The Southern Pacific Railroad [pp. 247-268]

THE SOUTHERN PACIFIC RAILROAD. 263
Memphis to Santa Fe, but suppose it would not exceed nine hundred miles
as there is little detour, which is about the distance between Santa Fe and
St. Louis. Explorations upon this route, with the view of a railroad, have not
yet been made, though the expeditions of Mr. Gregg and others, have given
us many interesting particulars.
From Santa Fe the route would be down the valley of the Del Norte, fol lowing to some extent, perhaps that pursued by General Kearney, and de scribed by Major Emory, which crosses somewhere about the parallel of 34~
latitude to the valley of the Gila, pursuing that river to the Colorado, near
its mouth in the California Gulf, and thence across the country to San Diego.*
The distance between Santa Fe and San Diego by the route indicated is also
about nine hundred miles, making the whole distance from Memphis to the
Pacific ocean eighteen hundred miles. Should San Francisco or Monterey be
selected as the western terminus, the distance would be greater, and would
be measured to some extent through the as yet unexplored regions of the
Utah Lake. The distance between San Diego and San Francisco is between
four and five hundred miles, and the two harbors will thus compare.
"The port of San Diego is the most southern in the territory of the United States, and is of considerable extent, being in fact an arm of the sea; in
length ten miles and in breadth four miles; from being land-locked it is
perfectly secure from all winds. The entrance is narrow and easily defended
and has a sufficient depth of water-twenty feet at lowest tides-for large
vessels. The tide rises five feet. The tongue of kelp, three miles long by a
quarter of a mile broad, off the entrance of the bay, must be avoided by large
vessels, but small vessels may pass through it with a strong breeze. The
bank has three fathoms water upon it. During gales, this kelp is torn up
and driven into the bay, where it is troublesome to vessels by the pressure
it brings upon them, either causing them to drag their anchors or part their
cables. There are many draw backs to this harbor: the want of water is
one of them; the river which furnishes the Mission with water disappears
in the dry season before reaching the bay, and the surrounding country
may be called a barren waste of sand hills. The town of San Diego, consisting of a few adobe houses, is situated on the north side of the bay on a sandfiat, two miles wide. The mission establishment is seven miles from the
town, up a valley to the northeast, and here there is a good supply of water
the year round. The river in the rainy season discharges a considerable
quantity of water into the bay, bringing with it much sand, which has already formed a bar across False bay, rendering it useless; and well grounded
fears may be entertained tbht it will eventually destroy this harbor also:
this occurrence, however, may be prevented at slight cost. The whole country
around San Diego is composed of volcanic sand and mud mixed with scoria;
the land is unfit for cultivation, and filled with cacti, one of the many 6vidences of the poorness of the soil; this leaves the port of San Diego little
to recommend it but the uniform climate, good anchorage, and security from
all winds."t
The bay of San Francisco is thirty miles in length by an average of six
in width; a large portion of its southern, eastern and northern shores are
bordered by an extensive and wide mud fiats, preventing the landing at low
water of even a boat; so much so that the eastern shore may be said to be inaccessible for a distance of thirty miles; and this impediment prevents it from
ever becoming useful except by the construction of extensive, artificial
works.... "These obstructions reduce this extensive bay very much
in size, and it becomes still more reduced when the safety and conveinence
* Major Cook, in 1S46, left Santa Fe considerably to the north, and pursued a route which he
described as perfectly level, with the exception only of seventy-three miles. We have not
his report before us.
t Charles Wilkes's, Commandant of Exploring Expedition, Report to the National Institute,
1849. Captain Wilkes gives preference to the harbor at the mouth of the Colomnbia river; but
it is said, on the authority of Lieutenant Howison of the navy, the haribor has entirely.
changed since Wilkes examined it.