'Report on the Preliminary Survey of the Route for the Central Persia Telegraph Line' [‎89v] (183/300)

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was fortunate enough to find an easy route from tht village to the valley, which
lies 7-85 miles due east. This particular tract of country reminded me of that
>e ween Khaneh Kergoon and Morghab on the present main line. What should
therefore be done is, instead of running the line to Pansara hence to Bazman
vi lage, to keep in the valley, which opposite Pansara would be about 6 miles
distant, while opposite Bazman it is 7*85 miles off, and a loop-line run into
Bazman along the track referred to above. The country for the first 3 miles
leyond Bazman is also somewhat rough and intersected with nullahs and
channels. Ihus, t)y adoptm^ a loop-line an easy ingress and egress would be
insured, and this bad bit eliminated. Prom the point in the valley at which
le loop-line will branch off to Bazman to Bampur is about 51 miles, for
v nch distance the main line would run in a south-south-easterly direction
along an open valley, but as Pahra lies 15 odd miles due east of Bampur the
line would not enter the latter place, but would swing round some low’hills
and go direct to lahra, leaving Bampur 8 or 10 miles to the right, or south.
The first advantage this route claims over all the others emanating from
Regan is that it has the large village.of Bazmin on it, at which supplies can
t procured. The seconi is that, as it skirts the northern and eastern base of
a man Kuh along a valley, there are very few and insignificant torrent beds
to be crossed, the drainage being to the south-west. The third is that the
water-supply is better and more abundant, and is met with at shorter
—tv h ! e f ' JUr , th i 18 th TT tbe average alfcitude throughout is some 800 to
1,000 feet higher, while at Henjareh a maximum of 4,220 feet is attained.
Thus, the three chief difficulties—scarcity of water, scarcity of supplies
mted hv 8 ^ ° XlSt 0n a11 the tranSfcRe S an routes can best be P mini-
iLed by adopting the route recommended by me. Although the daces
mentioned -Chah Malik, Nookabad, Ramkan, Chah Gez, and^enjareh-at
present oaly mark the site of springs or wells, there is every reason to hope
that, by improving and increasing the water-supply, and by niacin" a line
guard at the best places, we should soon have a few huts and Ismail patches of
cultivation springing up. There is no sand or desert, to us^the stricfinterore
tation of the term, on thw route, while the soil in places is good and capable
imDort!im S f fa r 0 ™ PS ' “"“f 1 S razin S is for the most part excellent—a very
mportant lactor in a country where camels are the beasts of burden • and
m the valley there was very fair pasturage when we passed. ’
Elaborate arrangements will naturally bay. to be made to ensure a "ood
and constant supply of water for the large working party and transport
animals that will be employed on tbe construction of the line, and I think
that, m the year previous to that in which we hope to build the line on the
egan-Pahra section, a responsible officer with a party of well-diggers and with
the necessary implements, should be deputed to carry out this work.
1V ,. As 1 consider ‘he whole road from Ardistan to Pahra, with a very little
cor(« '“i 3 w , 1 ! aC f S ’ ° P ® U t0 wheels > 1 would recommend the use of zincVater
carts which I think would be preferable to, and in the long run more econo
mical than, water barrels or Persian Ravias or leather water-sacks.
Next to the question of the water on this section, that of supplies will be
. ic most important. Ibis would also be greatly simplified if the officer in
charge of the water-supply were to build a small Tana of mud and stone at,
Ramkan
Henjareh
Pansara
41*14 miles
28-75 „
2539 ..
and purchase half the amount of grain necessary for the working party between
egan and Bazman, at the former place, and store it at the above Tanas The
officer m charge of the construction could purchase the balance in Hesan in
the following year and take it along with him. e ° au la