Wheeling times and advertiser. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1839-1849, 1845-10-14
THE GREAT RAILROAD 10 oREGo ON
MIR. WHlTNEY'S.
Correspondence Of The Courier AID Enquirer.

THE GREAT RAILROAD 10 OREGON
MIR. WHlTNEY'S.
Correspondence of the Courier dnd Enquirer.
Sr. LOUIS. 29th Sept. 1918.
We arrived here last evening in the steamer
John Golong, iiom Fort bevenworth, all well
My last was dated at the Prairie du Chen,
about the LIST July, at which place i expected
guide to 90 with us To the Missouri--was
disappointed, then expected one at Fort At
hnison. 30 miles west, where | was again
disappointed, the man who was said To be
the. only suitable guide seemed 10 have doubts
and feafs Of his ability and would not 60
Col. Wilson, OF the Army. at Prairie du Chen
and Maj Dearborn, at Fort Atkinson, found
very civil, highly intelligent, and ready TO
render any aid in their lpower-they gave
much valuable information. Titus situated.
without guide and but one laboring man
Win us, feit heavy responsibility, and no
small reluctance in leading the young gentles
men with me into probable dangers and sure
hardships and fatiguesj but they TO man said
81 onj we will follow you, we cannot turn
back, and they have fully redeemed their
pledge Tor they have gone through many hard
ships, much fatigue and hard labor, hunger
and thirst. cannot say too much of them
nor can too much praise be awarded them for
labor and conduct. Unused to any labor be-
IL.
they never flinched, they were ready to wade
through mud, water and grass to their nccks,
WIN their provisions on their heads, To swim
rivers, to fell trees for blidges, and other
iatgues Necessary for the accomplishment of
our object.
Before leaving Fort Atkinson, | fixed on a
route would like to follow to the Missouri.
l took my compass in hand, and made for it,
i came TO 1t on the Missouri, within 5 miles
from the point started for. BY Burns map of
Wisconsin, embracing Iowa, &C., (Which
found more correct than have SEEM we cross
ed the Turkey river at Fort Atkinson i'm
north lat. 43, and about ID; thence we crossed
the different branches of the Cedars in about
the same lat TO Clear Lake, in west longitude
% and about %; thence north westerly till
we came To branch of the ST. Peter running
south easterly; my object in this was To find a
dividing ridge between the Cedars which run
north and those running southerly.
will here remark that we did not find the
Cedars or the st. Peters branch TO correspond
with Burns or any Map have seen:-thencc
due west to the Des Moines, in lat 10 20, and
west Ion. about 81, which river we crossed by
telling trees Tor bridge; thence due west to a
number oil small beautiful lakes, which form
the head waters of the Little Sioux. emptyinq
INTO the Missouri; thence across Floyd's river:
'hcnce due west across the branches of the Cal
umet and then the Calumet, then the White
stone or Nermillion; then jacques river, and
thcnce 10 the great, the grand Missouri, Is
| miles below the great bend, making a distance
from the Mississippi to the Missouri, of more
than 300 miles, over the finest country upon
the globe, capable of sustaining more than
three times the population of the same space
IN any other part of the globe--no swanps.
no marshes, no flooding OF rivers, except i'm
| the vicinity pf tho NJ 81
ly for small distsnce, and undoubtedly the
most healthy country in the world. | have
never found am atmosphere so purc--the sur
lace Is generally rolling to an almost level, al
ways, however, enough undulating TO let off
all the water. While ON this subject | will
remark that some of the rivers west of the
lakes are natural rivers, but have formed them
selves and their beds by the constant wash of
Tins vast and almost level prairie, but more of
this hereafter.
The soil OF this vast country is also as rich
as IL can be. In the whole distance ! did not
see one-half acre of useless, bad land. All
required of the farmer will be to pillow, rlant
and gather his crops. AS far as to the Cedars
are considerable tracts of good timber, but be-
yond, name To the Missouri, and then very
little Till nearly down to Fort Leavenvorth.
and there only about three miles wide, and
sometimes none on the river but coal is ahnd-
ant, and the growth OF timber so natural that
without fires which now spread over the
whole praires, yearly consuming every thingl
III i5years the whole from liver TO river would
be one dense forest. In my last. informed
YOU that there are no difficult streams TO cross
from the Lake To the Mississippi, and that
stream can be bridged in the vicinity of, and
above Prairie du CHEN, without difficulty, but
not below-irom the Mississippi to the Mis-
sour they can bc bridged easily, with little
comparative expense; first-rate material being
abundant III the bluffs which form their banks
The Missouri is very difficult stream TO
bridge or to navigate; its waters are rapid, i'm
many places shoal Is to % inches, It's bed
qulcksand, and channel constantly changing.
It's bottom between the bluffs, below where
the Calumet enters in, are from 4 to ) miles
wide, all qucksaDd iu layers or strata of from
10 8 iect, and between each the water is con-
stantly working out, which with the arm of
main stream, causes the banks to- tumble i'm
constantly, and often makes new channel
from one side OF the bottom TO the other rem
derlng 1T almost Impossible 10 bridge any where
below the entrance OF the Calumet but above
winch are two places of rock bottom. and one
oil gravel, where, too, the bottom land from
Dlnii tn bluil is very narrow, and bridge may
be erected without difficulty, and with safety,
mus from my picture you see have found all
! uoS'cu' anl lar more IMAM expected when
SET out II can get the grant Of lands ask
Tor i can build the Toad. ! now lave not
doubt OF a fear If Congress will give me the
lands, IN very few months the work shall be
commenced, and far sooner than have dared
TO hope, 1t will be completcd-when we shall
have the whole world tributary to us-when
the whole commerce Of the vast world will be
tumbled into our lap--when this vast and now
useless waste and wilderness (and it ever must
he so, without this road,) shall become. not
only the thoroughiare of the vast world, but
its garden, feeding. clothing. comfortinq and
enlightening millions who are now starving
homeless, naked, ignorant and oppressed. and
who can oppose such a work. have not cx
aggerated the results TO flow from it.. If Won
OF any olher intelligent man will sit down
calmly aud deliberately, aud look over this
subject you will, you must b, convinced that
II IS not exaggerated but it is impossible 10