Biographical Notice 



The result, surprising then, and sur- 

 prising still, was a generous provision 

 by Congress for the geological survey 

 of a strip of ioo miles on each side 

 of the 40th parallel of latitude ; in 

 other words, of the belt containing 

 the first Pacific railroad. The work 

 was to continue three years, and was 

 placed expressly under the charge of 

 Clarence King (then 25 years old), 

 subject only to the administrative 

 control of Gen. A. A. Humphreys, 

 Chief of Engineers of the U. S. 

 Army — a brilliant topographical en- 

 gineer as well as military commander, 

 who appreciated the young explorer 

 too thoroughly to interfere with his 

 plans and methods.* 



The difficulties and dangers of this 

 work were not small. King's party, 



* The first legislation of Congress did not 

 cover all this. It was simply a brief provision 

 in an appropriation bill, authorizing the ap- 

 plication of certain unexpended remainders 

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