[Pacific Railroad Surveys]

Report of Explorations and Surveys, to Ascertain the Most Practicable and Economical Route for a Railroad from the Mississippi River to the Pacific Ocean; [Together with] General Report, Washington, D.C., 1857-1860 (14 books)

Washington DC: Beverley Tucker; A. O. P. Nicholson; George W. Bowman; Thomas H. Ford, 1855-1861. Mixed Senate and House editions. Leather bound. Twelve volumes in thirteen books (Volume twelve in two parts), plus one thick volume with the following title in gilt on the spine: "Explorations and Surveys for a Railroad Route from the Mississippi River to the Pacific Ocean. General Report." Large quartos [30 cm] Bound in modern black leather, with the title stamped in gilt on the spines, and blind-tooled embellishments on the spines and boards. "Senate" and "House" stamped in gilt at the head of the spines. "War Department" stamped at the foot. New endpapers.

Spines of a couple volumes a bit faded. Sporadic foxing and toning throughout, though a large majority of the color lithographs remain in excellent condition. Stitching periodically visible in the inside margins. Occasional moisture stains, other light stains, and darkening to the pages. Tide mark staining more frequent in volume VI and the General Report. Volumes VIII and XII, Book 1 are ex-library, with discreet markings. Volume XI (with maps and plates) is heavily foxed at the beginning (mostly affecting the text). This volume contains Warren's great map. Many of the large maps and profiles are fragile, and have many splits (normally encountered in these kinds of sets). "General Map of Explanations and Surveys in California" in Volume XI completely detached from binding, but present. With 665 illustrated plates, 64 maps/sections/profiles, and 15 diagrams.

Collation Notes:

Volume II: 12 scenic plates (one nearly detached); 20 botanical plates; 4 geological plates; 1 large folding map; 1 large folding geological section.

Volume III: 12 scenic plates; 7 diagrams; 8 Native American plates (missing illustration titled "Pictographs at Yampais Spring"); 3 geological plates; 2 folding sections and 1 folding map at the rear). ***Not present in this volume: "General Map from Fort Smith to Rio Del Norte," "General Map from Rio del Norte to the Pacific Ocean," and "Profile of a route for the Pacific Railroad, from Fort Smith to Martinez."

Volume IV: 1 large folding botanical plate with explanation of signs; 24 plates related to Cacti; 25 other botany plates; 10 plates devoted to Mosses and Liverworts.

Volume V: 12 views; 4 maps; 14 sections; 13 views (***missing plate XII- "Mirage on the Colorado Desert"); 11 fossil and shell plates (***missing plate X); 28 botany plates.

Volume VI: 13 (General Report) plates; 5 geology plates; 14 botany plates (***missing Plate I- "Quercus Hindsii"; missing plate X- "Juniperus occidentalis"); 11 fish plates; 3 mammal plates; 2 bird plates.

Volume VII: 8 scenic plates; 10 paleontological plates; 14 geological plates; 2 fold-out maps; 8 botanical plates; 11 meteorological plates.

Volume VIII: 20 mammal plates (plates XVII-LX).

Volume X: 33 reptile plates (***missing plate VI- "Dipsosaurus dorsalis, Hallow & Sceloporus biseriatus, Hallow"; reptile plate II mislabeled as III?); 51 fish plates; 9 mammal plates (plate XI- "Sciurus fremonti, Towns" mislabeled as plate VI?; plate VIII- "Lepus audubonii, Baird" mislabeled XIII?); 28 bird plates.

Volume XI: 4 map plates; 13 sketches of Route of Forty-First Parallel- Beckwith's Report Vol. II; Warren Map plus 31 maps and profiles.

Volume XII, Book I: 70 lithographs.

Volume XII, Book II: 6 botany plates; 2 insect plates; 5 mammal plates (***missing plate VIII- "Texas Mouse, etc."); 8 bird plates; 10 reptile plates; 21 fish plates.

Some fish plates that are listed in Volume XII, Book II as being present in Volume X appear to be absent (LXXVI, XXVb, XXV, XXVI, LXX, LXXV).

General Report: 8 diagrams; 3 large folding maps/profiles at rear (one with tape repairs- "Milk R. to the Crossing of the Columbia R."; 120 illustrated plates (***lacking "View of Fort Smith" and "Pictographs at Yampais Spring"). No general title page. Very Good. Item #55725

A mixed Senate and House set in attractive modern leather bindings. The quarto edition [of the Pacific Railroad Reports] first appeared in 1855, and concluded in 1861 with volume XII. The Surveys aimed at determining the best route for a transcontinental railroad. It embodied the most comprehensive information source on the American West in the mid-19th century. Numerous illustrators, engravers, lithographers, cartographers and printing firms contributed to the publication. This monumental work is rarely found in such nice condition.

"...it was the best cartographical work on the West up to its time.." - Wright Howes. "...these volumes contain a monumental collection of scientific information, geographical, zoological, botanical, geological, of the still mysterious American West." - Henry Wagner. Howes P3. Moffat 35,36 & 49. Wagner/Camp 262-267 [pp. 468-507].

Price: $15,000.00