REPORT OF MR. W. VON STREERUWITZ

AUSTIN, TEXAS, December 30, 1890
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Mr. E. T. Dumble, State Geologist, Austin, Texas:

In accordance with instructions I left Austin the ninth day of May, to continue the field work in Trans-Pecos Texas. Arrived at Fort Davis I found the animals that were turned loose last February at Capt. Dolan's ranch, near Fort Davis, in very poor condition, owing to the want of grass, and more of water, in consequence of long lasting drouth. They were, in fact, so weak that it took six days to transport the nearly empty wagons to Torbert, a distance of only eighty-five miles. It took over two weeks of rest, with food and water, which last, through kindness of Mr. Martin, superintendent of this section, I could secure from the water cars of the Southern Pacific Railway, to restore the animals sufficiently for light service.

In Sierra Blanca Junction, where Mr. J. A. Taff joined me in the capacity of Assistant Geologist, I found Dr. R. S. Woodward, Astronomer of the United States Geological Survey, assisted by Mr. A. T. Davis, taking observations for the final determination of the 105th meridian.

Not having been able to organize my party, and as mentioned before being compelled to rest the animals, I offered our services to Dr. Woodward, since I knew the determination of the meridian, as well as other astronomical points—such as our base, mountain peaks, etc.—to be of the greatest importance for badly needed regulation of the surveys of the country west of the Pecos River, at the same time to locate as to latitude and longitude that part of this country which we had topographed during the last campaign.

The grass getting scarce around Torbert, and the water tank being nearly empty, I moved the camp to Rattlesnake Tanks, west of the Van Horn Mountains, on a spur of this mountain range. But the water of this waterhole was not only contaminated with the carcass of a dead cow, but running very low, and the grass very scanty, so I camped there only three days—long enough to make reconnoitering observations referring to eruptive rocks and crystalline schists, Mr. Taff sectionizing the Cretaceous strata. The animals were not yet in a condition to carry the needed water from the nearest point, the wells at Finney's ranch. I left Mr. Taff in charge of the camp, which I had moved to Finney's ranch, and went to Sierra Blanca to meet Dr. Woodward, leaving instructions with Mr. Taff to move the camp to about two miles west of Eagle Springs as soon as he was through with sectionizing the sandstone and limestone strata surrounding the northwest slope of the Eagle Mountains. A reconnoitering of the Green River Canyon had shown that neither in this canyon nor in some tanks along the more southwestern slope of the Eagle Mountains (Sierra Cola de Aguila) could any water be found.