APPENDIX SS. 1789 



gently through an easy pass betweeu, that on'e can scarcely realize the passage from 

 the Atlantic to the Pacific watershed. A dearth of water existed in July last between 

 the Chama and Navajo, and for 33 miles no running water was found, although many 

 dry beds of streams were met with, which heavy rain-storms of the previous day and night 

 had failed to fill. The soil is to some extent alkaline, and upon pools of rain-water 

 our camp depended. From the Navajo to Pagosa, 23 miles, water is abundant, the 

 Blanco and tributaries being crossed en route. Pagosa being 58 miles from the Chama 

 at Los Ojos, necessitated a journey of 206 miles to reach it from Conejos — reduced to 

 but 176 via Cueva — a long and tedious trip. 



2d. New Hues via the Tierra AmariUct seetion. — From Conejos two roads are now con- 

 structing, both following the general lines of survey examined by Lieutenant Ander- 

 son, Sixth Cavalry, in 1874, in obedience to instructions from the chief engineer of the 

 department. 



The first, which may be known as the 



CHAMA ROUTE, 



ascends the Conejos for 11 miles in a fertile and cultivated valley over a natural road- 

 bed. Its direction is a little south of west, and its grade during this distance only 

 about 39 feet per mile, or less than 9 inches rise per 100 linear feet, practically a level. 

 From this point it passes nearly westwardly for 20 miles, in which it reaches the Los 

 Pinos Creek, above the deep and impassable canon of the central part of the stream, 

 along which it follows for about 3 miles, thence ascending the low divide that sepa- 

 rates the watershed of the Conejos and its tributaries from that of the Chama and 

 its branches, it passes to the slopes of the latter streams, with its highest point not 

 over 9,800 feet. In this section the average grade is about 75 feet per mile, or a rise 

 of 1^ feet in 100 linearly. 



As the summit of the' divide is approached, a number of low hills of gentle slopes are 

 passed, along whose sides easy grades, at no point exceeding a 3 to 4 foot rise per hun 

 dred linearly, are readily obtainable, so that at no point is there anything so difficult 

 to overcome as to need special mention. Leaving its westerly course, the road passes 

 southwest for 13 miles, following first a tributary and then the Chama itself, and in 

 a southerly direction by the banks of the river, some 16£ miles, to Tierra Amarilla, as 

 the main plaza, Las Nutritas (2 miles beyond Los Ojos), is generally called, a total 

 length of 60.69 miles, as measured last July. The entire route is well supplied with 

 grazing, timber, and water; springs and nutritious grasses being particularly abundant 

 in the most elevated regions. Via this line, the distance of Pagosa from Conejos is 

 reduced to 114.7 miles. 



In the spring of 1878, a settlement called Park View was located 2 miles above Los 

 Ojos, in the valley of the Chama, by a Chicago and Santa Fe company. Circulars with 

 information of an enticing character to promote immigration were circulated. The 

 town was passed on the 9th of July last, in a lovely valley with about 8 acres, not 

 exceeding 10 at most, under cultivation ; eight cabins of the settlers being scattered 

 about in the fine forest adjoining. The charter for the road from Conejos to Los Ojos 

 was taken out with a view of making it a feeder to the colony, diverting trade of the 

 vicinity from Las Nutritas, its present center. 



To have reduced so materially the long detour by Ojo Caliente or Cueva was a de- 

 sideratum ; and to avoid this travel at once started over the Chama line by Park Yiew, 

 it being announced last spring by those in charge of its construction that it was pass- 

 able. The apparent object was accomplished, that of getting teams over a part of the 

 road which nature had prepared, when, part way in, rather than return, the freighters 

 would work along to enable their teams to get through ; for in no sense of the term 

 was there a wagon-road in existence over most of the route. 



Having been personally and authoritatively assured in June that no difficulty what- 

 ever would be experienced in getting through a wagon-train, as much machinery had 

 already been transported over it, we started from Conejos July 4, reaching Tierra 

 Amarilla on the afternoon of the 9th. Over the central part of the route, three entire 

 days were taken up in going 19^ miles-. This distance was over side slopes, summits 

 of hills, and some arroyos ; the train being gotten over safely, however, by changing 

 the front wheels of each wagon to the up-hill side, the rear ones being on the lower 

 one, holding up the wagons with ropes, using large logs as pulleys with picket lines in 

 ascending arroyos, and resorting to similar expedients. 



While the general route is one perfectly adapted to the end in view, the locations 

 were found very faulty, the road passing over tops of little hills and abruptly down 

 the ends, instead of seeking a uniform and easy grade along the sides. We have since 

 been informed by the officers of the road company that it is now everywhere in com- 

 plete order — new locations having been made in the faulty localities, to which, from 

 their former incorrect statements, no credence can be attached. Lieutenant Gibbon 

 traveled over this road in September, reaching Tierra Amarilla from Fort Garland in 

 four days. His report contains no remarks on this part of the road, except that "12 

 miles remained uncompleted." 



