450 GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF THE TERRITORIES. 



Between Ellis and Sheridan the superficial " drift," porous in character, 

 covers the cretaceous clays and shales to a considerable depth, and water 

 in wells is reached by sinking- to the impervious clays. The railway 

 company has been successful in wells from 90 to 130 feet in depth, 

 securing supplies apparently inexhaustible. The railway track is 

 located on the divide so as to head the lateral swales and ravines, on 

 ground of greater average height than -will be occupied by the future 

 stock ranches or "estanchias;" and hence the water supplies of the 

 latter will be more readily and cheaply obtainable in wells of less depth. 



The Sorth Fork, crossed at Sheridan, has in its main and lateral val- 

 leys many desirable locations for grazing establishments. Some of these 

 locations will no doubt be taken up at an early day. A large rush val- 

 ley, distant eight to ten miles north from Sheridan, would winter thou- 

 sands of cattle. Extensive savannas yield a large annual supply of 

 natural grass suitable for hay. Springs of excellent water, some of them 

 sufficient for irrigating purposes, are known along the aSTorth Fork. 



Thus we reach Sheridan, 405 miles by rail west of State Line, and yet 

 have passed through no "desert" or uninhabitable country; nutritious 

 grasses have been on either hand, and water within reach. 



FROM SHERIDAN WESTWARD. 



We cross two creek beds between Sheridan and Pond Creek, 17 miles ; 

 the contour of the country indicating that wells, not yet tried, could not 

 fail of success. At Pond Creek water is plentiful in pools. Within a 

 short distance southward the Smoky Hill, here a small stream, and Eose 

 Creek, one of its tributaries, afford water for all purposes, with facilities 

 for irrigation; the latter successfully applied, under the orders of General 

 Woods, in the cultivated grounds at Fort Wallace. A short distance 

 west of Pond Creek the Smoky is crossed, here a wide bed of coarse 

 sand, with no visible water, but with a constant supply under the sand; 

 not, however, of large volume, as we are now within a few miles of its 

 ..upper arroyos. 



In 40 miles, from Pond Creek to Cheyenne Wells Station, the railway 

 rises 1,000 feet; reaching an elevation above the level of the sea of 4,179 

 feet, only 12 feet less than at Kit Carson, 25 miles farther west. At 

 First Yiew Station, 10 miles west of Cheyenne Wells, the elevation is 

 4,479 feet ; 288 feet greater than at Kit Carson, where it is 4,191 feet. 

 From First Yiew there is a rapid descent to the vale of Eureka Creek, 

 about 10 miles, and thence on a nearly level grade to Kit Carson. 



Pond Creek being 3,175 feet, the track is 1,010 feet higher at Kit Carson ; 

 but in making this rise in 65 miles we pass over in the first 50 miles an 

 immense swell of the plain, and at First Yiew we are 1,304 feet higher 

 than at Pond Creek! From Pond Creek to First Yiew the track, head- 

 ing lateral swales, follows "divides" where practicable ; yet the destitu- 

 tion of water, which might be reasonably expected, is not experienced. 

 At Eagle Tail, 3,336 feet above the sea, water is abundant in pools; and 

 :it Monotony (about 3,520 feet) is supplied by an unfailing well, 15 miles 

 from Pond Creek. Along the track west of Monotony, until the descent 

 is made to the vale of Eureka, it may, perhaps, be necessary to sink wells 

 to a depth proportioned to the rise of the track ; but no doubt is felt 

 that even in the localities least favorable successful wells can be made. 

 About six miles east of north from the Cheyenne Wells Station, on the 

 railway, are the old shallow wells of the same name in the vale of the 

 Smoky; used formerly to supply the overland stages, and now used by 

 emigrants with teams and live stock. And the fact that emigrants 



