44 
RAILROAD REPORT—ROUTE EAST OF CASCADE RANGE. 
able heavy cutting through trap rock, and a few short bridges over springs and small arms of 
the lake, would undoubtedly be necessary. 
The valley of Klamath river could be followed without expensive work, to the entrance of the 
canon. This canon, which is four miles in length, is a formidable obstacle, and would require an 
amount of cutting through trap and pumice-stone, which can only be estimated by a detailed 
examination. Lieut. Williamson expressed to me his opinion, that the route was practicable, 
but very expensive. A description of this canon will be found in Chapter XII, under the date 
August 20. 
From the northern end of the canon to Camp 34, the country is nearly level ; and the only 
difficulty would be to guard against an overflow of the waters of Klamath marsh, in the rainy 
season. A bridge, about 150 feet in length, would be necessary to cross Klamath river, for 
which an abundance of pine timber could be easily obtained. 
From Camp 34 to Camp 35, the route was very favorable for the construction of a railroad. 
Thence to Camp 36, on Des Chutes river, no very expensive work would be necessary. The 
c ountry, however, is undulating, and a large amount of cutting and filling through pumice-stone, 
and occasionally through trap rock, would be required. Of this portion of the route, Lieut. 
Williamson writes in his journal: “ There is a dividing range not of mountains, but of hills, 
between Klamath marsh and the Des Chutes river. There are, apparently, several low places 
to cross it, through one of which the trail runs. There appears to be no topographical obstacle 
to the location of a railroad. The main difficulty would be the extreme lightness of the soil.” 
I crossed the Cascade Range by a different pass from Lieut. Williamson, and did not, there¬ 
fore, traverse the remaining portion of this proposed railroad line, myself. I have, however, 
often conversed with Lieut. Williamson about it, and the following description is based entirely 
upon information thus obtained, and upon his recorded field notes. 
From Camp 36, the railroad would follow up the branch of Des Chutes river, to Camp 44 W. 
The valley is open, and the construction would be easy for the whole distance. 
The grades upon the route followed by Lieut. Williamson, from Camp 44 W. to Camp 45 W., 
were impracticable for a railroad, as will be seen by referring to profile No. 1, sheet No. 1. 
From the highest point of the pass, however, he could overlook the country towards the south, 
and see a route which he considered perfectly feasible. The dense forest, rising from a tangled 
mass of underbrush and fallen timber, rendered it impossible for him to actually traverse this 
route ; but he was fully satisfied that practicable grades could be obtained without tunneling. 
He often expressed to me his opinion, that the immense amount of fallen timber would be 
the greatest obstacle encountered in constructing a railroad through the pass. He indicated 
the following course for the proposed railroad line. It would follow up the branch of Des 
Chutes river, and gain the summit of the main ridge, between two prominent peaks east of 
the lake which forms the source of the Middle Fork of the Willamette. The altitude of the 
summit appeared to be considerably less than it was where he crossed the ridge, but, as he had 
no means of estimating the difference with accuracy, he thought it best to assume, on the profile, 
the same altitude. The grades in reality, therefore, are rather more favorable than represented 
on profile No. 2, sheet No. 1. From the summit, the line would descend by side location to the 
lake, and then follow down the Middle Fork to the vicinity of Camp 45 W. Both the eastern 
and western sides of the ridge appeared to be free from small ravines, so that a side location 
could be made without great expense in cutting and filling ; but Lieut. Williamson appre- 
