TO 
ENGINEERING REPORTS. 
ing, and also a light embankment to be thrown np across the 
bottom-lands bordering these streams, which at this point are 
about half a mile in width ; or a good corduroy or plank road 
might be made across the ground subject to overflow. These 
bottoms are not marshy, and are never flowed to a depth of 
more than three or four feet, and then only for a short time. 
Leaving the Jumuapa River, the road will follow the summit 
of a gravelly ridge for nearly the entire distance to the Sarabia, 
only crossing three small streams in this distance. This portion 
of the route is remarkably well adapted for the construction of a 
permanent road, and will require for this purpose but a very 
small outlay. 
For crossing the Sarabia River and bottoms, nearly the same 
constructions will be required as at the Jumuapa; thence to 
the Malatengo River the road crosses but three or four creeks, 
and will be very cheap of construction. It will intersect this river 
at a point about three-fourths of a mile to the eastward of the 
line of survey, and where the banks of the river are above over- 
flow ; so that by simply bridging the stream, it will be entirely 
clear of high water. After crossing the Malatengo, the road 
again traverses the summit of an elevated gravel ridge for a 
distance of some three miles, when it commences the ascent of 
the Xochiapa hills. The summit of these is gained by an 
easy grade from the north, requiring but a moderate outlay. 
By keeping a considerable distance back from the river, we 
avoid crossing more than one or two streams on this part of the 
route. The descent from the summit of these hills towards the 
Xuchiapa Creek is more rapid; but, by taking advantage of the 
formation of the ground, the grade of the road need not exceed 
three or four degrees. . After crossing the Xuchiapa, it will re- 
quire little grading as far south as our surveys extended — this 
portion of the route traversing an open prairie, with a smooth 
surface and a hard gravelly soil. 
For nearly the entire distance above described, the route 
either lies through open prairies, or has been cleared of tim- 
ber for a sufficient width to admit of the passage of wheeled 
vehicles. The importance of this auxiliary road in facilitating 
the construction of the railroad will be evident." 
