. Reports of explorations and surveys, to ascertain the most practicable and economical route for a railroad from the Mississippi River to the Pacific Ocean . on their respectiveroutes. Our route lay through Warners Pass to the desert, and thence across to the Pass had already been surveyed by Lieutenant Parke, and I will now describe itsprominent characteristics. Leaving Warners house, we reach the actual summit of the Coast Range in five miles, andin ten miles more we arrive at a little valley called San Felipe. The drainage of the valleyis through a narrow, rocky canon, the
. Reports of explorations and surveys, to ascertain the most practicable and economical route for a railroad from the Mississippi River to the Pacific Ocean . on their respectiveroutes. Our route lay through Warners Pass to the desert, and thence across to the Pass had already been surveyed by Lieutenant Parke, and I will now describe itsprominent characteristics. Leaving Warners house, we reach the actual summit of the Coast Range in five miles, andin ten miles more we arrive at a little valley called San Felipe. The drainage of the valleyis through a narrow, rocky canon, the mountains on each side rising precipitously, and beingcovered with huge* blocks of granite. This being impracticable for a wagon-road, the trail is FROM SAN FELIPE CANON TO HEAD OF CARRIZO CREEK. 39 another creek , then follows this creek to the desert, continually descending, with the excention of half a mile, where it crosses a hill to avoid a canon of the creek P we have r^ade of 33 ^ 1 * 28° ^ ^ from ^ divide we have a grade of 333 feet for 1J mile, and of 140 feet for 4 miles more S„nnnW w long, the fall averages at least 400 feet to the PASS BETWEEN SAN FELIPE AND TALLEOITO. vaUe, and the Wnt^ ^ ^* 40 ROUTE OVER THE COLORADO DESERT SAND HILLS, ETC. for 2£ miles averages 180 feet per mile, and for nearly all this distance the hed is very narrowand tortuous, and the rocky hills on either side exceedingly precipitous. In one place the rockshave heen cut away to afford room for the passage of a wagon. This hed of the creek wouldnot answer for the railroad, as in the wet season it is full of water. The only other impediment before reaching the desert is at a point where the creek wagon-road avoids this by passing over a steep hill. For a railroad, heavy side-cuttings,and probably a tunnel of a quarter of a mile, would be necessary. Carrizo creek is dry, exceptat occasional points where the water is forced to the surface by rock. There is a constantsupply
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