128 WESTERN INCIDENTS.

be much more direct; and could be built in less time,
and with much lower maximum grades than any of the
other routes surveyed.

The route as located, leaves the valley of the South
Platte, at the mouth of Lodge Pole Creek, opposite
Julesburgh, and follows up the valley of that creek
about one hundred miles, when it crosses obliquely the
divide between Lodge-Pole, and Crow Creeks. And
thence across Crow Creek to the divide between that
stream and Lone-Tree Creek, which divide it follows to
the summit of the Black Hill Range at Evans’ Pass.
From the summit it follows down the southwesterly
slope of the Black Hills to the Laramie Plains.

Beyond this nothing has been decided upon with refer-
ence to the location, although several routes have been
surveyed to the eastern line of California.

This location leaves Denver city about one hundred
’ miles to the south of the main through line of the Union
Pacific Railroad; but a branch road, over a very good
route, may, and probably will be constructed from Den-
ver and the rich mineral regions of Colorado, to the main
line, within one or two years.

The route through Denver and Berthoud Pass was
found. to be comparatively impracticable—and the Com-
pany could not consistently bend the line nearer Denver,
without discriminating too much against the through
business of the road.

The staging from the end of the track to Denver is
now reduced to from thirty-six to forty hours; and a fast
freight line has been established for the transportation of
freight, from the end of the track to any point in the
western Territories.

The track laying was suspended in December, at a
point three hundred and five miles west of Omaha, on