Memoranda for Emigrants.

The best season for emigrants, or persons driving stock over this route, to leave the neighborhood of Fort Belknap, Texas, is about the latter part of July, or the first of August; for the reason that along the eastern line of travel through Texas, connecting with this road at El Paso, the rainy season is just ending, and water is abundant in all "jornadas," and the grass is in its most favorable condition. West of the Rio Grande, moreover, the same advantages are obtained, besides having the cool months to pass down the Gila, and from Fort Yuma to San Diego, or other parts of California over the Colorado desert.

Should it be desirable to recruit stock about the vicinity of the Mimbres river, a camp should be formed about six (6) miles above the road crossing, where wood, water and grass abound.

During the summer months, and when the Gila is low, large droves of cattle would pass more easily down the San Pedro to its mouth, and thence down the Gila, fording that river several times; wagons could not be carried over this route.

All recruiting of stock should be done along the San Pedro, and the Gila end of the route passed over rapidly; particularly with large bands of stock, as they run great risk of being scattered and lost in the wide, brushy, bottom lands.

Corn and wheat can be obtained at all points on the Rio Grande, varying in price from $1 50 to $2 50 per fanega (of 2 bushels.) It can also be obtained at Tucson, fifty miles from the crossing of the San Pedro, and at the Maricopa villages on the Gila,

Persons passing along during the dry season between Ojo la Vaca and Ojo Excavado, with a large amount of stock, should divide their herd at the crossing of Burr's cañon, nine miles from Ojo la Vaca, sending a portion up the cañon five miles to a tank in the rocks, by an old road, joining the present one, one mile beyond Ojo Excavado. The places where most particular caution in regard to Indians must be exercised are at the crossing of the Mimbres, the Piloncillo pass, and along the San Pedro river; though they are not at all troublesome if any guard whatever is maintained.

Persons going to the vicinity of Fort Buchanan take all left hand roads, beyond Croton springs; going to Tucson, from crossing of San Pedro, take left hand road, three miles from river, near spring.

N. H. HUTTON.

Table of distances and camping places on the line of El Paso and Fort Yuma wagon road.

Cottonwood spring.

11.9

184. 8

Rio San Domingo..

14.0

198.8

Sycamore spring.

23.4

222. 2

Croton spring

Rio San Pedro

22.8

Mouth of Arrivaypa... - - .

52.1

Spring, (cottonwood)..........

15.6

Spring......

0.8

Spring 34 miles from road..

Rio Gila.

Zaceleno camp...

Maricopa wells....

Foot of Little Desert....

23.6 245.8

Wood, water, and grass convenient; water not permanent.

Wood and water convenient, grass poor. Wood, water, and grass convenient and abundant.

Spring water abundant; wood and grass distant.

268. 6 Wood, water, and grass abundant, and at convenient points.

320.7 Wood, water, and grass abundant, and at convenient points.

336. 3 Wood, water, and grass convenient, not abundant or permanent.

337.1 Wood, water, and grass convenient; spring uncertain.

11.5 348.6 Wood, water, and grass convenient; spring uncertain.

19.2 367.8 Wood, water, and grass abundant and con

Wood and water convenient, grass scattering and poor.

20.3 471.2 Wood, water, and grass convenient and

2d watering place

Oatman's flat

Wellsville camp..

Wood, water, and grass at short distanco in

Wood, water, and grass convenient; very little grass.

Wood and water, no grass convenient.

NOTE.-Along the Gila grass is scarce and scattering, and should be looked for in patches off the road, from a half to one mile.

Reports of Superintendent George L. Sites upon the Platte river, Dacota, and l'Eau qui Court wagon road, constructed under the direcrection of the Department of the Interior.

1857, 1858.

DEAR SIR Enclosed herewith please find my report of a reconnaissance from the Platte river to Dacota City, for the wagon road from the Platte via Omaha Reserve and Dacota City to Running Water river, accompanied by a map of the survey.

The report has been hastily prepared, entering only into such details as immediately appertain to the road, so as to enable the department to give me definite instructions for my future government.

Upon the completion of the location of the road a full and complete report will be submitted.

With the permission of the department I shall bend every energy towards a completion of the construction of the bridges by the time cold weather sets in.

When the construction of the bridges shall have commenced it would. add much to the convenience of the disbursing officer to have a place of deposit established at Omaha City. This would enable the employés to obtain the constitutional currency for the checks of the superintendent. At present these checks can be disposed of to local banks, for which they can obtain only a paper currency, most of which is foreign to the territory and of very doubtful value. I would suggest that the receiver of the land office at Omaha City would be a proper person with whom to deposit the funds. I had the honor of addressing a letter to the department under date of 26th ultimo, asking for a modification of my instructions, to which I would ask, respectfully, the attention of the department.

I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant, GEO. L. SITES, Superintendent wagon road from Platte to Running Water.

Hon. JACOB THOMPSON,

Secretary of the Interior.

DACOTA CITY, NEBRASKA TERRITORY,
July 10, 1857.

SIR: In obedience to a clause in my instructions of the 15th of May, 1857, requiring the superintendent to "report to the department from Dacota City, upon the portion examined that far" of the route for the wagon road from the Platte river via Omaha Reserve and Dacota City to the Running Water river, I have the honor to submit the following report:

My instructions ordered me to "proceed at once to the Platte river, and with your (my) engineer make preparation for a rapid reconnaissance and survey of the proposed road, with a view to ascertain the