REPORTS OF EXPLORATIONS AND SURVEYS, TO ASCERTAIN THE MOST PRACTICABLE AND ECONOMICAL ROUTE FOR A RAILROAD FROM THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER TO THE PACIFIC OCEAN. MADE UNDER THE DIRECTION OF THE SECRETARY OF WAR, IN 1853-5, ACCORDING TO ACTS OF CONGRESS OF MARCH 3, 1853, MAY 31, 1854, AND AUGUST 5, 1854. (VOLUME XII. "BOOK II ONLY".) UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT WAR DEPARTMENT, THOMAS H. FORD, PRINTER, WASHINGTON, 1860.
 
U. S. Railroad History
Exploration & Travel
Zoology, Americana
 
VOL. XII: "BOOK II ONLY" (final volume)
The Northern route report, along with the summary. A northern route along the Missouri River, over the northern Rockies and to Puget Sound, along the 47-49th parallels. 
 
The drive to build a transcontinental railroad was complicated by the important question of where to build it. Political and business rivalries contended to stop any project, or even preparation for the project, for a number of years. Which states would it traverse and, most importantly, where would it start and end? Did the Constitution even allow the Federal Government to be involved in the project? Finally, in 1853-4, Senator Gwin of California got an appropriation into the War Department budget to allow the Secretary of War (Jefferson Davis) to send out surveying parties.
 
Volume XII- The final volumes, containing a report by the Governor of Washington Territory on the Northern Route, up along the 47th-49th parallels, from St. Paul to Puget Sound. 2 volumes. First volume- 358 + 41 pages, plus 70 colored landscape plates. Second volume- 399 + 6 lithographed botanical plates, plus xx pages, plus 2 lithographed insect plates, plus 6 lithographed mammal plates, plus 8 colored lithographic plates of birds, plus 11 lithographed plates of reptiles, plus 20 lithographed plates of fishes.
 
Hardcover. Brown blind stamped boards with black spine. Rubbed edges with spine possibly reinforced (no title on cover). Original owner name in fancy cursive at front endpaper. Secure binding with nice clean pages and generally light scattered foxing (to moderate in places), and tiny micro paint flicks at rear board. Scarce government exploration book with some pictures in color. Second Volume "BOOK II ONLY," Large tome, about
11-3/4 x 9 with 399 pp. plus LXXV plates. Illustrated. RARE!
 
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