Reports of explorations and surveys, to ascertain the most practicable and economical route for a railroad from the Mississippi River to the Pacific Ocean

Title Variants

Alternative: Explorations and surveys to ascertain the most practicable and economical route for a railroad from the Mississippi River to the Pacific Ocean

Alternative: Explorations for a railroad route from the Mississippi River to the Pacific

Alternative: Pacific railroad explorations

Alternative: Pacific railroad reports

Alternative: Pacific railroad surveys

Related Titles

Series: Ex. doc. (United States. Congress. House), 33rd Congress, 2nd session, no. 91

Series: Ex. doc. (United States. Congress. House), 36th Congress, 1st session, no. 56

Series: Senate executive document (United States. Congress. Senate), 33rd Congress, 2nd session, no. 78

Series: Senate executive document (United States. Congress. Senate), 35th Congress, 2nd session, no. 46

By

United States. War Department.
United States. War Department. , author

Baird, Spencer Fullerton, 1823-1887
Baird, Spencer Fullerton, 1823-1887 , editor
Henry, Joseph, 1797-1878
Ford, Thomas H., approximately 1837- , printer
United States. Army. Corps of Engineers.
Harris, William A. (William Alexander), 1805-1864 , printer
United States. Army. Corps of Engineers.
Nicholson, A.O.P. (Alfred Osborn Pope), 1808-1876 , printer
United States. War Department.
Tucker, Nathaniel Beverley, 1820-1890 , printer
Campbell, Albert H. (Albert Henry), 1826-1899 , illustrator
Egloffstein, Gottfried Friedrich Ernst, Freiherr von und zu, 1768-1848 , illustrator
Koppel, Charles, , illustrator
Richard, John H., ca 1807- , illustrator
Tidball, John C. (John Caldwell), 1825-1906 , illustrator
Young, J. H. (James Hamilton) , illustrator
Young, J. J., , illustrator
Hinshelwood, Robert, 1812-1879 , engraver
Hunt, Samuel Valentine, 1803-1893 , engraver
Metzeroth, R. (Robert), , engraver
Orr, Nathaniel, , wood engraver
Pinkney, Samuel J., , engraver
Bien, Julius, 1826-1909 , lithographer
Siebert, Selmar, , lithographer
Siebert, Selmar, 1808- , lithographer
United States. Army. Corps of Engineers. , compiler
Ackerman Lithr., , lithographer
F. Artos & Co., , engraver
Julius Bien & Co., , lithographer
Herline & Hensel, , lithographer
Hoffman, Knickerbocker & Co., , lithographer
Sarony, Major & Knapp Lith., , lithographer
T. Sinclair's Lith., , lithographer

Type

Book

Material

Published material

Publication info

Washington, A.O.P. Nicholson, Printer [etc.], 1855-60

Notes

Vols. I-XI were issued in the Congressional series of U.S. public documents as 33d Cong., 2d sess. House ex. doc. 91, and also as Senate ex. doc. 78. Vol. XI was issued also (1861) as 36th Cong., 2d sess. Senate ex. doc. [no number]

Printer varies between House and Senate issues, and over time. For example, Beverley Tucker is printer of volume 1 in Senate issue.

See Wagner-Camp. Plains & the Rockies (1982, 4th edition) for detailed information on pagination, collation and contents of the individual volumes.

Supplement to vol. I (the material of which was published also in vol. XII, book I and book II) was issued in at least three forms: Supplement to vol. I, 1859, W.A. Harris, printer, as 35th Cong., 2d sess. Senate ex. doc. 46--Vol. XII, book I-II, 1860, T.H. Ford, printer, as 36th Cong., 1st sess. House ex. doc. 56, and Senate ex. doc. [no number]

The reports of the Pacific Railroad surveys were prepared under the direct supervision of the Engineer Department. The volumes dealing with the soil, climate, geology, botany and zoology of the regions surveyed were edited and revised by Professors Henry and Baird, of the Smithsonian Institution. cf. Ingersoll, Hist. of the War Department. 1879, p. 292-293.

For further information concerning the publication of the work and a list of serial numbers assigned to the volumes in the Congressional series of documents, see Checklist of United States public docu

"The quarto edition [of the Pacific Railroad Reports] began to appear in 1855, concluding in 1861 with volume XII. Despite their flaws, these volumes contain a monumental collection of scientific information, geographical, zoological, botanical, geological, of the still mysterious American West. Upon first examination, the volumes seem forbiddingly disorganized; reports clearly were printed as they were received; there is no overall system or arrangement, nor are there general indices to the volumes, and, as Camp has pointed out, there is the usual duplication of printing and lithography by both houses of Congress"--Wagner-Camp.

Various illustrators, engravers, lithographers, cartographers and printing firms contributed to the publication. Some of the illustrators include: A. H. Campbell, F.W. Egloffstein, Chas. Koppel, J.H. Richard, C. Schumann, J.S. Tidball, J. Young, and J.J. Young. Some of the engravers include: F. Artos, R. Hinshelwood, S.V. Hunt, R. Metzeroth, N. Orr, and Pinkney. Lithography and printing firms for the maps and illustrations include: Ackerman lith., J. Bien lith., Herline & Hensel lith., Hoffman, Knickerbocker & Co. lith., Sarony, Major & Knapp lith., Selmar Siebert's engraving & printing establishment, and T. Sinclair's lith.

Contents: Volume 1. Introduction. Route near the 47th and 49th parallels -- volume 2. Routes near 38th and 39th, 41st, and 32d parallels. Landers's report -- volumes 3-4. Route near the 35th parallel -- volume 5. Routes in California to connect with those near the 35th and 32d parallels -- volume 6. Routes in Oregon and California -- volume 7. Route in California to connect with those near the 35th and 32d parallels. Route between the Rio Grande and Pimas villages -- volume 8. Mammals of the several routes -- volume 9. Birds of the several routes -- volume 10. Reptiles and fishes of the several routes ; Zoological reports on routes near 38th and 39th, 41st 35th and 32d parallels ; On routes in California to connect with those near 35th and 32d parallels ; Reptiles of routes in California and Oregon -- volume 11. Material used and methods employed in compiling the general map ; [Topographical maps, etc.] -- volume 12. Route near the 47th and 49th parallels (concluded).

Wagner-Camp. Plains & the Rockies (4th ed.), | 262-267

Hill Collection of Pacific Voyages, | 1281

Subjects

19th century , American , California , Description and travel , Discoveries in geography , Discovery and exploration , Explorations and surveys , Exploring expeditions , Indians of North America , Maps , Natural history , Pacific railroads , United States , West (U.S.)

BHL Collections

Engelmann Herbarium

Call Number

F593 .U58

Language

English

Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.5962/bhl.title.11139
LCCN: https://lccn.loc.gov/rc01001840
OCLC: 1469530
OCLC: 39314047
Wikidata: https://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q122975242