Explorations and Surveys for the Pacific Railroad. 83 



On this route, as on others, from the 98th or 99th meridian to 

 the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada, a distance of 1,400 

 miles, the soil is uncultivable, excepting the comparatively lim- 

 ited area of the Mormon settlement, and an occasional river-bot- 

 tom and mountain valley of small extent. 



West of the Black Hills the plains are covered with artemi- 

 sia, rarely furnishing any grazing except along the water-courses 

 ■ — the mountains being generally clothed, to a greater or less 

 extent, with grass. The barren aspect of the Great Basin has 

 been already described. In that desolate region there are but 

 few and very limited areas where the conditions of soil, water, 

 and temperature requisite for cultivation, are found. 



The features of this route, favorable to the economical con- 

 struction of a railroad, are apparent from the description of it 

 which has just been given. Its unfavorable features may be 

 briefly described: as the costly construction, for nearly three 

 hundred miles along the Platte and Sweet Water, in ascending 

 to the summit of the South Pass ; in the canon of the Timpano- 

 gos ; in the two canons of the Sacramento, fourteen and nine 

 miles in length ; and in the very sinuous course of the river, for 

 the space of ninety-six miles, through heavily timbered moun- 

 tains rising precipitously from the stream — the cost of construct" 

 ing a railroad along which cannot be properly estimated until 

 minute surveys are made. 



Although the route passes over elevated regions, the sum of 

 ascents and descents is the next least after that of the 47th par- 

 allel, which is to be attributed to the table-land character of the 

 mountain districts. 



It partakes of the character of the route near the 47th parallel, 

 in the long and severe winters on the plains east of the Eocky 

 mountains and westward to the Great Basin. 



The cost, as estimated in the office, from Council Bluffs to 

 Benicia, a distance of 2,031 miles, is $116,095,000. 



The survey of the western portion of this route by Lieuten- 

 ant Beckwith, has resulted in the discovery of a more direct and 

 practicable route than was believed to exist from the Great Salt 

 lake to the valley of the Sacramento. Since his report was 

 made, a brief communication from Brevet Lieut. Col. Steptoe ? 

 commanding the troops in Utah, has announced the discovery 

 of a still more direct route from Great Salt lake to San Francisco. 

 The new portion of this route passes to the south of Humboldt 

 or Mary's river, and, entirely avoiding the difficulties experienced 

 by travellers along that stream, proceeds to the valley of Carson 

 river, being well supplied with water and grass. From Carson 

 river it crosses the Sierra Nevada by the passes at the head of 

 that river, and descends to the valley of the Sacramento, being 

 practicable throughout for wagons. 



