WARNER’S PASS—VALLEY OF SAN FELIPE. 
21 
bottom of the valley. By continuing along the hill sides, a feasible route is afforded to Warner’s 
rancho, (a part of the same valley,) which involves, however, the construction of a bridge of 
considerable height at.the crossing of San Jose creek, the head waters of San Luis Key river. 
The distance is 4.35 miles, and the grade 26.21 feet per mile, to a point on the slope of the hill 
opposite Warner’s house. This location, from the summit to Warner’s, is not probably so 
favorable in point of economy of construction as a line following more nearly the course of the 
road as now travelled, that being over a comparatively smooth and equal surface, requiring no 
bridging or culverts of any magnitude. It may be better to adopt this, with its steep grade of 
115 feet for a part of the distance, in preference to the other route ; but it is a question which 
a minute survey only can determine. There is but little timber in this valley, though the hill 
sides within five or six miles afford a large amount of oak, and large pines are found scattered 
through all the gulches. 
WARNER’S PASS. 
This is the divide between the waters of the Pacific and those flowing into the Gulf of Cali¬ 
fornia. Its elevation above mean high tide is 3,629.54 feet. 
From the rancho to the summit of this pass there is a gradual acclivity, traversed by a public 
road, whose average grade for the distance of 4.92 miles is 123.46 feet per mile. By com¬ 
mencing the grade line at the point opposite Warner’s house, where we left it, which is 55.6 
feet above the level of the wagon road, and carrying it to a proposed cut of 50 feet at the 
summit of the pass, the average grade is reduced to 102 feet per mile. A more economical 
construction of the road would be afforded by diminishing the rate of ascent over the first part 
of the line and proportionately increasing it near the summit. This portion of the route 
abounds in timber, and the water is plenty and excellent in quality. The ground is somewhat 
rolling in character, and the location may be so made as to equalize the excavations and 
embankments. 
After passing the summit, the wagon road winds down the pass near the arroyo or water 
course flowing towards San Felipe, and enters the valley proper at the termination of the belt of 
trees known as Oak Grove. The natural grade of the surface to this point, a distance of nearly 
2 miles, is 263 feet per mile. A side hill location must here be resorted to, and the left or north 
side of the valley appears most favorable for the purpose. A grade of 106 feet to the mile can 
be applied, which will reach an elevation of 249 feet above the bed of the stream at the watering 
place at Oak Grove. 
Up to this point, throughout the whole route from the sea coast, the soil and climate are 
adapted to the production of almost every form of vegetation belonging to the temperate zone. 
But now the scene changes, and the face of the country begins to assume a tropical character, 
dry, sandy soil and rocky hill sides, thinly covered with low bushes, appearing on each side. 
The water in the streams is absorbed by their sandy beds, and little, if any, foliage is seen 
upon their banks. 
VALLEY OF SAN FELIPE. 
From Oak Grove to the Indian village at San Felipe the valley widens from a mile to two 
and a half miles, the mountain sides being rocky and inclined regularly towards the middle* 
About midway there is a swampy tract of about one hundred acres in extent, which is the only 
