64 



GUIDEBOOK OF THE WESTERN UNITED STATES. 



than where the rocks are best exposed. The sandstojie of the Frontier 

 fo^matio^ may be recognized by low ridges through which shallow 

 cuts have been made, and the Cloverly forms a prominent ridge seen 

 to the right (north) of the track. The pink l^eds of the Morrison 

 formation appear to the south and the brick-red beds of the Chug- 

 water formation to the north. 



sprmg 



War 



CiV 



T 



Rawlins. 



Elevation 6,741 feet. 

 Populalioa 4,256, 

 Omaha 690 miles. 



President Grant. The town is a shipping point for a 

 lar^re area both north and south of the raikoad. It 



is the 



Dixon 



southern Wyoming, 70 miles to the south, and before 

 the building of the "Moffat road" (Denver & Salt 



Lake) it supphcd Craig, Hay den, and other places still 



in northwestern Colorado. It is also a raiboad division point. 



Government road ran southeastward from Rawhns 



Wh 



Colo. 



maintained on this 



o 



the Govcrimient built across Snake River at Baggs is still in good 



condition. 



Cambrian quartzite is conspicuously exp 



of Rawhns, where it is overlain by hght-colored Carboniferous hme- 

 stone. The red oxide of iron at the base of the Carboniferous was 

 formerly mmed north of the town for paint. 



West of Rawhns the formations on the Rawlins dome that wore 

 crossed east of the to^^^l are passed over in reverse order. 



"From points west of Rawlins the Ferris Mountains are again plaiidy 

 visible far to the north, and a noticeable notch, called Whisky Gap, 

 may be discerned at the west end of the range. Through this gap 

 nms the old Rawhns-Lauder stage road. West of this ra^ge are the 

 Green Mountains, which are ternunatcd on the west by a pass kno-sm 

 o« Trnnks Onn. n:imed for Gcn. GcoriTe H. Crook, a noted Indian 



^ \Mien the Wliite River Utes massacred 

 Indian Agent Meeker and hia family the 

 rommand sent south from Fort Steele 

 under Maj. Thornburg followed the Gov- 

 ernment road as far as Baggs, then swung 

 west, crossing Little Snake River about 

 12 miles farther down and striking out 

 southwest across the great rolling Si^e- 

 brush country which lies between Little 

 Snake and Bear rivers, 

 must have known the country thoroughly, 

 for their route, still known as the Thorn- 

 burg road, takes advantage of every topo- 

 graphic feature and every safe watering 



Their guide 



place. Some miles after crossing Bear 

 River Maj. Thornburg decided, it is said 

 against the remonstrances of his subordi- 

 nates, to lead his command through a nar- 

 row valley. Here they were ambushed, 

 and for three days and nights defended 

 themselves as best they could, using the 

 few wagons which they could get together 

 and the bodies of dead horses as barri- 

 cades. Two of the number escaped durii^ 

 the first night and brought word to Raw- 

 lias. When the relief expedition reached 

 the scene, Maj. Thornburg and more than 

 two-thirds of his command were dead. 



