Ho dry mountain Trip 
some Indians. Passed Hot Springs. Camped where the Laplata trail 
turns off. The dip of the curb, strata are at first about 5° and 
afterwards were to 10°. The light colored beds - mostly limp - are 
upwards of 1200 feet thick, while the red are something more than 
1000. Above this is a red and white massive sandstone that repre¬ 
sents the Trias. Shortly above this, and perhaps upon it, are 
the sandstones of No.1 cut. The valley is very rich,but is as 
yet but little farmed. 
Sept. 10th : Sunday. Parrot.City. 7/hile the party fol¬ 
lowed the trail over toward Laplata I rode down the river to the 
I 
new Animas city. Pound one piouse full of people and the prospect 
1 1 
of a road and bridge. Met Dr. _ of Dubuque, la., formerly 
of Holmes Co., 0., who is a nice sort of old fellow? also Hr. 
Smith, surveyor, and Hr.Marsh. They have secured a charter for 
a toll road and have located and laid out a town site of some 
500 acres. There is good water power and the location seems the 
best possible. Rode down'to R. Dirros ranch about one-half mile 
below and had a long powwow. He is well fixed and has perhaps 
the best ranch in the valley. He is working on some coal leads 
about two miles and one-half below his house. The vein is 22 ft. 
thick. He is to send me some specimens for analysis, also as 
much information about the geologic section as possible. There 
were two or three other men at the house - it was Sunday. I 
tried hard to satisfy myself about the upper cretaceon forma¬ 
tions. I conclude that my San Juan and Laplata coal vein is the 
same as they are working. The ‘veins are similar in thickness 
and seem to be in corresponding horizons - perhaps a few hundred 
feet above the massive sandstones that form the upper escarpment 
_ _ 7a fi h, 3 l ? b t 
