8 EXTRACTS FROM [PRELIMINARY] REPORT. 
Astronomical observations place Fort Smith in 35° 22'55" north latitude ; longitude, 94° 
21' west of Greenwich. 
Passing the river Poteau with a southwest course, we crossed the low bottom-lands, and pro¬ 
ceeded ten miles, to Ping’s plantation, our first encampment. 
The Poteau flows from the southwest, with a gentle current, averaging probably seventy- 
five feet in width for several miles, but increasing to four hundred feet near the mouth. Its 
hanks are of a dark shale, indicating the presence of coal. By spirit level the surface of the 
stream, which may also represent the Arkansas, is found to he * * * feet below camp Wilson, 
near the fort. Timber and stone are upon the spot, and a single arch of about one hundred 
feet would span the stream. The country is flat nearly to Ring’s house, situated upon the 
brow of a ridge of gentle hills, which, stretching across from Fort Coffee to the Poteau, bounds 
the delta included between the rivers near their junction. Upon this plantation wells 
forty to fifty feet deep furnish excellent water, resting upon a bed of coal. 
From Ring’s plantation to Choctaw agency'—five miles—the road led us over hilly ground, 
which could have been avoided by inclining towards the banks of either the Arkansas or 
Poteau. The latter communicates with a narrow prairie extending almost uninterruptedly west 
to Sans Bois creek, affording, for thirty miles, an excellent trace for a railroad. 
Within this distance were several small streams—Camp creek, Coon creek, and Long Pond 
creek—averaging ten to fifteen feet in width, with water a few inches deep. The Sans Bois, 
densely wooded, like other streams, may be spanned by a bridge from eighty to one hundred 
feet in length. Timber and stone are abundant, and a rocky bottom forms a good foundation 
for the construction of a viaduct. 
We ascended the left hank of the Sans Bois, crossing Cooper’s creek, fifty feet wide, and 
several small ravines. 
To the south fork of the Canadian we passed a hilly country, where ravines and heights 
were finely timbered, forming charming groves. 
To our left the guide pointed out a prairie, which we should have followed to Gaines’ creek, 
had not the approach to it been too densely wooded ; thereby we should have saved some dis¬ 
tance, and avoided several had hills. 
The east branch of the south fork of the Canadian, with hard, gravelly bottom, and a good 
foundation for piers, will require a bridge from seventy-five to one hundred feet span. The 
hanks are high and considerably broken. 
Passing onward to Coal creek, which we crossed, forty feet in width, we found the country 
so rough as to compel us to deviate several miles from the road in search of a more level route 
for the survey. The creek heads in the range of Shawnee hills, five hundred feet in height, 
extending from the immediate hank of the Canadian several miles south. By the much- 
travelled road, the ascent and passage caused nearly the destruction of our wagons. After 
laborious explorations to the right and left, and by the assistance of a Shawnee guide, we 
found that by following a more southern branch of Coal creek to its headwaters below the 
range of hills, we could, by a direct and shorter route, pass the gently swelling divide to the 
waters of Boggy river. Had we known the route in season, we could have cut out a road 
to unite with the main trail, where it crosses the first affluent of Red river, in less time than it 
took us to perform our disastrous march and weary our mules upon the beaten track. 
We are now near the termination of the coal measures, and passing to the lower car¬ 
boniferous formation. Bituminous coal is found cropping out, and in many places are mines of 
it between Fort Smith and the Shawnee villages ; especially on the Sans Bois and Coal creeks. 
It was used in our blacksmith forges, and found to he of superior quality. There are evidence 
of an inexhaustible supply for railroad and other purposes. 
Besides coal in this formation, we have limestone and sandstone, excellent for the construc¬ 
tion of bridges and viaducts. Quicklime is also easily obtained. The whole country traversed 
from Fort Smith contains a soil exceedingly fertile, and by creeks and rivulets is supplied with 
