184 NEW TRACKS IN NORTH AMERICA. 
the Verde, and to cross the country on a somewhat uniform 
level between 5,000 to 6,000 feet above tide, from the | 
Colorado Chiquito to the Val de Chino. Second, to keep | 
down the valley of the Verde itself; but the crooked cafions ‘ 
prevented this. Third, to keep along the foot-hills of Tonto | 
Mountain overlooking the Verde from the south and west | 
side. Fourth, to cross the Tonto Mountain and descend into 
the Verde at Copper Cajfion, near Camp Lincoln, then to 
re-ascend east of the Mogollon Range and cross it to the o 
Colorado Chiquito. But the valley of the Verde is an 
immense gulf, from 1,000 to 2,500 feet below the level of — 
the mountains, or rather plateaux east and west on either . 
side. Finally, within the last few days the profile of the cf 
line crossing the Mogollon Range, south of San Francisco , 
Mountain, has pretty nearly satisfied me that there would not, © 
after all, be much to gain by a southern route, especially if 1 
our line can descend to the Great Colorado in the vicinity of 
Fort Mojave, instead of by the Bill Williams Fort, of which — 
I have hopes. My reconnoissance has settled some important _ 
questions of route, concerning which we should always have — 
been in doubt, and Greenwood has continued his survey 
across the side of San Francisco Mountain without being 
delayed a day, using all three of his parties. The grades up | 
to this place are easy, and the line runs for nearly 150 miles 
through a dense forest of fine tall pines, which will of them-— 
selves be a great advantage to the railroad in many ways. 
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