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PACIFIC RAILROAD SURVEYS. 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 1853-4. Washington, D.C.: Beverley Tucker, 1855-1861.
The first complete quarto Senate issue in original bindings, issued just prior to the start of construction of the transcontinental railroad from Omaha to California. A "monumental collection of scientific information, geographical, zoological, botanical, geological, of the still mysterious American West" (Wagner-Camp), with plates comprising topographical views, portraits of Indian life and settlements, zoological, botanical and ornithological specimens, and a variety of maps illustrating the routes and geography, including an early view of Los Angeles. "The best cartographical on the West up to its time" (Howes). Each report was printed as it was received and the sprawling set was issued in octavo and quarto formats. Howes P-3; Wagner-Camp, The Plains & the Rockies, p.462 .
Thirteen volumes, quarto (285 x 222). Over 600 plates and folding maps/charts (intermittent browning and spotting, a handful of plates with adhesive obscuring caption, occasional short closed tears, maps in vol. 11 particularly fragile with some tearing, vol. 12 with occasional dampstaining). Publisher’s cloth (many volumes rebacked with original spine laid down, some rubbing and wear to extremities, vol. 7 joints cracked). Provenance: Lawrence Public Library (stamps, bookplates, and library record numbers) – William Reese Co.
The first complete quarto Senate issue in original bindings, issued just prior to the start of construction of the transcontinental railroad from Omaha to California. A "monumental collection of scientific information, geographical, zoological, botanical, geological, of the still mysterious American West" (Wagner-Camp), with plates comprising topographical views, portraits of Indian life and settlements, zoological, botanical and ornithological specimens, and a variety of maps illustrating the routes and geography, including an early view of Los Angeles. "The best cartographical on the West up to its time" (Howes). Each report was printed as it was received and the sprawling set was issued in octavo and quarto formats. Howes P-3; Wagner-Camp, The Plains & the Rockies, p.462 .
Thirteen volumes, quarto (285 x 222). Over 600 plates and folding maps/charts (intermittent browning and spotting, a handful of plates with adhesive obscuring caption, occasional short closed tears, maps in vol. 11 particularly fragile with some tearing, vol. 12 with occasional dampstaining). Publisher’s cloth (many volumes rebacked with original spine laid down, some rubbing and wear to extremities, vol. 7 joints cracked). Provenance: Lawrence Public Library (stamps, bookplates, and library record numbers) – William Reese Co.