Explorations and Surveys for the Pacific Railroad. 67 



Art. IX. — Reports of Explorations and Surveys to ascertain the most 

 practicable and economical route for a Railroad from the Missis- 

 sippi River to the Pacific Ocean ; made under the direction of 

 the Hon. Jefferson Davis, Secretary of War.* 



Under the auspices of the Secretary of "War, the reports of 

 the explorations made with reference to a route for the Pacific 

 railroad, are in progress of publication in quarto volumes, ex* 

 cellent in style and full in their illustrations. The results of 

 these surveys are exceedingly varied and important. The 

 physical features and climate of the vast region beyond the Mis* 

 sissippi were examined, animals, plants, and rocks collected, and 

 important contributions thus made to science, while at the same 

 time the special object of the surveys appears to have been pur- 

 sued with vigor and as much care as the limited time of the sur- 

 veys admitted. The volume just issued contains the Keport of 

 the Secretary of War ; an Examination of the Reports of the sev- 

 eral routes explored ; railway memoranda ; and the Report of 

 Governor I. I. Stevens. The further narrative of the explora- 

 tion, accompanied by views illustrating the features of the coun- 

 try, the natural history and other scientific reports, with illus- 

 trations, will appear in another volume. 



The report of the Secretary of War presents a general re- 

 view of the whole subject, and is drawn up with clearness and 

 apparent justice to each of the proposed routes. The routes ex- 

 amined were five in number : — the most northern or Missouri 

 river route, near the 47th and 49th parallels of north latitude, sur- 

 veyed under Governor Stevens ; the next, or Platte river route, 

 near the 41st and 42nd parallels, examined by Col. Fremont and 

 Capt. Stanisbury, east of the Rocky Mts., and by Lieut. E. G. 

 Beckwith, on the west, from Fort Bridger in 110° W. to Fort 

 Reading on the Sacramento ; the third, or Arkansas river route, 

 near the 38th and 39th parallels, explored by Capt. Gunnison's 

 party to the Un-kuk-oo-ap mountains, in longitude 112°, on the 

 Sevier river, where he died ; the fourth, or Canadian river route, 

 near the 35th parallel, surveyed under the direction of Lieut. 

 A. W. Whipple; the fifth, near the 31st and 32nd parallels, its 

 different parts under the direction of Capt. Pope, Lieut. Parke, 

 Major Emory, and Lieut. Williamson. 



We make the following extracts from the Report of the Sec- 

 retary of War. 



* Reports of Explorations and Surveys to ascertain the most practicable and 

 economical route for a railroad from the Mississippi river to the Pacific Ocean ; made 

 under the direction of the Hon. Jefferson Davis, Secretary of War, in 1853-4, ac- 

 cording to acts of Congress of March 3, 1853, May 31, 1854, and August 5, 1854. 

 Volume I. 652 pages 4to, with Maps and Tables. 



v 



