No. of section.

the west, into drifts on the east side of the ridges and into ravines. The face of the country, except where there is sage-bush to catch and hold it, is generally quite bare in two or three days after a snow-storm. It only remains where it is sheltered from the winds by timber, mountain ridges, or sage-bush. In two days after the severe storm at Fort Halleck it had all disappeared. I have no doubt there will be as little interruption from snow in the Cheyenne and Bridg er's Passes as in New York or Iowa.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant.

APPENDIX No. 1 C.

GREAT SALT LAKE CITY,

January 26, 1864.

SIR: Immediately upon receipt of the first telegraphic messages from yourself and Mr. Durant, I directed my son Joseph A. Young to proceed as speedily as possible in organizing a party to carry out your wishes in regard to Timpanagos cañon, &c. The party was organized and in the field at the earliest practicable date. Four brief telegrams from Omaha, October 15, was my only guide in instructing them, until the arrival of your letter, dated October 15, which came to hand only a short time before rough weather drove the party from the line. From that letter I could infer that perhaps a more minute survey was desired; but even had the letter arrived at the first intimation I had upon the subject I am not aware that they could have done more or better, owing to the lateness of the season, unless, indeed, they had restricted their operations to a very short section of the route. For particulars as to their labors, I respectfully refer you to Mr. Young's report to me, and his tables of grades and distances, herewith enclosed. In conuection permit me to suggest whether it will not be well, previous to surveying and estimating for either the Timpanagos or Weber Lower cañon liue in detail, to first make a comparatively speedy and inexpensive survey of both those lines, to approximately and cheaply determine the difference of distance, level, &c., between Weber Lower cañon and Bear River and Timpanagos cañon and Bear river, as our present information is not sufficient to enable us to determine which is really the best of the routes, all things in connection therewith considered.

Regretting that circumstances prevented an earlier forwarding of the enclosed report, and hoping it may prove of some benefit until the weather permits of farther operations,

I remain, very respectfully,

PETER A. DEY, Esq.,

BRIGHAM YOUNG.

Omaha, Nebraska Territory.

GREAT SALT LAKE CITY,
January 26, 1864.

SIR: I have this day mailed to Mr. Dey, at Omaha, the report of the survey of Timpanagos cañon and that liue as far as Weber river, as the weather would permit.

how

survey was begun as soon as practicable, and was diligently prosecuted until rough weather drove the party from the field. I regret that circumstances have prevented forwarding the report at an earlier date, but trust it may be in time and of a nature to prove of some benefit in the great work. If consistent I shall be pleased to have you inform me, at your earliest convenience, as to many and what places you propose to begin work upon next season, and a brief synopsis of the proposed mode of conducting the work. You are, doubtless, advised of the extensive coal beds on Bitter creek and Weber river. On Bitter creek indications of iron ore have been noticed, and of late very flattering experiments have been made upon the iron ore found on Weber. Early in the spring I am in hopes to be able to learn definitely the quality of the Weber iron ore, and the probable extent of the ore beds. Holding myself in readiness to aid so far as I may be able in completing a work of such magnitude and usefulness as is the Pacific railroad,

I remain, very respectfully,

T. C. DURANT, Esq., New York City, N. Y.

BRIGHAM YOUNG.

REPORT OF JOSEPH A. YOUNG, CIVIL ENGINEER.

SIR: In accordance with instructions from you "to make a preliminary survey of the Timpanagos route as far up as Kamas prairie, to ascertain whether the grades would be practicable for the Pacific railroad," I proceeded on the 23d of October to organize a party, as follows: Mr. J. W. Fox, assistant; an instrument carrier, two targetmen, two chainmen, an axeman, two teamsters, a cook, one four and one two-mule team for transportation, and three saddle animals for reconnoitering, with rations and forage for twenty-five days. The instruments used were a railroad level, a common field compass, and Gunter's chain.

On the morning of the 26th I started the party for the field of operations, distant forty-seven miles, and on the evening of the 28th Mr. Fox and myself joined them at Provo City. On the morning of the 29th we commenced field operations, taking as our initial point the northwest corner of President square, Provo City, 60 feet above level of water in Utah lake.

From this point we proceeded with a level and chain line direct to the mouth of Timpanagos cañon; thence up the Timpanagos river to Kamas prairie, where we arrived on the 6th of November. From the initial point to this place we found there would be no serious obstructions to encounter, if we except some very short curves near the mouth of the cañon, several broken ledges of mountain limestone, which in a few instances are precipitous to the river, and a deep cut through the Kamas bench to get to the Timpanagos bottom, all of which are shown by the field notes.

Upon our arrival at Kamas, while awaiting further instructions, we learned from Mr. Rhoads and other hunters well acquainted with the country near the head waters of the Weber and Timpanagos, that the latter river heads within fifteen miles east of Kamas prairie, runs in a southeasterly direction along the west side of the main range of Uinta mountains, and then doubling back a distance of some eighty miles, takes a westerly course by the south side of Kamas prairie, and that the divide between the Timpanagos and the head waters of Bear river is very high, there being no practicable pass from one to the other after leaving Kamas. We also learned that there was a low pass to Bear river, some twenty-five miles from Kamas up the Weber in a northeasterly direction, which would bring it on the most direct route, and that represented to be prac

ticable for a railroad.

Your letter, and also a copy of a letter of instructions from Mr. Dey, of Omaha, permitting us to use our own discretion in regard to the route from Kamas prairie, having been duly received through the messengers to whom they were intrusted, it was considered expedient, from the evidence before us, to continue our survey by way of the Weber route. Accordingly on the 9th of November we resumed field operations, crossing Kamas to the Weber river, and thence up the Weber some four miles, where we encountered a very severe snow storm, which rendered it impossible to continue field operations this fall.

Among those best acquainted with the mountains, opinions are about equally balanced as to the practicability of two routes from Great Salt Lake City to the mouth of Bitter creek, on Green river.

Route 1.-From Great Salt Lake City to the mouth of Timpanagos cañon, up the Timpanagos to and across Kamas prairie, and up the Weber to a point where the divide between Weber and Bear rivers may be either tunnelled or crossed by the aid of stationary engines; thence by easy grade to Bear river; thence through a depression in the dividing ridge between the waters of the Colorado and the Great Basin, keeping a line about twelve miles south of Fort Bridger, across high level country to Black's Fork and Green river.

Route 2.-From Great Salt Lake City, via Farmington and Kaysville, to the mouth of Weber cañon; up the Weber to the mouth of Chalk creek; up

Chalk creek, crossing divides between Chalk and Yellow creeks and Yellow creek and Bear river, to Bear river; thence up Sulphur creek to a depression in the rim of the Great Basin, across a very low divide to the head of and down the Muddy to Black's Fork, leaving Fort Bridger twelve miles to the south, and down Black's Fork to Green river.

The two routes are accessible to each other on the Weber, within twenty-two miles; on Bear river, probably sixteen miles, and on the rim of the Basin, within from three to eight miles. The grading, bridging, excavation, embankment and curvature in these routes would be about equal.

On route No. 1 we cross the range of mountains between Weber and Bear rivers on a single divide; on No. 2 in two much lower divides. The first is colder and more snowy than the second, owing to its proximity to the Uinta range of mountains. On No. 1 the line would be near large bodies of timber on the head waters of Weber and Bear rivers, which would be required in construction on either route. On No. 2, on Chalk creek, are extensive deposits of a light, bituminous coal, suitable for railroad purposes.

According to the above facts, collected from those best acquainted with the country, it would seem that the advantages and obstructions are so nearly balanced that the selection of routes will entirely depend on gradients and distance. We would, therefore, recommend that, as early as practicable in the spring, a line of levels be run on the respective routes before making any elaborate esti

mates.

Owing to the lateness of the season, the smallness of our party, and liability to be driven back by storms, and presuming that, in accordance with the above data, distance and gradients, would be the principal considerations in determining the route for the Great Pacific railroad, we made alignment, gradients, and distance the principal objects of our reconnoissance, designating, however, in their proper place in the field notes, all such points and ledges of rock, creeks, dry washes, long high slopes and depressions as were likely, in the least, to prove obstacles to construction.

It will be proper, in this connection, to add that the courses indicated are corrected magnetic readings, and only general; also, that the gradients have more particular reference to the fall of the streams.

We started on our return on the morning of November 11, and arrived in this city by way of Silver creek and Parley's park on the evening of the 12th. Enclosed please find a table showing grades and distance between salient points, also a table showing grade of level line, with corrections, showing fall of Timpanagos and Weber, and number of stations per mile; field notes of expedition, and the accounts of the party, including time and wages of men, rations, forage, teams, saddle animals, in short the entire expense of the expedition, except leaving blank the pay of Mr. Fox and myself.

All of which are respectfully, submitted.

Very respectfully yours,

President BRIGHAM YOUNG.

JOS. A. YOUNG.