 Engineers, has furnished the data. 



Fulton, on the Red river, about 150 miles from the Mississippi, may be considered the 

 eastern terminus of the route, although the examination of Capt. Pope extends only to Pres 

 ton, 133 miles further west. A direct line from Fulton to the point on the eastern border of 

 the Llano Estacado selected by Capt. Pope for crossing it, would give more favorable ground 

 than that traversed by him between Preston and this point; the latter in a distance of 352 miles 

 gives generally easy grades and cheap construction through a country alternately wooded and 

 open, abundantly supplied with water and fuel, and with forest growth suitable for ties and 

 lumber for two-thirds of the length. From Fulton to the eastern border of the Llano Esta 

 cado is 485 miles, 3*70 of which are wooded. 



The exploration of Capt. Pope comprised three distinct belts of country, the first of which 

 has been just described above. The second is the Llano Estacado, whose mean elevation is 

 4,500 feet, the smooth surface of which along the route proposed, 125 miles from the eastern 

 border to the Pecos river, presents in this respect great facilities for the construction of a 

 railroad. It is, however, at certain seasons of the year destitute of water, is scantily supplied 

 with grass, and not a single tree is to be seen upon it. Its geological formation is such as to 

 render the success of obtaining water by artesian wells, at moderate depths, highly probable. 

 During, and for some time subsequent to the rainy season, there are here, as on most other 

 arid plains, numerous ponds, the contents of which might be collected in reservoirs ; but the 

 distance from the Colorado Springs to the Pecos, 125 miles, is not so great as to form a serious 

 obstacle to the working of a railroad. 



Between the Pecos and the Rio Grande, 163 miles, three mountain chains rise from the 

 table-lands, the Guadalupe, Hueco, and Organ mountains. The Guadalupe mountain is 

 crossed without a tunnel, elevation of summit 5,717 feet, and with a grade of 108 feet to the 

 mile for 22 miles. A high viaduct and heavy cutting and filling for three miles near the 

 summit, form the costly and difficult part of the pass. The Waco Pass is still more favora 

 ble, the greatest grade being about 80 feet to the mile; the elevation of the summit, 4,812 

 feet. The Organ mountain is turned just before reaching the Rio Grande at Molino and El 

 Paso. 



A peculiarity of the mountains in the western part of the continent, in this and other lati 

 tudes, is, that they have no intervening deep secondary valleys between the main chain and 

 the plains. Over the usually uniform and smooth surface of these last, the general elevation 

 of which, between the Pecos and the Rio Grande, is from 4,000 to 4,500 feet, the valley of the 

 Rio Grande is attained near Molino, at an elevation of 3,830 feet, and at a distance of 787 

 miles from Fulton. 



