SURVEYING Parry, 63

source of immense national welthandprosexity. Throughout the
greater part of that immense pastoral regiQn, cattle require no stored
food in the winter season, for the grasss of the prairies, whether green
or dry, is always good ra nutritious

The recent discovery of rich gold places in New Mexico aidiie
greatly to the importance of this rad. Mn factit seers that from
the point where the mountains are first mached, on the western
border of the vast buffalo-grass plains, tothweshores of the Pacific, the
line of this road will run through one containows field of the precious
metals, besides much timber and coal.

Leaving Albuquerque, the line throu gh tIheheat of Arizona—that
richest of our territories in gold and silver,buat the most difficult to
reach —presents no serious difficulties. Long wallexys, rmnning in the
right direction, bear it onwards towards the border of California,
whence, turning the southern extremity of the great Sierra Nevada
range, it passes up through Southern Califomia, midway between the
mountains and the ocean, to San Bram cisco, torrchin g the fine port of
San Diego by a branch, and the head of the Gulf of California, and
the port of Guaymas, if need be, bzy ot Hers.

This route may be somewhat longer than that through Utah and
Nevada, but its gradients will be sommuch less that it will more than
compensate for this lengthening of the Taine Tox all purposes for
which a railroad is desired to be shorter, to wit, ereater speed and
economy of transportation, it is believe dthatthisis realby the shorter
line. But whether it is longer in miles thn the other is not yet
known; for the length of line ne cesaary +0 vimd through the laby-
rinthine mountains of Utahis yet an anknown quantity. Be that as
it may, it is certain that its gudeswillbe lighter, that it can never
be obstructed by snow, and that the coventry it will Open up and
develop, whether agricultural, or pastoral, «rm ineral, is tenfold more
valuable.

A party of gentlemen of scientific a bilitzy, about eighty in number,
headed by General W. W. Wright, chief engimeer, and comprising,
among others, Dr. John Leconte, of the Smithsonian Institute, as
geologist, Dr. Perry, who was engigred in the survey of the line
between the United States and Mexi<o, with eminent topographers
and photographers, are now engaged im a careful examination, survey,
and development of this route. The qpartay is out under the auspices
and employ of this company. Other sumrveying parties of equal
ability are now engaged in locating the roid between Pond Creek
and Denver.