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Show 1262 REPORT OF THE CHIEF OF ENGINEERS. It will be seen from an examination of the table that the only mines which have a paying record are the California, Consolidated Virginia, Imperial, Justice, and Ophtr The climate about Virginia City is wonderfully fine for the health and spirits of human beings. All throngb the summer it very seldom rains, and the meteorological records show an almost unbroken succession of cloudless, warm days and cool, delight* ful nights. The dryness of the atmosphere makes the beat very easy to bear, as long as the system has enough liquid to evaporate freely. The thermometer had a range very often of from 35° to 50° in the shade in a single day. One day I tested the sand on the plain below Sutro; and found it to be heated by the sun's rays to 135° F. That same night the thermometer went down to 44° F. I wish to express my thanks to every member of my party for their unceasing and cheerful co- operation, and to the citizens of Virginia and the neighboring towns for their uniform courtesy and kindness, and their readiness to aid us by every means in their power. Very respectfully, THOMAS W. SYMONS, Second Lieutenant of Engineers. Lieut. GEO. M. WHEELER. Corps of Engineers, in charge. APPENDIX D. EXECUTIVE AND DESCRIPTIVE REPORT OP LIEUTENANT R. BIRNIE, JR., THIRTEENTH INFANTRY, ON THE OPERATIONS OF PARTY NO. 4, CALIFORNIA SECTION, FIELD SEASON OF 1876. UNITED STATES ENGINEER OFFICE, GEOGRAPHICAL SURVEYS WEST OF THE 100TH MERIDIAN, Washington, D. C, April 15, 1877. SIR: I have the honor to submit tha following report of the operations of Party No. 4, California Section, of the survey for the field season of 1876. The party was organized at Carson on the 1st of September; Lieut. R. Birnie, executive officer; J. C. 8pillor, topographer; W. A. Cowles, meteorological recorder; 5. F. Wood, odometer recorder; Benjamin P. French, packer; Joseph Easten, assistant packer; George Willig, cook; Private Peter D. Niver, Company D, Twelfth Infantry. We were provided with one 10- inch and one' 20- inch triangulation instrument, ( Wtirde-mann's,) two small theodolites, ( Young & Sons,) pocket- compasses, two cistern and three ' aneroid barometers, ( Green,) and wet and dry bulb and maximum and minimum thermometers: the meterological instruments having all been compared with standards, and a final comparison of the barometers made just before leaving Carson. Rations for twenty- five days were taken here, which, with instruments, bedding, & c., made a little more than 220 pounds per mule for the ten pack- mules. The number of riding-mules was eight; we had also one extra mule and one bell- mare. I was instructed to complete with the party the surveys of Atlas- sheets 48 C and D, a previous expedition under this survey having passed through the eastern portion of 48 D, and Clarence King's survey of the fortieth parallel having embraced about two-fifths of the area of the sheets, along the north line, thus leaving us a belt of country running east and west about 116 miles, and north and south 36 miles, Austin, Nev., being in the northeast corner of the area. It was found necessary, however, to extend our routes considerably beyond these limits, for the purpose of carrying on the triangulation, and in these cases topographical notes were taken as well. Fremont in 1844 and 1845, and more particularly Simpson in 1859, had partially explored this country. DESCRIPTION OF THE ROUTE. We left Carson City September 5, and, passing through Empire and Dayton, made our first camp, with the party of Lieutenant Symons, on the north bank of the Carson, a few miles below Dayton. The following day Mr. Spiller and myself climbed a peak about 8 miles to the north of this camp, to determine, if possible, something of the mountainous character of the country we were about to enter; but the point proved too low, and a topographical station was made. It was deemed necessary to occupy Mount Lyon, the highest peak in the vicinity, in order to connect our triangulation with the base being measured and developed by Lieutenant Symons's party. At Camp No. 1 the party was divided. Mr. CowleB, with the pack- train, proceeded down the Carson to Buckland's ranch, one day's march, meandering the route close along the north bank of the river, passing ranohesat intervals along the river, and the |