42 
BUILDING MATERIAL.—COST OF CONSTRUCTION, ETC. 
There is neither timber nor water upon this section, and for the supply of the latter requisite 
boring would be necessary. As I have explained, in a previous chapter, the process and cost 
of the boring required, it is unnecessary to refer to it in this place. 
Timber for ties and for fuel is found very near the east side of this section, and within fifty 
miles of its western limit. It would therefore be requisite to transport the ties over an extreme 
distance of eighty-seven miles, to the summit of the plain. 
Rocks. —Building-material of limestone and sandstone is very abundant, and can be procured 
at any point. The Pecos river, at its intersection with the 32d parallel, is about forty yards in 
width, and descends through many rapids over a bed of compact silicious limestone. A stone 
bridge could be constructed at little cost from material found on the spot. 
Cost of construction .—In estimating the cost of a railroad over this section, it would be neces¬ 
sary to reduce very much the estimate which has been made for the section east of it, in conse¬ 
quence of the very great and very unusual facilities of ground. Instead, therefore, of adding 
to, it will be in all respects advisable to reduce, the assumed basis. 
Assuming, therefore, the cost of the road used in estimating for the first section, and reducing 
it by ten per cent., we have for the cost per mile of the road over this section $40,000 (about,) 
and for the total cost $5,000,000. 
Although the additional expense of boring for water and transporting the ties will be neces¬ 
sary on this section, yet the work for grading is in all respects so much lighter as to compensate 
certainly for double the expense required for these purposes. 
Third Section, 169 miles —From the Pecos to the Rio Grande , at El Paso .—This section is in 
all respects different in natural features from those which precede. It consists of elevated table¬ 
lands, whose highest lines are occupied by three ranges of lofty mountains—the Guadalupe, 
the Hueco, and the Organ ranges. The latter is completely turned by the line at its southern 
extremity, and need not, therefore, enter into the consideration. The controlling points of this 
section are the Guadalupe Pass and the pass through the Hueco mountains. 
In approaching the Guadalupe Pass from the Pecos, the line is nearly straight, and to the 
head of Delaware creek ascends 102.6 feet in a distance of thirty miles, or 3.5 feet to the mile. 
The country along Delaware creek is uniform, and the ascent is not abrupt at any point. 
Water in abundance is'found along the creek, which is a constantly running stream. 
Prom the head of Delaware creek to the summit of the Guadalupe Pass the ascent, though 
rapid, is quite uniform, and the line straight. It might probably be considered advisable to 
reduce the grade on this part of the line ; but as it could easily be overcome on the direct line, 
it would be questionable whether any change would be advantageous. The pass is elevated 
1,545 feet above the head of the Delaware creek, which gives, for a distance of 24.4 miles, 
an average ascent of 61.8 feet to the mile. The eastern side of the mountains immediately 
contiguous to the line is faced with pine timber of large size, and abundant springs of water 
break out at several points. All the rocks of the u Trias,” before referred to, are found along 
the line from the Pecos to the mountains, and furnish abundantly the building-material described 
for the first section. 
In descending from the Guadalupe Pass to the table-lands west of this range, the first serious 
difficulty in the construction of a railroad was presented. 
The summit of the pass is at the east base of the mountains, and from thence to the Ojo del 
Cuerbo a descent of 1,824.8 feet is made in a distance of seventeen miles. The present wagon- 
road descends abruptly from the summit of the pass to the bed of a rocky ravine, and at a dis¬ 
tance of 3.8 miles is 1,227.8 feet below it. The road then turns abruptly to the northwest, and, 
crossing several spurs which project in a southerly direction from the high peak, descends to the 
plain. 
I at first thought it might be possible to descend more gradually into this dry bed, and to 
pursue it to the plains on the west side of the mountains, but I found the bed of the stream so 
much inclined as to make the grade impracticable. This ravine leads from the south point of 
