Military Road from Fort Benton to Fort Walla-Walla; Letter from the Secretary of War, Transmitting the Report of Lieutenant Mullan, in Charge of the C 12+

📖 This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1861. Excerpt: ... Report on the practicability of a railroad along Columbia river, from the Dalles to Umatilla river. 1859. C. P. Howard, 0. E. Cantonment Jordan, Bitter Root Mountains, January 5, 1860. Sir: In accordance with your letter of instructions, I left the Dalles on May 16, 1859, for the purpose of examining into the practicability of a railroad line, along the Columbia and Snake rivers, from the Dalles to the mouth of the Pelouse river. Before entering into details, it would be, perhaps, better to say something of the general character of the route, and more especially of the question of grades, which in most lines of railway is the subject of chietest difficulty. A glance at the accompanying profile, together with the following considerations, will show that if, under any circumstances, a railroad is practicable along the Columbia and Snake rivers, the problem of grades is of easy solution. A large portion of the line is on the broad flats between the bluffs and the river, where there is no engineering difficulty to be surmounted. A considerable part also--and such sections will be examined in greatest detail--lies along the face of steep rock bluffs, with the river laving their base, and where, by a variation of a few hundred feet to the right or left, the line can be eleva...