Selections From The Splinters - Volume 14

38 Office -
A & P RR Co.
Boston,

1st January, 1872

E. Godfrey Rehrer, Esq.,
Division Engineer,
Arizona Division -
A & P RR.
St Louis, Missouri.

Sir:

     In accordance with verbal instructions from J Blickensderfer, Jr., Chief Engineer,I have the honor to submit this report of the Surveys made for this Company, west of the Rio Grande, by the Engineer party under my charge, during the fall of 1871. Under the direction of Mr. F. B. Hayes, President, I had previously completed a survey from the Missouri State Line to Albuquerque. Here I received the following instructions: A&P RR Office St Louis, June 23, 1871. F. S. Hodges, Esq., Dear Sir: When you have reached the Rio Grande- -I desire you- -to continue your survey westward from the Rio Grande. In doing this you will make a complete and thorough examination of the country sufficient to determine the best line from the Rio Grande to the summit of the Sierra Madre. In this examination should be included the country between San Felipe and Campbells Pass, both South and North of San Mateo Mountain, so as to determine the merits of lines in that region as compared with the more southerly routes from Isletta westward.- - After you take the field again, I desire you to work up profile and maps of your lines as you go and send to this office.-

- Very Respectfully,

J. Blickensderfer, Jr.
Chief Engineer

At Albuquerque on or about the 12th of July, I received the following: A&P RR. Office St Louis, June 27, 1871. F. S. Hodges,

Sir:

This will introduce to you E. G. Rehrer, who has been appointed Division Engineer of Arizona Division, extending from the Rio Grande to the Colorado, to whom you will hereafter report for instructions and for duty.

Very Respectfully,
J. Blickensderfer, Jr.,
Chief Engineer.

On the 17th of July I received the following instructions:

Albuquerque, N.M., July 17, 1871.

F. S. Hodges,

Sir:

For the prosecution of the surveys west of the Rio Grande to the Little Colorado, you will immediately refit and re-supply yourself.- -

I expect the copies of notes, maps and profiles which you have been directed to send to the office of the Chief Engineer will be so far completed that you will be able to take up the line of survey from the point where it now rests and continue it westward. I wish to hare examined a line from the Rio Grande at or near Isletta across to the Rio Puerco, thence up the San Jose by way of Agua Azul to Campbells Pass, also a line from the Rio Grande near Albuquerque, crossing to the Rio Puerco and connecting with the line just mentioned, and a line from the vicinity of San Felipe, passing North of San Mateo Mt. Or Mt. Taylor and connecting at or near Agua Azul with line first mentioned. From Campbells Pass you will continue westward down the Rio Puerco of the West and the Little Colorado to a point near Sunset crossing on the latter stream, and then connect with al line to be run by Mr R. J. Lawrence, who will send back to you such information as will enable you to make this connection. The weekly returns of maps and profiles will always be accompanied by the alignment notes, which will give the points of deflection and the amount of each deflection. The maps will be on a scale not greater than 400' per inch, nor less than 2000' per inch, alignment notes will accompany all maps. The profiles will be on profile paper.

Yours very truly,

E. Godfrey Rehrer
Div. Engr. Arizona Division
A&P RR.

These were the instructions under which I was detailed for the survey from the Rio Grande to the Little Colorado and under which I was guided until they were completed, when sent out of your division to complete the surveys east of the Rio Grande by instruction from the Chief Engineer-dated at St Louis, October 18, 1871.

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Preliminary Reports of all these surveys west of the Rio Grande have been returned from time to time, according to directions to the office of the Chief Engineer, accompanied by the notes, profiles and maps, which latter are still in an incomplete state. It is impossible therefore to compile the general statistics with that accuracy which is requisite to make complete and equated statements. The time given in which to return the report having been limited I have been compelled to extract from these sources, the following:-

The Surveys extended from the Rio Grande in the territory of New Mexico on the east to Sunset crossing of the Rio Colorado Chequito, in the territory of Arizona on the west and from the waters of the Rio el Rito and Rio Zuni on the south, thus developing all the routes which exist between the longitude 106 deg. 30 min. west from Greenwich and latitude 34 deg. 45 min. and 35 deg. And 45 min. north.

A description of the country traversed by these surveys will be given under the head of "Resources".

There are two points on the Rio Grande which are on "direct" and practical railroad routes between the east and the west along the Route of the Thirty-fifth parallel. These points are the Indian towns of San Felipe and Isletta, distant from each other 42 miles. To the immediate vicinity of one or the other of these points the country forces the line; from each of these points, lines were run westward which intersecting in about one hundred miles were continued in one and the same line westward to Sunset Crossing of the Rio Colorado Chequito, as additional distance of about one hundred miles. In describing these lines, the one from San Felipe westward to the common point near Agua Azul, to the common point near Agua Azul will be called either the Southern line or the El Rito line.

In leaving the Rio Grande a ridge is first encountered between that stream and the Rio Puerco. This ridge is of volcanic character and rises gently from the confluence of the Rio Puerco and Rio Grande 40 miles south of Isletta, to where it begins to form the Jemez mountains, 60 miles north of Isletta.

In ascending this ridge to its summit an elevation of 1215 feet in a distance of 38 miles is encountered upon the northern line, an elevation 480 feet in a distance of 13 miles is encountered upon the southern line.

In descending this ridge to the Rio Puerco a fall of 150 feet in a distance of 2-1/2 miles is encountered upon the

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Northern line, a fall of 315 feet in a distance of 8 miles is encountered upon the Southern line.

From the Rio Puerco, the northern line strikes up the north west branch of that stream - Willow Springs Creek, encounters a low summit between two branches of the Rio Puerco, near San Mateo Mountain and then with a slight undulation, bears in a westerly direction to the common point near Agua Azul.

From the Puerco, the southern line strikes up the west branch of that stream, the El Rito, to the common point near Agua Azul.

From this common pint near Agua Azul, the line follows up the drainage of the Rio Rito to Campbells Pass or Navajo pass, the summit of the Rocky Mountains, from whence the line descends from the Rio Puerco of the West to the Rio Colorado Chequito and down that stream to Sunset crossing.

In determining the above to be the best lines, and in following out all instructions, other lines were run, two additional lines over the ridge in the vicinity of Isletta and one additional line over the summit of the Rocky Mountains by way of Zuni Pass. These lines will be described near the close of this report.

In regard to distances they were ascertained to be as follows:

By Northern Line-Mouth Rio Jemez, near San Felipe, to Agua Azul

(Common pt. near) 102 miles Sunset Crossing 171 " 273 miles From Albuquerque to mouth Rio Jemez 21-1/2 " " " " Isletta 15 "

Hence the distance from Albuquerque to Sunset Crossing is 302-1/2 miles by Northern Line and 288 miles by Southern Line.

*The mouth of the Rio Jemez is 5 miles below San Felipe

        In glancing at the General Alignment it will be seen that 
the Northern Line bears - 38 Miles Northwesterly.
                          30   "   Westerly
                          32   "   Southwesterly
                          10   "   Westerly
to common point near Agua Azul.  It will be seen that the 
Southern Line bears 15 miles southwesterly and then 87 miles 
northwesterly to Campbells Pass, thence 123 miles southwesterly 
to the Rio Colorado Chequito and thence 32 miles westerly to Sunset 
Crossing. 

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These general bearings cannot be avoided. The lines are forced to make the detours described. In glancing at the alignment in detail a considerable deflection near Laguna in following the drainage of the Rio El Rito, appears upon the Southern Line and a corresponding deflection near the Puerco Summit to obtain a 53 foot grade, appears upon the Northern Line; with these exceptions the alignment is excellent on all these lines from the Rio Grande to Sunset Crossing. A radius of 1910 or 3 deg. In 100 ft. is the ruling curve, probably and this is seldom used. The sum of the deflections are, viz: From Mouth Rio Jemez, near San Felipe to Common point near Agua Azul by Northern Line 3350 deg. From Isletta to common point neat Agual Azul bySouthern Line 2723 deg. From Agua Azul to Sunset crossing 3134 deg. Consequently they would amount from Albuquerque to Sunset crossing to about 5650 deg. By Northern Line and about 5075 Deg. By Southern Line.

A ruling grade of 53' per mile is very easily obtained, on all these lines, and this is the maximum required on the profiles returned, with one exception on the Northern Line, the eastern approach shows 7 miles of a 65' grade but on the map there is indicated a line whereby distance is obtained to reduce this to a 53' grade.

From this is adduced the remarkable fact that the summit of the Rocky Mountains, the water shed between the Atlantic and Pacific is crossed upon the route of the thirty-fifth parallel with no grade to exceed 53 feet per mile within 150 miles thereof.

This summit has an elevation of 7152 feet above the sea. It is about 2375" above the Rio Grande and about 2400' above Sunset Crossing.

In regard to undulation of grade, the descent to cross the Puerco cannot be avoided.

Upon the Southern Line this descent amounts to 300 feet and is by this line the only undulation to Campbells Pass.

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Upon the Northern line this descent amounts to only 105 feet but the undulations required in through other localities make the total loss to Campbells Pass by this line to be about 790 feet.

Elevations of governing points and the sum of the ascents and descents from the Rio Grande to Sunset Crossing are:-

                             Elevn      Grade   Ascending    Descending
Mouth Rio Jemez                 4950                                            
To Puerco Summit                6165    6125    1175            
To Rio Puerco                   6020                            105             
Over Undulating Ridge           6060            40      
Willow Spring Creek             5950                            110
San Mateo Summit                7115    7110    1150
San Mateo Creek                 6615                            485
Crator Ridge                    6750            135
Common point near Agua Azul
        Station 5848            6660                            90
2185 790

Rio Grande near Isletta         4775
Puerco Summit                   5256    5250    475
Rio Puerco                      4950                            300
Head Apache Canon               5350            400
Romances                        6125            825
Connon Points near Agua Azul
        Station 5848            6660            485
2185 300

From connom point near Agua Azul to Sunset Crossing
Campbells Pass                  7152    7140    540
Rio Colorado Chequito           4980                            2160
Sunset Crossing                 4750                            230
2185 2390

The elevation of Albuquerque is 4850 feet above sea tide.  Hence the sum of the ascents and descents from Albuquerque to Sunset Crossing would be
                By Northern Line about          3140            3180
                By Southern Line about          2725            2765

The table of grades upon these lines hastily computed is as follows: By Northern Line, form Mouth of Jemez to Common point near Agua Azul.

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In Miles Asc. Desc. Totals
Level - 0 to 20 feet per mile 20 to 40 " " " 40 to 53 " " "
By Southern Line, from Isletat to common point near Agua Azul.
Level - 0 to 20 feet per mile 20 to 40 " " " 40 to 53 " " "
From common point near Agua Azul to Sunset Crossing
Level - 0 to 20 feet per mile 20 to 40 " " " 40 to 53 " " "
And hence from Albuquerque to Sunset crossing they would be -

BY NORTHERN LINE
Level - 0 to 20 feet per mile 20 to 40 " " " 40 to 53 " " "

BY SOUTHERN LINE
Level - 0 to 20 feet per mile 20 to 40 " " " 40 to 53 " " "

The Table of grades upon these lines hastily computed , is as follows:

M I L E S Total Asc. Desc.
Level 15 " to 20 feet per mile 14-5/16 13-1/2 1-1/3 20-ft. " 40 " " " 41-11/12 30-2/3 11-1/4 40-ft. " 53 " " " 40-11/12 27-2/3 13-1/4
Reducing the 65' grade on east slope of Puerco Summit to a 53' grade
by Southern Line from Islteta to Station 5508 common point near Agua Azul Level 14 " to 20 feet per mile 31-1/3 30 1-1/3 20 to 40 " " " 30-1/2 29-1/3 1-1/6 40 to 53 " " " 20-1/6 15-1/3 4-5/6

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M I L E S Total Asc. Desc. From Station 5508 Common point near Agua Azul to Sunset Crossing Level 28-1/3
Level to 20 feet per mile 80-1/2 12-2/3 67-5/6
20 to 40 " " " 54-2/3 9-1/3 65-1/3
40 to 53 " " " 14 7-1/2 6-1/2

From Albuquerque to Isleta
Level 3
Level to 20 feet per mile -1/2 11

From Albuquerque to mouth of Rio Jemez(Approximately)

Level 4-1/2
Level to 20 ft. per mile 15 1

Hence the grades would be from Albuquerque to Sunset Crossing

BY NORTHERN LINE
Level                                                          47
Level to 20 feet per mile 40                        70
20 to 40 " " " 40                                         56
40 to 53 " " " 35                                         19

BY SOUTHERN LINE

Level                                                  45
Level to 20 feet per mile                                       43              80
 20 to 40   "   "   "                                           39              47
 40 to 53   "   "   "                                           23              11

West of the Rio Grande bridging is comparatively very light, more so by way of Southern than by Northern Line.

Trestle or Pile will probably suffer in every instance, and will amount to about 10,000 lineal feet upon the Northern Line of which 3000' would be 10-ft. in height; 2500' would be 15-ft. in height; 2500' would be 20-ft. in height; 1500' would be 25-ft. in height; 500' would be 30-ft. in height. 8,200 lineal feet upon the Southern Line of which 3000' would be 10-ft. in height; 2500' would be 15-ft. in height; 1500' would be 20-ft. in height; 1000' would be 25-ft. in height; 200' would be 30-ft. in height.

13,500 lineal feet west of the Common point to Sunset Crossing of which 8500' would be 10-ft. in height; 4000' would be 15-ft. in height; 1000' would be 20-ft. in height

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In regard to the cost of construction for this 3000 miles there is no equal extent of the line of the road, to my knowledge, which is more favorable. Which is to state as a fact, that upon this route by the 35th parallel, that portion of the line that crosses the Rocky Mountains is as cheap to construct as any equal portion upon the plains.

The material to be moved is almost exclusively earth, the amount of rock work is insignificant, especially by the Southern Line from the Rio Grande to Sunset Crossing.

By the Northern Line there is more rock work and otherwise a more costly line, inasmuch as it is confined in several localities, to close contact to the stream which drain the country, this makes it more costly per mile that the Southern Line, but does not cause it by any means to be an expensive line.

Estimates of quantities have not been completed yet, by which to calculate the cost of the lines.

The materials afforded by the conutry for the purpose of construction will be described under the head of "Resources".

West of the Rio Grande it is comparatively very light, more so upon the Southern Line than the Northern. TO cross the Rio Grande either a truss or pile bridge is required according to the locality. The lines show four crossings: San Felipe, Algondones, Albuquerque and Isletta. The first and last being favorable for pile bridging. At San Felipe the crossing is by the line 1100-feet, a crossing of 500-feet can be obtained easily, but to get one of 300 feet requires great curvature. At Algondones the crossing is 2000 feet wide including Sandbars. At Albuquerque the crossing is 2000 feet wide including sandbars, etc. but the water itself when the ferry crosses is only 100 feet across by 6-feet deep. At Isletta the crossing was made by Mr. McCabe, whose notes are not in my possession. At San Felipe and Isletta the banks are 15 to 20 feet in height and formed of hard cemented drift. At Algondones and Albuquerque the river runs through a wide valley, its banks being of sand and liable to wash if not protected.

West of the Rio Grande Valley the settlements are few and scattered. Colstes, El Rito, Covero and Old Fort Wingate are small Mexican towns and Laguna a small Indian town upon the Southern Line. San Ysidro and San Mateo are Mexican towns and Santa Ana and Silla Indian towns, upon the North Line.

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Fort Wingate is a fine four Company Post on the Western slope and about 15 miles distant from the summit of Campbells Pass, there are a few ranches scattered along the road between the towns mentioned.

All the labor desirable can be obtained from the Mexicans in the well settled valley of the Rio Grande and also from the Pueblo, Zuni and Navajo Indians, all of whom engage in the production of crops and hence are accustomed and willing to undergo manual labor, which among most Indians is considered a great degradation.

Lack of water prevents the improvement of what would otherwise be an extensive agricultural district.

The valley of the Rio Puerco would otherwise be among the first in New Mexico and a very large area of available land would be tributary to the road, up the Rio El Rito and down the "Puerco of the West", where the settlements now exist upon the line, there is barely sufficient water to admit of the irrigation of the land which is now under cultivation.

There are two valleys along the line which however are productive, and which are as yet unsettled, the valley of the Blue Water, above Agua Azul near the common point of the Northern and Southern Lines offers a limited amount of well water land perhaps 30 or 40 square miles and the valley of the Little Colorado from the mouth of the Rio Puerco of the West to Sunset Crossing offers perhaps 100 square miles more.

The volcanoes, now extinct, which lie in a north-easterly and south-westerly direction from the summit of the Rocky Mountains near Zuni pass, to the vicinity of Santa Fe and of which San Mateo is the most prominent have by their flows of lava covered up in many places the valleys which exist there, among other localities the "Romances" "s mentioned, where the valley of the El Rito, 1/2 mile to 1-mile in width, has been flooded from hill to hill with the lava, which cooling, remained a natural culvert to the stream, which here owing to this protection, runs more water that in any other portion of its valley.

Timber in sufficient quantity to equip the road west of San Francisco is found in the vicinity of the summit of the Rocky Mountain and it is also found in the vicinity of Mount San Mateo, the timber that I inspected was of a very favorable size for ties. It is the Rocky Mountain Pine of Yellow Pine. No other variety available for construction purposes exists.

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Lime and Sandstone for masonry can be obtained in various places, probably wherever needed.

Coal is to be found in several localities near Apache Canon and Near Covero on the Southern Line and along the Northwest branch of the Puerco (Willow Springs Creek) on the Northern Line. It also exists on the Western slope of the divide a few miles north of the line toward Fort Defiance; it is all lignite and is believed to be adapted to the operation of the road. Vast veins of gypsum abound on the Northern Line.

In accomplishing these surveys, the additional lines before mentioned were made.

The attempts to get over the ridge between the Rio Grande and the Puerco by lines immediately back of Isletta or Albuquerque showed grades from 80 to 116 feet per mile and heavy work, especially on the Western slopes. Examinations of the maps and profiles will serve best to illustrate.

The Zuni Pass Line which I thought best to run under your instructions of 31st of July, which were to make under certain circumstances a reconnaissance of the route" commencing in the valley of the EL Rito near the Romances and terminating 1-1/2 miles down the western slopes of the divide. The elevation of Zuni Pass is 7910 feet, and altitude greater by 760 feet than Campbells Pass. A tunnel of 5000-feet is required with several miles of 90-ft. to 116-ft. grades to overcome this summit.

I reconnoitered this route westward to a proper connection with the main line, near Navajo Springs. The distance saved by this route is not over ten miles owing to the deflection southward from the Romances. There is none other pint west of Zuni Pass where a grade of 60 to 70 feet will be required.

I observed no feature on this Zuni Pass route, which expelled the Campbell Pass route, such portion of the country along the Zuni river as is capable of cultivation is under the claim of the Zuni Indians.

Lieut. G. W. Chilson, 8th Cav. Commanding Escort, was with the party during the entire survey west of the Rio Grande and from him and officers at Fort Wingate and their families, I received many kind attentions and much assistance during the time ensuing.

From G. W. Coffin, Esq., purchasing agent, I received very prompt and satisfactory answers to my requisitions for supplies, etc.

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The number of miles made of instrument survey was               520 miles
Total marches of wagons                                         800   "
Additional hours back reconnaissances                           550   "
Time engaged July 25th to November 7th, 1871, incl.

Most Respectfully Submitted

(Signed)F. S. Hodges Engineer A & P RR, In charge preliminary Survey, Etc.