GEOGRAPHICAL AND GEOLOGICAL SURVEYS AND EXPLORATIONS WEST OF THE 100TH MERI- GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE. 11-30 37 [EXTRACT FROM THE ANNUAL REPORT OF THE CHIEF OF ENGINEERS TO THE SECRETARY OF WAR.] OFFICE OF THE CHIEF OF ENGINEERS, Washington, D. C., October 20, 1873. GEOGRAPHICAL AND GEOLOGICAL SURVEYS AND EXPLORATIONS WEST OF THE 100TH MERIDIAN, IN NEVADA, UTAH, COLORADO, NEW MEX- Officer in charge, First Lieut. George M. Wheeler, Corps of Engineers, having under his orders First Lieutenants R. L. Hoxie and William L. Marshall, Corps of Engineers. The commencement of the fiscal year found the various parties about taking the field from the rendezvous camp near Salt Lake City. One astronomical party occupied the Mormon observatory at Salt Lake City during the season, while series of observations for latitude and longitude were made by two other astronomical parties at Beaver and Gunnison, Utah Territory; Pioche, Nev.; and Cheyenne, Laramie, and Fort Steele, Wyoming Territory. Observations at Green River, Wyoming Territory, were commenced, but not completed. Two main topographical parties extended their season's survey from the limits of the survey of the fortieth parallel, on the north, to include portions of the Great Salt Lake, Sevier Lake, and other interior basins, and of the valley and basin of the Colorado in and around the lower of the grand cañons, embracing an area of more than 50,000 square miles, lying in Western and Southwestern Utah, Eastern and Southeastern Nevada, Northern and Western Arizona. The field parties terminated their labors early in December, when those members who were retained for office-work returned to Washington to prepare the maps and arrange the observations, collections, and other data necessary to exhibit the results of the expedition. The field-work of this season was resumed in June with an organization of three main topographical parties and five astronomical parties. The area proposed to be examined embraces a portion of Colorado, of Utah, Eastern Arizona, and Western New Mexico. From the early start and efficient organization excellent results are anticipated from the season's work. Lieutenant Wheeler submits an estimate for continuing the exploration, of............. For engraving and printing the plates illustrating the six $90, 000 00 25, 000 00 Total.... 115, 000 00 His annual report and estimates are appended. (See Appendix EE.) REPORT. APPENDIX E E. ANNUAL REPORT OF LIEUTENANT GEORGE M. WHEELER, CORPS OF ENGINEERS, UPON EXPLORATIONS AND SURVEYS WEST OF THE ONE HUNDREDTH MERIDIAN, IN NEVADA, UTAH, COLORADO, NEW MEXICO, AND ARIZONA, FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 1873. UNITED STATES ENGINEER OFFICE, Explorations west of the One Hundredth Meridian, In the field, June 30, 1873. GENERAL: I have the honor to submit the following annual report upon explorations and surveys west of the one hundredth meridian, in Nevada, Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, and Arizona, for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1873. The following officers of engineers have been connected with the survey during the entire year, viz: First Lieut. R. L. Hoxie, now in charge of main field-party No. 2, and First Lieut. William L. Marshall, at present in charge of main field-party No. 3. First Lieut. S. E. Tillman, Corps of Engineers, has been ordered to report for duty upon the survey in August, when he will be placed in charge of one of the divisions of main party No. 1. Second Lieut. William A. Dinwiddie, Second United States Cavalry, had charge of the escort for main party No. 1, in 1872, and Second Lieut. Wallace Mott, Thirteenth United States Infantry, held a like position in relation to the escort for the second main party of the season. Second Lieut. A. H. Russell, Third United States Cavalry, acts as acting assistant quartermaster, acting commissary subsistence, and ordnance officer to the expedition of 1873, and Second Lieut. L. H. Walker, Fifteenth United States Infantry, has been assigned to the command of the escort. Dr. H. C. Yarrow, acting assistant surgeon, United States Army, accompanied the expedition of 1872 as surgeon and naturalist, as also Hospital Steward Theodore V. Brown, who has been connected with the survey since the early spring of 1871, adding to his regular duties those of a meteorological observer. Dr. C. G. Newberry, acting assistant surgeon United States Army, has joined the expedition of 1873, in the capacity of surgeon and ornithologist, and Dr. R. J. Rothrock, acting assistant surgeon United States Army, includes with his medical duties those of a botanist and general collector. The expedition of 1872, besides officers, had for its personnel three astronomers, four topographers, two meteorologists, one naturalist, and one photographer, as assistants, with the requisite number of guides, cargadores, packers, drivers, laborers, &c., an escort, consisting of fiftyseven enlisted men from Camp Douglas, for the guarding of the different parties and for their protection against hostile Indians. The expedition, for the present season, has the following number of civilians in a professional capacity, viz: Five astronomers, six topog raphers, two meteorologists, four geologists, three naturalists, and one photographer, as assistants. Certain of these gentlemen, and especially those in the astronomical and geological departments, are, as has heretofore been the case, to be called upon for reports, giving an individual expression of results, guided by individual responsibility. As near as multiplicity of duties will permit, the prosecuted and proposed labors in the different departments of the survey will be given, and the present condition of the results. ASTRONOMICAL. At the close of the fiscal year ending June 30, 1872, the astronomical parties were about taking the field; one of them occupying the Mormon observatory, Temple Square, Salt Lake City, during the entire season; while a series of observations for longitude and latitude, by the other two parties, were carried out at-1st, Beaver, Utah; 2d, Pioche, Nev.; 3d, Gunnison, Utah; 4th, Cheyenne; 5th, Laramie; and 6th, Fort Steele, Wyo. Ter. A station at the Union Pacific Railroad crossing of Green River, Wyoming Territory, was also occupied, but not completed. The requirements regarding the number and character of observations to be taken at each station were very rigid, and computed results show the probable errors to come within the accuracy expected of first class observations taken with the best field-astronomical instruments, which class of instruments, entirely new, were used at the points along the astronomical base that follows the line of the Union Pacific Railroad. In addition to the observations at the main stations, sextant observations were conducted by the executive officers of the parties, having in view a latitude check upon topographical positions, and where the prox imity of the telegraph-lines, and other circumstances, seemed to justify, longitude checks were also obtained by the comparison of the local times of the Salt Lake observatory, and the station selected by means of telegraphic signals. These field astronomical observations were mostly computed during the winter months by Lieutenant Marshall, assisted by Lieutenant Hoxie, while his services, away from other branches, were available. The main field astronomical parties for 1872 consisted of one principal assistant, one sub-assistant, and one general assistant, comprising, among their duties, the making of a series of hourly meteorological observations that have aggregated severe labors. This plan has been modified for the present season by the detail of first-class privates, two in number, to each astronomical party, from the Battalion of Engineers, whereby each party numbers four individuals, and the elaborate system of astronomical and meteorological observations may be fully carried out. At this date the astronomical observations at the main stations for 1871 have been entirely reduced, with the exception of those at Prescott, Ariz. Ter. The data from the preliminary reductions have long since been used for mapping purposes. There remain unfinished, in the reductions for 1872-stations, certain parts of the latitude work, and a portion of the time reductions at the connecting or observatory station. In the hands of a skillful computer they are being rapidly completed. The services of Lieut. D. W. Lockwood, Corps of Engineers, spared from the United States lake survey for a period of two weeks, were made available for the reduction of sextant astronomical observations incomplete from the 1871 expedition. A careful, systematic programme has been prepared for placing all the reductions and incident data at main stations in a comprehensive form for report, that shall embrace a thorough and exhaustive history of the commencement, continuation, and completion of the observations and their reduction, including the proper tabulation of the computations. Volume II, of the series proposed, will contain the summation of this material. |