32 
FROM VANCOUVER TO THE DALLES, THENCE TO SNAKE RIVER. 
winds ; is secure from heavy seas, and has a most excellent holding-ground of blue clay, and a 
good depth of water—thirty fathoms. The hanks are suitable for a town; the deep water comes 
so near the shore that hut very short wharves-will he required. Semi-bituminous coal can be 
found within fourteen (14) miles by water. The harbor can be defended by permanent forti¬ 
fications.” 
From Seattle to Vancouver, a distance of one hundred and sixty-five (165) miles, (round 
numbers,) twenty-five (25) per cent, of all grading will consist of high prairie plains of light 
soil—embankments built by side-work in easy gravel shovelling. Fifty (50) per cent, of work, 
extended plateaux of heavily timbered country; low, wet surface; deep, black soil; embank¬ 
ments built by long haul, with gravel trains. Twenty-five: (25) per cent, of work, undulating 
surface of equalized cut and fill; fifty (50) per cent, of the latter is ledge excavation at short- 
haul ; no deep cuttings; no gradients of over forty (40) feet per mile; curvatures of mile radii, 
readily located; minimum amount of masonry ; stone suitable for rubble-work at Puget Sound. 
Brick clay reported in abundance, but not seen by engineer. More than average facilities for 
railway construction at reasonable cost. 
FROM VANCOUVER TO THE DALLES OF THE COLUMBIA, A DISTANCE OF NINETY (90) MILES. 
Not less than fifty (50) miles of heavy embankments exposed to the action of water in the 
great freshets of Columbia river; to be formed by borrowing, in the broken debris of basaltic 
ledges, a material abundant throughout the river valley; the weightier blocks to be placed at 
their natural slope upon the face of the embankment; forty (40) miles of equalized side-cuttings 
and embankments; the excavations averaging 70 per cent, of ledge. No gradient exceeding 15 
feet per mile, unless at the discretion of the engineer. Curves of 2,000 feet radius, and a reverse 
within 200 feet of tangent point from intermediate straight line ; or a tunnel of 700 feet at the 
mountainous point, termed Cape Horn, but avoided by preliminary road. Maximum amount of 
rough masonry: first-class bridge-masonry at a crossing of the Columbia, 1,200 feet in length; 
stone suitable for rubble-work, if combined with brick-work, may be procured in vicinity of line. 
Brick clay occurs in abundance in vicinity. A fine variety of mountain pine, suitable for all 
timber structure and tressel-work in vicinity of line. First step in grading, the construction 
of the road around the falls or cascades of the Columbia, to connect water transportation. The 
whole section of 90 miles to be assailed during first labors of grading, that supplies and mate¬ 
rial may be transported to the divisions of the interior. A severe and costly section, requiring 
the experience of first-class engineering faculty for proper reduction at reasonable outlay, 
FROM THE DALLES OF THE COLUMBIA TO SNAKE RIVER, NEAR FORT BOISE—GENERAL APPROXIMATION OF 
FACILITIES FOR RAILWAY CONSTRUCTION OVER WHOLE DIVISION. 
Fifty (50) per cent, fair gravel-work; equalized excavation and embankment, at reasonable 
average haul; 30 per cent, of ledge in side-cutting. Summit sections, 30 per cent, hard mate¬ 
rial ; (loose rock and hard pan;) 20 per cent, of all gradients 50 feet per mile; room for reasona¬ 
ble adjustment of curvatures of 2,000 feet to one mile radius ; abundance of first-class timber for 
all structures to vicinity of Powder river; brick clay in quantity near Powder river; abundance 
of boulders, affording suitable material for all minor masonry in vicinity of Grande Bonde and 
Powder rivers ; granite in quantity near Burnt river ; brick clay near Malheur river; at mouth 
of Malheur river fine granite suitable for masonry; near Fort Boise excellent material for 
masonry in various localities; some timber, with facilities for boating or rafting, upon the great 
tributaries of the Snake river. 
The western portion of this section affords fair opportunity for railway construction at reason¬ 
able cost. The problems of construction readily solved, experience in location being mainly 
required to give the line its best position over such broken, undulating country. Should the 
