82 
WATER.—TIMBER —COAL.— BUILDING-STONE. 
greatly upon their direction relative 1o the currents of wind sweeping through the passes. And 
it does not seem a serious objection to these statements, that the greatest amounts of snow in 
mountain districts are accumulated towards their summits, and on the lee-sides of peaks and 
ridges, and that the deep ravines and chasms, extending high up the mountain sides, along the 
faces of which heavy storms sweep, receive and retain vast amounts of snow, for in these ravines 
there can be no through-currents of wind. And it is important to state, for the proper understand¬ 
ing of this subject, that the enormous depths of snow which were encountered, both in the Rocky 
mountains and in the Sierra Nevada, leading to those terrible disasters with which the country is 
familiar, were not encountered in a position, in any instance known to me, deserving the name 
of a mountain pass, how'ever alluring the approach to it may have been; but, on the contrary, 
they were encountered in attempts to cross high ranges at points more or less broken by chasms 
and ravines like those last referred to. If it be true, therefore, as our present information indicates, 
that the annual amount of snow, as well as of rain, falling in these interior mountain regions, is 
comparatively small, and not sufficient in its general depth to seriously obstruct the working of 
roads, its accumulation in mountain passes cannot be regarded as fatal to railroad lines which are 
otherwise available. 
Permanent water is found—for we were upon the route during the dryest part of the year— 
at suitable intervals for the wants of a road, both in its construction and operation, at all points 
of the line explored, except between Grand and Green rivers, a distance of seventy miles, on 
which none except rain-water, which fell while we were passing it, was seen. A spring is said, 
however, to exist on the Spanish trail, east of the point where we first struck it between these 
rivers; but, as already stated, its position and size are unknown to me. But if it exists, it will be 
easily found; and much more extensive explorations of this section than have yet been made, 
will be required before the quantity of water upon it can be determined. 
For one hundred and fifty miles west from the State of Missouri, timber is found in sufficient 
quantities for the construction'of a road, to the junction of the Smoky Hill and Republican forks 
of the Kansas river, provided the entire amount suitable for its construction, now growing upon 
the water-courses, be applied to it, but not otherwise. 
Settlers upon these lands will find the quantity of timber upon them too limited for their neces¬ 
sities; and in the construction of a railroad, therefore, subsequent to their occupation, the requisite 
amount of timber will no longer be found upon them. From the junction of these streams west to 
the foot of the Sangre de Cristo Pass, a distance of five hundred miles, no timber whatever exists 
that can be used in the superstructure of a railroad. In and about this pass, Captain Gunnison 
says, “spruce-pine in abundance is at hand to supply ties for hundreds of miles of railroad, espe¬ 
cially if that which the great fire of 1851 swept over and left standing be not left to decay.” 
In ascending the valley of San Luis but little timber was seen in the mountains; and none exists 
in the valley which could be used in building roads. From Fort Massachusetts” southward the 
mountains will, however, furnish an abundant supply of excellent pine. In the mountains about 
the Coochetopa Pass, one hundred miles from Fort Massachusetts, pine is the only timber, (the 
quaking asp being only suitable for fuel after it has been seasoned;) and it is generally small, but, 
it is believed, sufficient for the purposes contemplated. From the vicinity of this pass west to the 
Sevier lake, a distance of five hundred and fifty miles, scarcely a tree was seen, except a few 
low-branching cedars among the Rock hills west of Green river, which could be used in the con¬ 
struction of a railroad; but it is probable, although very difficult of access, that a limited supply 
can be drawn from high up on the heads of numerous streams, which enter Grand river from the 
mountains above, and for a short distance below, the junction of Blue river. And again, in the 
mountain between Green and White rivers, and in the Wahsatch mountains, in similar localities, 
it is probable that more or less timber can be obtained; but if sufficient in quantity, it will neces¬ 
sarily require to be transported to such distances as to make its expense enormous, which will 
render the substitution of stone necessary wherever it can be used. Coal is found at three points 
