110 
ROUTE FROM INDIANOLA TO EL PASO. 
this purpose. Near this point it should, therefore, be considered as joining that of Lieutenant 
Whipple. 
2. From lndianola, via San Antonio, to El Paso. —A route for a railroad has been surveyed and 
located between lndianola and San Antonio. It crosses the Guadalupe river at Victoria, about 
30 miles from lndianola. Thence to San Antonio is about 100 miles. 
A route was surveyed, barometrically, from San Antonio to Frontera by the Mexican boundary 
commission, and the profile was furnished to the Pacific railroad office, by Brevet Major Emory, 
of the topographical engineers, the distances being taken irom the report of Colonel Johnston, 
topographical engineers. This profile gives the elevations along the route travelled, where the 
object was more to find good pasturage and water for the animals than to obtain easy grades. It, 
therefore, is only valuable as showing the general elevation of the country. 
From San Antonio, the travelled load keeps along the foot of the hills, near the parallel of 29° 
20', as far west as the San Pedro or Devil’s river, longitude 101°. It then ascends that stream 
60 miles, and crosses over to the Pecos, and ascends this to the parallel of 31° north. It then 
proceeds west over the plains to El Paso, crossing the mountainous belt of country forming 
the continuation of the Guadalupe mountains on the north, the greatest elevation attained being 
5,766 feet in the Wild Rose Pass of the Diabolo mountains. 
Colonel Johnston undertook to explore a route north of this pass, and more directly west, but 
found it impracticable. Lieutenant Garrard, under orders from Captain Pope, explored this 
range about 30 miles south of the Guadalupe Pass without finding one more practicable ; so 
there now remains but about 40 miles of these mountains unexplored. 
There would probably be no difficulty of grade in continuing up the Pecos to the mouth of 
Delaware creek; and connecting with the route surveyed by Captain Pope in 1854, through the 
Guadalupe and Hueco mountains. This latter is usually known as the upper or northern, the 
former as the lower or southern El Paso routes. Distance from lndianola to Fort Fillmore, by 
the upper road, 820 miles ; by the lower, 840 miles. 
The lower route was first explored by W. II. C. Whiting, Corps of Engineers, and Lieuten¬ 
ant W. F. Smith, topographical engineers, in 1S49 ; and subsequently surveyed by Colonel 
Johnston, who was followed by Captain S. G. French, of the quartermaster’s department, in 
charge of a large train. 
The upper route was first explored by Lieutenant Bryan in 1849, afterwards by Captain 
Marcy; was surveyed by Colonel Johnston in 1849, and again surveyed by Captain Pope in 
1854, who added to our previous knowledge by giving us a profile. That route from the mouth 
of Delaware creek to El Paso forms part of the railroad route near the 32d parallel. 
The following notes concerning the lower route are taken mainly from the report of Captain 
French, the distances being from Colonel Johnston’s report: 
From San Antonio to Rio San Felipe, 160 miles, most of the soil is excellent for agriculture or 
grazing. Wood is abundant on the banks of the streams. The road through this extent crosses 
numerous streams, some of which when swollen by rains are “large rivers.” There is, how¬ 
ever, sometimes a deficiency of water, particularly on the Rio Seco and Rio Frio. Bituminous 
coal is said to exist in abundance on the Nueces, 90 miles from San Antonio. 
After leaving the San Felipe, a marked change takes place in the face of the country. Before 
reaching it, in the vicinity of 100° meridian, the surface becomes more rolling and hilly, and less 
covered with trees ; and by the time we reach the San Pedro, on the 101st meridian, it is nearly 
barren. The valley of the San Pedro varies from a quarter to half a mile in width, and, owing 
to its vertical sides, it is difficult to approach. Much of the way it is very rough, and the road 
along it frequently takes the bed of the stream, and is in places submerged by the autumn freshets 
at least 20 feet. The travelled route usually avoids the lower part of the valley, keeping to the 
west of it. 
After leaving the San Pedro, the first reliable water is 40 miles distant, at Howard’s spring, 
