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Show 126 APPENDIX C. EXECUTIVE AND DESCRIPTIVE REPORT OF LIEUT. W. L. CARPENTER, NINTH INFANTRY ON THE OPERATIONS OF PARTY NO. 3, COLORADO SECTION, FIELD- SEASON OF 1875. UNITED STATES ENGINEER OFFICE, GEOGRAPHICAL SURVEYS WEST OF ONE HUNDREDTH MERIDIAN, Washington, D. C, March 14, 1876. SIR : I have the honor to submit the following executive report of party No. 3, Colorado division, under my charge during the field- season of 1875. The party rendezvoused at Pueblo, Colo., early in June, and on the 8th day of that month the organization was completed- the party being well equipped and ready to take the field for six months'service. The personnel was as follows: First Lieut. W. L. Carpenter, Ninth Infantry, executive officer and naturalist; F. O. Maxson, topographer; A. R. Colliding, geological assistant; All is ton Ladd, recorder; Private J. F. Eirkpatrick, Company C, Battalion Engineers, recorder; 2 packers, 1 laborer, and 1 cook. On the 9th of June the party left Pueblo, with orders from First Lient. W. L. Marshall, Corps of Engineers, commanding the Colorado section, to survey the southern portion of Colorado and northern part of New Mexico, this being an area of about 7,000 square miles, comprised between longitude 104° 7' 30" and 10b° 30' west, and latitude 35° 30' and 37° 20' north. The mouth of June was spent in working down the eastern Bide of the mountain-range which separates the water- shed of the Mississippi from the drainage of the Rio Grande; in occupying East Spanish Peak and other less proiniuent points as triaugu-lation- stations, and in meandering and measuring important roads. On the 7th of July the party crossed the Sangre de Cristo Mountains through Taos Pass and descended into the valley of the Rio Grande. Drawing supplies at Taos, the party turned northward, following the range to Fort Garland, examining en route all passes which appeared likely to afford means of communication with the eastern slope. Tho rainy season commenced July 4, and continued, with slight intermission, until October 1, covering the country with a luxuriant growth of grass and filling all the streams with an abundant supply of water, but proving a source of great aunoyauce to the party by the persistence with which clouds and fogs covered the mountaius for many successive days, sadly interfering with topographical work. Taos Peak was occupied eight days without obtaining complete results; and on many other mountain-stations did the topographer spend weary hours watching a rift in the clouds, vainly hoping that it would even for a few moments disclose some distant and important station. I doubt if ever similar work was carried on under more disadvantageous circumstances than by this party during the month of July, 1875, said to have been the rainiest summer ever known in New Mexico. After drawing supplies at Fort Garland, the party proceeded southward, keeping close to the foot of the mountains. By great exertion this area was completed, notwithstanding the continuance of unpropitions weather, and reached Elizabeth town August 24. Here I left the party in charge of Mr. Max son, aud, taking Conkling and one packer, proceeded to the Gallinas mauraises terres, for the purpose of exploring that region and collecting vertebrate fossils from the locality visited by Prof. K D. Cope in the season of 1874. I did not rejoin the party until October 11, at Fort Union, it meanwhile working in the range from Taos Pass to the southern extremity, below Santa Fe\ and completing unfinished work in atlas- sheet 694. At Fort Union supplies were drawn for the last time at a military post, and advantage taken of the kind proffer of assistance from Capt. A. S. Kimball, assistant quartermaster, to make some much- needed repairs on pack- train before starting out for the fall work. While at this post Mr. Conkling, in obedience to orders, made a careful examination into the geology of the vicinity, with a view to determiue the feasibility of sinking an artesian well at the garrison. He reported adversely upon the project, finding that a trne hydrographic basin at a practicable depth was wanting, owing to the existence of a synclinal depression in a basaltic formation of great thickness which underlies this locality. His detailed report on this subject was forwarded to you from the field. The subject of artesian wells is one of great importance to New Mexico. The Territory possesses a large area of excellent grazing- laud now almost worthless for want of water, but which only awaits the means of furnishing a small artificial supply to render it of great value. There are many localities where the basaltic formation does not occur, which appear to offer advantageous sites, with a reasonable prospect of obtaining a flowing well. A considerable sum of public money intelligently expended in this work would be a wise disbursement. If successful, it would stimulate private enterprise to sink other wells, which would operate to reclaim hundreds of square miles of an arid region now nniuhabitable; while, if the experiment resulted in |
