220 EXPLORATIONS ACROSS THE GREAT BASIN OF UTAH. 



Duchesne's Fork, the Uintah River, and White River, to Breckenridge, at the head of 

 Blue River, in the middle park of the Rocky Mountains; from which to Denver City, 

 according to the subjoined letter from Hon. B. D. Williams, there is probably at this 

 date a wagon-road. This route, it will be perceived, will, in connection with mine 

 across the Great Basin, furnish much the shortest route across the continent from the 

 Missouri River, and in addition be of incalculable service in the interchange of com- 

 modities between the Mormon population and the people of the gold region about 

 Pike's Peak. 



To sum up, Congress should appropriate : 

 For the road above specified, from Fort Bridger to the summit of Johnston's 



Pass of the Sierra Nevada *$130,000 



For the road from Round Prairie, in Timpanogos Valley, to the mouth of 

 Duchesne's Fork, by the pass of the Uintah range, at the head of Coal 



Creek 20,000 



And for a thorough exploration of the country between the mouth of Du- 

 chesne's Fork and Denver City, for the shortest and best route across the 



Rocky Mountains between those points 20,000 



I now give the letter of Mr. B. D. Williams, above referred to : 



Washington City, O. C, January 18, 1860. 



Sir: At your request I write yon mi the subject of a w-.-igon-road from Denver City, Jefferson Territory, due west 

 to Great Salt Lake City. 



I would state that I Lave just received from Mr. George E. Spencer a plat of a town called Breckenridge, situated 

 at the mouth of French Cue];, which empties into Blue River. This point is w here the uol.l was discovered last fall 

 and is about one bundled miles from Denser City nearly west, and about sixty miles beyond the main divide of the 



A short history of the prospecting of this country, pel hap-, may be inteiesting. About the month of August last 

 some straggling miners crossed the " snowy lange " in search of -old. and. after prospecting for a short time, a portion 

 returned to Denver City for pro\ isious. and mad.- it known that they had made new and good discoveries of gold; at 

 once quite a rush took place for the newly-discovered lields, w liich were t hoioughly prospected before the cold weather 

 set in, so as to satisfy all that theie was no humbug in this matter. Several i the range in the 



fall and returned, as late as the 10th of October. John N. Ming, an enterprising merchant at Auraria, fitted out and sent 

 over some wagon-loads of goods w hich met with ready sale. Since that time there has a company of men obtained 

 from the legislature a charter to build a wagon-road to said point, and arc no g the same to an 



early completion. They assure me that tin -y n ill, by the 1st day of May, have the road fully completed, and that six 

 yoke of oxen can haul 5,000 pounds over the mountains to said point, i am informed that there is but little impedi- 

 ment in getting a good road on to White River. 



Then foUow that river to where it empties into Orand Kiver. and winch is described by Captain Fremont in 1845, 

 I feel satisfied in stating that there can, with but little expense, be a good and permanent wagon-road got, which will 

 be, as you can easily see, about the fortieth parallel of latitude. I cannot speak with the same certainty in reference 

 to the practicability of the road beyond Breckenridge as I can on this side. You will understand that Breckenridge is 

 in the Middle Park beyond the range of the mountains. 



I hope that there will be an appropriation made to explore this country, and open a good road across this country. 

 I am assured that it is about one hundred miles nearer than the old road by Laramie, and I am assured by those who 

 know Mi. . tpede the travel in winter. 



Hoping this information will be of some benefit to you, I am, respectfu lly, yours, 



B. D. Williams, Delegate Jefferson Territory. 

 Capt. J. H. Simps, ,n. Topofiraphical Etiyiueer*. 



All of which is respectfully submitted. J. H. Simpson, 



Captain T»/>o(jra/jJi ieal 'Engineers. 

 December 29, 1860. 

 Col. J. J. Abert, Chief Corp* Topographical Engineers. 



* I have been informed that the people of California and Western Utah, since iny exploration, have been engaged 

 in making the road from Genoa, across the east branch of the Sierra Nevada, by the Daggetl Hail, to Johnston's Pass. 

 If so, and they have completed it, $30,000 of the above estimated $130,000 may be deducted. 



