46 
RAILROAD REPORT—ROUTE FROM DES CHUTES TO WILLAMETTE VALLEY. 
route which could he found for a railroad, lay through a level prairie around the western base of 
a prominent conical butte, to the canon of Mpto-ly-as river; which could he entered by a wide, 
open ravine. This stream, the canon of which is the first impassable obstacle to the road, rises 
among the peaks south of Mount Jefferson. After flowing towards the north for a few miles, it 
takes an easterly course, and discharges itself into the Des Chutes. The depth of its canon 
varies from 800 to 2,000 feet, and the width at the top, from two miles to half a mile. There is 
no pass between it and Mount Jefferson. It would be necessary, after entering the canon from 
the south, to keep up the grade by locating the railroad high upon the eastern side, although 
there would he many small lateral ravines to bridge. After about 18 miles of this difficult and 
very costly construction, it would he necessary to cross the river, near its most northern point, 
by an embankment about a mile long, and 1,200 feet high ; and thus reach the top of the great 
basaltic plateau. A line from the snowy summit of Mount Jefferson, eastward to the Des Chutes 
river, was carefully examined ; and this is the best route to this plateau which could he found. 
It is thought, that the impracticability of the road is made sufficiently manifest, by stating 
without further detail, that by the most favorable location from this point to the Dalles, a 
distance of about 75 miles, there would be, beside smaller obstacles, seven canons to cross, similar 
to that of the Mpto-ly-as river although not quite so deep, and a difficult spur from the Cascade 
Range, called the Mutton mountains. 
By this description it will be seen, that, at the head of the Des Chutes river, the railroad 
coming from the south, should either cross the Cascade Range to the Willamette valley, or bend 
towards the east, and, avoiding entirely the Des Chutes valley, reach the Columbia, above the 
head of navigation, by some as yet unexplored route. 
ROUTE FROM THE DES CHUTES TO THE WILLAMETTE VALLEY, BY THE NEW TASS NEAR MOUNT HOOD. 
SURVEYED BY LIEUTENANT ABBOT. 
The most unfavorable feature of this route for a railroad, is the difficulty of access to the new 
pass. To reach it on the western side of the Des Chutes valley, either from the north, or the 
south, is utterly impracticable. As, however, it appears to be a better railroad pass through 
the Cascade Range, than any surveyed further south ; and, as there is a bare possibility that it 
may be reached from the eastern side of the valley, it is deemed advisable to describe it with 
considerable minuteness. 
The crossing of the Des Chutes canon would be a most difficult and costly undertaking ; but, 
if it could be accomplished near the Mutton mountains, I think Nee-nee springs might be easily 
reached. Between that point and the pass, a distance of 24.3 miles, no great obstacle would 
be encountered. The grade is less than 100 feet per mile, except at three places, where it is for 
half a mile 206 feet, for two miles 141 feet, and for one mile 125 feet, per mile. At these 
points it could be easily reduced, by side location, to 100 feet per mile. 
From the entrance of the pass, the line would follow the course of a branch of Tysch creek to 
Wat-tum-pa lake, a distance of 6.2 miles, with an ascending grade of eighty-five feet per mile. 
A little side cutting, and the removal of a great number of logs, would be requisite in this section. 
West of the lake the trail passed over a steep hill, which could be avoided by following the 
course of a small tributary. Ty-ty-pa lake could thus be reached with an ascending grade 
of f 09 feet per mile, for 3.8 miles. The trail next passed over a steep ridge which formed the 
true summit of the pass. Its altitude above the sea level, was 4433 feet. The ascent from 
Ty-ty-pa lake to the summit, by the trail, was 416 feet; and the descent to a great ravine, about 
200 i'eet. It is thought that this ridge might be crossed at a much lower point, a little further 
