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Show 41 monument at Santa Fe*, and with the system of triangles extending down from Pueblo. The angles were read from an 8- inch Stackpole transit, reading to 10" of an arc. I was directed to place in position the cut- stone astronomical monumeut and meridian- marks at Santa Fe\ I found that Professor Safford had not marked the meridian, and that the observing- etone used by him was so situated that the meridian passing through it cuts houses about 30 feet to the north and south of it. I, therefore, placed the monument h feet 10 inches west of this stone. This position did not admit of the placing of a meridian- mark to the south of it, but enabled me to put up one on the mesa, at a distance of 1926.428 feet north of the monument. The observations necessary for the determination of the direction of the meridian were made with a Wurdemann portable transit. I am indebted to Lieut. C. C. Morrison, Sixth Cavalry, acting engineer officer of the district of New Mexico, for his kind assistance in this work, as well as for many other courtesies shown myself and the remainder of our party. During the time occupied " by Mr. Thompson in reading the angles at the stations selected for the development of the base- line and its connection with his triangular tion- stations, Sir. Carpenter was employed in meandering roads and streams to the west and north of Santa Fe\ Our work in this country was finished on the 3d of November, and on the morning of the 4th, supplies sufficient to last until we should reach Fort Union having been purchased, the party left Santa F< 5 to proceed to Las Vegas. It had been my intention to take the whole party to Las Vegas over what is known as the Fort Union trail, in accordance with your instructions requiring that trail to be surveyed; but recent snows in the mountains had rendered it impracticable for a heavily- laden pack- train. I therefore sent Mr. Thompson, with Dr. Loew and one packer, by that route, and proceeded by the stage- road with the main party, arriving at Las Vegas on the evening of the 6th. Mr. Thompson did not come in until the evening of the 9th, having experienced great difficulty in following the trail. Another base- line was measured on the plateau two miles north of Las Vegas; the method employed being the same as that for the Santa Fe* base, except that the pegs were driven at distances of 50 feet apart, and that three measurements were made* instead of two. The three measurements give the following results for the length oi the base- line: 8570.1429 feet, 8570.0927 feet, and & 569.98S6 feet; the greatest difference being 0.1573. foot, and the mean of the three results 8570.0737 feet. The ends of the base- line were marked by cut- stone monuments. A triangnlation was made connecting the base- line with the astronomical monument in the plaza of the town. This was completed on the 15th of November, and on the following morning we left Las Vegas, and, in accordance with your instructions, made the best marching-time possible to Pueblo, reaching that point on the 26th. A delay of half a day was made at Fort Union for the purpose of procuriug supplies. We suffered considerably from the cold the last two or three weeks, as a cold wind was blowing the greater part of the time, and on the 18th and 19th we had severe snow- storms. Aneroid and cistern barometer readings were taken regularly, as required by the " Instructions concerning meteorological observations." While the work at Santa Fe* and Las Vegas was £ oing on, Dr. Loew was constantly engaged in making trips to points of interest in the vicinity of those places for the purpose of collecting zoological, botanical, and mineralogical specimens, and of gathering information relative to the agricultural and mineral resources of the country. He also obtained specimens of all the miueral springs met with, the analyses of which will prove very interesting and valuable. Great credit is due him for the indefatigable industry displayed by him during the season, as shown by the number and value of his collections. I desire also to return my thanks to Mr. Gilbert Thompson for his efficient co- operation, and to bear testimony to the skill and energy with which he prosecuted his work. Very respectfully, your obedient servaut, PHILIP M. PRICK, First Lieutenant of Engineers, Lieut. GEO. M. WHEELER, Corps of Engineers, APPENDIX C. EXECUTIVE REPORT OP LIEUTENANT R. BIRNIE, JR., THIRTEENTH UNITED 8TATES INFANTRY, ON THE OPERATIONS OF PARTY NO. 2, FIRST DIVI8ION, FIELD- SEASON OF 1* 74. UNITED STATES ENGINEER OFFICE, GEOGRAPHICAL EXPLORATIONS AND SURVEYS WEST OF THE 100TH MERIDIAN, Washington, D, C, March 9, 1875. SIR : I have the honor to submit the following executive report of the operations of party No. 2, first division, during the field- season of 1874 : L L- 4 |