1792 REPORT OF THE CHIEF OF ENGINEERS. 



the divide, which is lower than the one on the Chama line ; this passed, brings us to 

 the Navajo, down which it follows for about 5 miles in a westerly direction. 



This section is an especially fine grazing region, and abundantly supplied with tim- 

 ber. Herds of Mexican sheep are driven into the valley of the West Fork, and the 

 Ute Indians, for fully two months last summer, had established their camp upon the 

 Navajo in this vicinity. This river is their preference of all the eastern streams in the 

 lower country, and its valley will make an excellent farming or cattle region . Leav- 

 ing the Navajo, at a few miles distance northwestwardly, tributaries of the river are 

 crossed, whence, after the passage of the main divide between the water-sheds of that 

 and the Blanco, we reach at a short distance the present "upper road" to Pagosa. 



The distances on the Chama Navajo are as follows: 



Miles. 



From Conejos to point of departure from the Chama road 33 



Thence to Rio Navajo, via the West Fork of the Chama and over pass 8,720 feet . . 14. 5 



Along the Rio Navajo . 5. 5 



Thence to the present traveled road 9. 9 



Thence via the present traveled road, the upper one, to Pagosa.. 14. 5 



Total, Conejos to Pagosa .. 77.4 



Distance via the Chama line to Pagosa 114. 7 



Distance saved by the Chama-Navajo road ... 37.3 



This would bring Pagosa to within 123.4 miles of Fort Garland, and 129.9 from the 

 railroad. 



Estimate for the construction of that part of the line from the point of departure 

 from the " Chama " until the " Upper," the present road in use, is reached, a distance, 

 as will be seen above, of 29.9 miles, is as follows : 



Rock-blasting, &c w $3,000 



Road embankment and construction, except the above 4, 200 



Bridge over the main Chama, including crib-work and approaches 725 



Bridge over the Navajo 475 



Smaller bridges en route. 625 



Contingencies 750 



Total 9,775 



If the Army ration can be sold at cost price to laborers, deduct one-third 3, 258 



6, 517 



Upon the accompanying map are indicated the routes of all existing and proposed 

 roads from Conejos to Pagosa, except the lower portions of the Ojo Caliente and Cueva 

 Lues. 



THE ALAMOSA LINE. 



From the present railroad terminus the shortest most practicable route to Pagosa is 

 in general direction due west, and mainly, of course, a water-line ; for in all mount- 

 ainous regions particularly, a highway, whether a rail or wagon road, must follow a 

 line of drainage for the line of least resistance. Crossing the Rio Grande above the 

 mouth of the Alamosa, continuing on to near the point where it debouches from the 

 mountains to the plain, it thence follows up the canon of the river. Near the head- 

 waters of the South Fork of the river, whose source is to the southwest, this water-line 

 is left and another followed, leading up a tributary to one of the most feasible spots 

 for a pass, for some distance, a depression between two lofty peaks. The range is 

 crossed below timber-line, from which can be followed a tributary flowing due west 

 into the East Fork of the San Juan, and in the canon of that stream and the main river 

 to Pagosa. 



This is as direct a route as can be at all economically obtained. Both the La Jara 

 and the Conejos on the Atlantic slope of the San Juan Mountains, each with a general 

 eastern course, were carefully examined, as were also the Navajo and the Blanco, with 

 southwesterly ones on the Pacific side. In whatever way a line be run otherwise than 

 as tl a j described, there are difficulties to be overcome almost insuperable, save at 

 great expenditure. So many streams, main rivers with their tributaries lying often- 

 times in deep canons, intervene on a direct line, that it could be constructed at great 

 cost only, not at all warranted by the necessities of present or prospective commerce 

 or ary very material saving in distance. 



Ti.king a bee-line from the railroad to the Rio Grande (where a wagon-road does not 



