New-York daily tribune., 1849-06-12
Capt. Dents Trip tsward Santa Fe tnr'nsn
the Indian c Country-Feasibility OF rrnvei
along Canadian River-Prae eticaoiiity of
Railroad. etc.

: ITTT-T-s
iznce beyond the Agency found almost IN 9a.sAoe
for wagons continued rains having rendered i *
trenely unsognd Lieut. pdc-rAl slcc-ftifu. via
great -xertou. however. n passing M ,h y 80 Is
wagons. Entering range o. sHia- 1his, running
'eN degrees south Of uv course, - - = oi ~ con
sequenLy crossed them oblq1e.y rndius ne sHial
prairies n the valleys Vet and ansolnd MS c.nlnIn
Lp to Camp Creek. distance - niles IN1 lA-' 'tr
and = from - Agency This rosd - excellent - dry
weather. tut su0st impossible 70 yet Another route
taken 1y the escort under Capt Marcy tll- iel.
\ lowing the of -ourh-iork roai some * miles beyond
-trics ancs % The ar-t ridge ihence AonS it' -4i-
I MT of The ridge p Camp Greek Most 10 tn sui-
grants followed Capt Marcy !n n rplte ana me
rosd j. already opened along thr whole extent Froin
Camp Creek the rcute runs along ri-", 10 -ht ee-
vat1n. o. gap fhe dividing ridge hti"c ic sifrs
/ Of Baszeal and iae aforementioned creek thercc
along smother ridge aa0riln- good nrn wagon way
I % ne -an Bai- stream a0Vlns nto the ArkAn-as
mot with difficulty this crossing, which = b. res
from Fort smith. Leaving te iori. my course af up
the creek on ground occasionally through me prAnes
toy fourteen miles Here the >ans boi- aS'n IN
tersects IT, ilt rs leaning o. tle uorih avoided cro--
ng ia secoud time passius between TOE pend % ne
stream and range of mountains on my r-ht hu'r7
7 lng from this Qs-- came INTO large pf-fi' Nnirh
continues aarlrr good r0aitl the south ork oi me
Canadlan-d.-zut from Fort smith ~ niles ani from
san. Boz pa good ford n dry weather and ierry
I n wet sIrmolnts al fae ihcuitcs here prc-tntci-
/ Leaving TIE south Fork proceeded through roi.ns
prres % the ba-e % ot hills passing through
convenient gap DO these h j.. and following rrm ridge
partly Lmlcred and partly prairie. found myself IN tle
bank. 0f Coal Greek branch of the south lorS of fhc
C4nai a. - miles from fhs post and from ~uutl ors
] l.t Coal Creek is a rapid. deep muddy steam with
high banks and heading u the mountain. VII aiisf =
ram. nee randy 10 VII occasi0naiy 'f cause .i uf
teuiion of day or perhaps two o. yrants unless
bridge is thrown IT, which can .e easily done as
u i. not wide end many good localities for bridging
present theu-sives. deep slough putting into Goa.
| Creek, few hundred yards above the ford caused
90 alter my course little % the norih oi direct
route which would have been up ihe stream 70
ward its source. my new line running through high
praire inte- secis trail called the shawnee trace
This trace which followed for some distance. comes 90
Coal Creek above the bend and the best ground
for passing through range Of mountains that here OBJ
sirgct the way. Winding through them on firm road
came out on large prairie running FOR several miles
directly ms proper course At the Tar SIDE oi ms
prairie from the point 0f entrance rises small noun
tain OF conical shapc which have taken the liberty %
naming on the accompanying map " Lmis Cofl Noun
tam for fhis reason u foundation u niiuminoH.
coal The country IA this vicinity abound. with coal.
and In nearly every prairie branch ihe strata posed
/ o. view.
Leaving "L Little Coal Mountain" which is 100 miles
from Fort smith my course Jay through small prs!re-
extending around the bases and up the vay- n the
mountains my right until came o. larger one -
In this prairie commences trail which marks tne line
where eventually the road must rin u vi. aVoh the
large northings and suuthng- which you vs. soon sse
| thar ! was compelled 10 make. u will shorten the
route good deal taking it over Level country, mostly
prairie, and viii avoid the numerous rayines hai 70
cross my nearer approach % the Canadian lt Wa
| impossible however 10 take wagons through hy this
trail AZ that time the whole surface ~ the country
near the mountains completely saturated viii wa
rendering the sod unsafe support for them
| consequently bore away among the hills general
Of 4Oo north Of direct route, and mad 10
ascend one rather rocky hill This obstacle surmount
ed. had firm though moderately rough road on 10
small yilsge Of shawnee Indians. Here had ap-
preached the Canadian nearer than was at nrst aware
Of. itis bat mile and half from the road found
the inhabitants OF this village int, gent and indus
trious and far advanced In civilization their houses
and farms present strong proof of comfort and aDun
dance. We had here an opportunity Of improving
our store OF provisions in the production Oh butter
of delicate flavor and rich golden color. the ~ i"uees
far behind the inhabitants OF far famed 1oshen
Leaving this village, which Is III miles from Fort
Smith, my course took me- along dry ridge covered
noble for several miles Crossing
small creek Of good water. asccnded bill and i'm
mediately emerged prairie Of some extent aiord
ing many varieties OF rare and beautiful flowers As
cendng another hill Of moderate grade found my
| self kind II dividing ridge following TINS tor
four miles descended, and soon met with three
four bad ravines little labor however, rendered
| easily passable with wagons Thence ! passed
into snoiher prairie In this prairie the road
| forks, the right hand leading 20 Edwards Trading
house which latter place - near Little River trD
utary Of the Canadian on IL north side. Edward l.
the side of Little River some hres miles from
the Canadian and i've miles below the fort OF the same
Opposite 20 The point ~ entrance INTO tne last
mentioned prairie and skriing the base OF pretty
/ little ycrdureclad mountain, is shawnee Town 70
miles from Fort smith, village Of the shawnee In
dians The inhabitants, ike those Of the same tribe
lower down on the Canadian. show strong proof. OF
rapid Advancement IN civilization Here, again, We
/ found All abundance OF provisions. corn, SC. This
right hand road the route which taken by large
portion Of the emigrant trsn--a step they soon had
cause regret they left good road Tor boggy,
broken and much longer one. My course i the left
hand road ! bore well % the south IN order 20 pass
round the bend OF the river and for some nve miles the
course varies but little from ~ ". Of : crossing
branch OF the bogsy tributary Of Red River pass.
I'd hne praIn-s 20 the base OF range Of noun
tain putting out in spurs from the Canadian Ny
course along the foot Of these mountains. through
prairics was a few degrees : OF w. then y. OF ".
untii IL cane 20 two more smaller branche. ot the
Boggy, passing which commenced the ascent OF the
much talked OF Delaware Mountain, 40 miles from this
post.
This mountain pro,ects in lofty cliff, almost up 10
the Canadian soiicning on o. the South IN beautiful
prairie slopes over these slopes the road passes and
Ills source OF gret 10 that soon over
the mountain ~ did not remain long enough on u 10
sufficiently admire tie gorgeous scenery which M every
direction is here unfoldcd % view siil. tIu
prairie desce ndcd n finely watered valley, thence up
prairie ride at the extreme summit Of which Is one ~
two mounds upon both 81 which the Indians have piled
stones, serving landmarks TO them ia travelling
through the country as they seen from long dis
tlnce the plains beyond TIE Wa-hta- These noun
talus l5J miles tom Fort smith At This point
Lieut. Ipdcgraf placed his grazing camp agreeably 90
instructions proceeding with one soldier an Indian
guide and Interpreter my course which from
thu. point d. about 81 deg y OF " strike the divi
ding ridge between the waters OF the asaia and mo
I Canadian. passing through um bered country iOr
about four miles, through the center OF which flows
pretty little sandy stream called Canada River on Cane
Creek sowing into the Canadian. came out cfn-
phaucaly The PAins. keeping the heads Of branches
running into the Canadian my right and those
streams lowing into the IS a-hita my left prOcee 1
ed along a hrn road opposite ChOteau- Trading
/ House les miles from Fort smith. While In the yciu
iy visited the spO where Choteau and soue TN mcs
| lower down the Canadian, L1wardss Trading Forts
once stood Scarcely trace Of them now remains
also made short excursion over 20 The ashs River,
which makes this point. approach o. ths Ca
madam Returning 70 Camp the - OF May the next
day Capt Marcy and the Typographical Engineer
having onod Us took my departure Tor this post and
| arrived the 18th INST
TIE prevailing rock throughout the whole extent OF
| the country passed over. rusty red sandstone.
Limestone Is found the sans B0is the shawnee
| village and on the Delaware Mountain. congom-r-
ate OF pretty appearance observed the hills
the last mentioned mOuntAns-irOn ore IN many
places In conjunction with the sandstone. Indications
Of cad IN one place only in the Amestons region Coal
Aoounds. OF excellent quality, near a. the streams aud
I branches.
| have been directed to express my opinion as %
the practicaoity of constructing Railroad through
| the country over which I have passed Ny opinion
IT, that no extraordinary difficulty viii present tseii-
With very htiie deviation from TIE route pursued,
road c1n Be obtained, throughout The Whole line OF
which the grades viii not exceed ten feet II mle,
and this only few points as Il may BE- carried on
level prairie nearly al the way. bat lev yiaeucts
VII be required and where required single arch vii
suffice Every stream presents one more points Tor
crossing. with firm natural found daiions Tor aoGimeai-