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Letter of W. W. McCoy, Esq., late major in the United States army.

At the request of Dr. O. M. Wozencraft, of California, I take great pleasure in stating what I recollect in reference to the desert situated in the southern part of California.

I crossed and recrossed it, I think, in June, 1854, from Carriso creek to Fort Yuma, travelling each way by the same road. The weather was intensely hot, so hot as to render it necessary to travel altogether by night, for the comfort of ourselves and animals. I found water at remote distances, and then only in wells containing a very scanty supply for those who accompanied me and our animals. Indeed, in several places it required those in charge of the animals to be constantly busy raising the water as it accumulated to furnish a sufficient supply to enable them to make the trip.

My impressions relative to the country are less distinct, having travelled during the night. My recollection, however, is, that a portion (the greater portion) of it is an immense plain, covered with shifting sand, with here and there dwarf shrubs peculiar to the arid plains of that region.

The other portion is a rich alluvium, with mesquite growing along the indentations made by the receding of the waters of the Colorado, when that stream, during great freshets, forces it back over the alluvial districts. The entire country, in its present condition, is totally valueless, owing to its excessive dryness, for I am informed it rarely rains in that region.

The heat is intense, beyond anything I have ever felt in any tropical region through which I have travelled.

My opinion is, that the interest of the United States and the interest of the State of California would be greatly promoted if the entire country (so far as I could observe) was donated to any person or persons who could supply water for stock travelling over it, and also water in sufficient quantities for irrigating the alluvial portions by drawing it from the Colorado above. Indeed, it is questionable whether a bonus might not be given to any one who would obligate himself to supply water for irrigation and stock, promoting thereby the interest of the country, rendering valuable that which, under other circumstances, must always remain valueless.

I was informed during my stay at the Colorado by those who have resided there long, that immense losses have been sustained by those driving stock across the desert for want of water; and a young man who accompanied me across the desert, by the name of McCoy, afterwards joined a surveying party, wandered off from camp, became bewildered, it is supposed, and perished no doubt for want of water. He was never heard from afterwards.

W. W. McCOY,

Of San José, California.

Letter of E. F. Beale, Esq., superintendent of wagon road.

WASHINGTON, April 5, 1860.

SIR: In reply to your letter requesting me to state what I thought of the value of the lands on the great desert lying between the settlements of California and the Colorado river, I have to reply that it is utterly barren of vegetation, and a great barrier to emigration on the southern road for want of water.

As to the money value of the land it has none in my opinion, there being only a few wells of brackish water on the whole road from the Carriso to the Colorado, a distance of nearly a hundred miles.

Respectfully, &c.

Dr. O. M. WOZENCRAFT.

E. F. BEALE.

Letter of Captain E. W. Stone, late of the United States army.

WASHINGTON, D. C., March 30, 1860.

SIR: I have your note of the 21st instant, asking me to give you a "statement in writing in reference to the physical geography of the Colorado desert, and your (my) opinion as to what the general government can do with it; that is, whether or no any portion of it could be sold for the expense of a survey of it."

I visited the region alluded to during the year 1852 while on official duty at Fort Yuma, and since that time (in 1857) have sent an exploring party through it, in connexion with the survey of Sonora and Lower California.

The principal features of the country are volcanic rock, drifting sand, and good soil baked by continual drought into perfect barren

ness.

I can see no use to which the United States government can put these lands, without first, at her own expense, constructing costly means of irrigation from the river Colorado.

In my opinion, the lands could not be sold to individuals for any sum nearly approaching the cost of a regular survey of them. The soil in many places, as above stated, is good, but utterly worthless for the want of water.

Very respectfully, sir, your most obedient servant,

E. W. STONE,

Late Captain United States Army.

Dr. O. M. WOZENCRAFT.

Letter of Colonel J. J. Abert, Chief Topographical Engineers, in reply to the Secretary of War.

BUREAU OF TOPOGRAPHICAL ENGINEERS,

Washington, May 17, 1860.

SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the reference to this bureau of the letter of the Hon. W. S. Latham, of the 11th instant, with your direction to report "whether the Colorado desert, from the many surveys, &c., of army officers, is not looked upon as a serious barrier to the government service?"

The country embraced between the one hundredth meridian and the coast range of mountains of the Pacific, between the thirty-second and forty-ninth degree of latitude, may be pronounced to be a desert, with occasional valleys, susceptible of cultivation.

The Colorado desert, however, has been regarded as one of the most serious obstacles to the overland journey.

Major Emory, in his report of the reconnoissance of 1846 and 1847, represents the journey across it as one of extreme hardship.

In case the reports of the officers who made surveys of this desert should not be easy for reference, I append here with some extracts therefrom.

Lieutenant Williamson, topographical engineers, reports the distance from Carriso creek to the Algodones, the first point where the road strikes the Colorado river, is eighty and a half miles. * * * The main difficulty is the barren nature of the country and want of water. It is believed that the latter may be obtained in any desired quantity by digging. Not an inconsiderable portion of this divide is below the level of the Colorado river. In 1849 this river broke through its banks and the water flowed inland for some two hundred miles, forming what is known as New river. In many places it formed lagoons, while in others it confined itself to a narrow channel. The water in the connecting channels having dried up, the lagoons still remain, and are of great benefit to the emigrants. * Carriso creek is dry, except at occasional points where the water is forced to the surface by rocks. There is a constant supply of water where it emerges from the hill to loose itself in the desert."

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Dr. Blake, geologist, &c., to Lieutenant Williamson's party, reports as follows:

"Extent and boundaries of the desert.

"The Colorado desert extends from the base of Mount San Bernardino to the Gulf of California, and is bounded on the north by a range of rocky ridges reaching from San Bernardino to the junction of the Gila with the Colorado; on the south and west it is bounded by the Sierra of the Peninsula, and on the east by the Colorado river and Gulf of California. The area thus enclosed is a long, nearly level plain, extending in a northwest and southeast direction, from latitude thirty-four degrees in the north, to the parallel of thirty-two degrees in the south. Its greatest length in the above direction

(from the base of the Bernardino Pass to the Gulf) is one hundred and seventy miles; or, measuring from the base of the Pass to the mouth of the Gila, it is one hundred and forty miles. Its greatest width is about seventy miles, measured in a north and south direction along the Colorado river between the head of the Gulf and the mountain north of Fort Yuma.

This plain narrows as it extends back from the Colorado river, and opposite Carriso creek its width is reduced to between sixty and seventy miles, and still further westward, near its extremity, at the San Bernardino Pass, it will not average over twenty-five miles. "These measurements are approximate, and give for the whole area about six thousand square miles."

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"On the part of the desert that is usually traversed by the emigration to California, via the valley of the Gila, the main dependence for water is upon 'New river' and its sloughs. The two ponds called the great and the little lagoon' may be regarded as portions of this New river, from which they become filled only when the waters in the Colorado river rise to a great height." "Several other wells or deep holes in the clay have been excavated at points along the road, but they are now filled up by the caving in of the banks, or by sand, so that they are useless." Respectfully, sir, your obedient servant,

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J. J. ABERT, Colonel Corps Engineers.

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GENERAL LAND OFFICE, March 12, 1862.

SIR: I have the honor to enclose herewith the papers referred to this office relating to a grant of the Colorado desert to the State of California, and also the letters of this office referring to the same subject, marked respectively A, B, C, and D. Also copy, marked E, of the descriptive notes of the deputy surveyor, running the range line of range 12 east of the San Bernardino meridian, extending from the south line of the State of California to the base line north of the tract of country in question.

It will be seen that these descriptive notes indicate a rich soil, but absence of water on all that portion of the country south of the mountain ranges. The field-notes of the subdivisional surveys, and the descriptions by all the government explorers, corroborate the statements of the descriptive notes herewith. The line upon which these descriptive notes are based passes from north to south over the central portion of the so-called desert. It is a well ascertained fact that the Colorado river is considerably higher than this desert, and H. Rep. Com. 87-2

that from the river on to and across a portion of the desert there is a natural channel known as New river, with a regular descent of five feet to the mile, but which is dry, except at high water in the Colorado, when there is a regular flow into the desert.

There can be little doubt that the mountains surrounding this desert, in common with the mountain ranges in all that region of country, contain mineral wealth of great value, and that in no event should the mountain region be included in the proposed grant.

A careful examination of the papers submitted by you, and of every other accessible source of information, has failed to convince me that any departure from the views of this office, as expressed in its letters herewith submitted, is, at the present time, desirable. I cannot, therefore, recommend the proposed cession.

First. Because the information in this office, and the financial condition of the country, do not justify so extended a grant of the public domain without compensation equal at least to the cost of survey, which, in this instance, amounted to $170,000.

Second. A very considerable portion of the most desirable land in California has already been absorbed by numerous private grants of the Mexican government, and to extend this system of monopoly by the grant of more than 3,000,000 acres, in a single instance, to an individual or private corporation, which will be the practical effect of the proposed measure, is certainly not in accordance with the general policy of the country.

Without recommending the cession in any form, I may be permitted to suggest that if made it should be confined to the land actually brought within the influence of the proposed irrigation, and that alternate sections or descriptions, as in the case of grants for railroads, be reserved to the United States, to be disposed of at an enhanced minimum, or as Congress shall hereafter determine. The papers herewith are accompanied by schedule.

With great respect, your obedient servant,

Hon. J. W. CRISFIELD.

J. M. EDMUNDS, Commissioner.

A.

GENERAL LAND OFFICE, March 16, 1860.

SIR: I have the honor to return herewith the communication from the Hon. R. W. Johnson, of the 27th ultimo, submitting resolutions of the legislature of California, and a bill based thereon and other papers, asking Congress to donate to the State a tract of country in the southeastern part thereof, to aid in the improvement of the same, and pursuant to your reference respectfully submit:

That the bill contemplates a grant to the State of all that portion thereof south of the San Bernardino base line and east of the main range of mountains, embracing an estimated area of about six and a half millions of acres, of which upwards of three and a half millions

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