The Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. Territory) 1849-1855, 1850-05-09

Thursday Morning, May 9, 1850.
A short route to Oregon and California.
The sudden extension Of our settle
ments across the continent. to the Pa
cific, creates n necessity for increasing
the facilities Of communication with those
remote regions. Railroads across the
istasnus arc in progress; and there is
somc probability that a railroad will be
made from ST. Louis westward, to San
Francisco, at no very remote period
In the meantime, other routes overland, ,
must be sought, until some easier COM
Gunicution can be had. The road from
Independence and St. Joseph westward,
i already thronged thoroughiare; and
the bones Of hundreds Of men and beasts,
mark the westward progress of the null
e:tudes svarming toward the Pacific.
Much Of that route is through arid plains
and over barren mountains. 1t is a
journey Of great length, and Of imminent
peril. 1t is very destitute Of fuel, of
forage and Of game for subsistence. 1t
leads through an immensely of wind
ings. At the great basin, the emigrant
travels several hundred miles out Of a
direct course to the westward; and the
whole route may be characterized as
one Of uncqualed circuity, peril and diff
ficulty, several days travel often inter-
vening between supplies Of fuel or even
water; and the traveller constantly ex-
posed to the incursions of the Canaan
ches and other warlike tribes of Indians.
We wish now to turn your attention
to another Overland Route, in the north,
which we believe is far easier and safer.
Look upon the map. You will see that
the head waters Of the Mississippi river,
arc considerably farther west than St.
Louis. We invite particularly the at
temion Of that share of emigration which
naturally passes westward by the chain
Of the great lakes: At the west end of
lake Superior, or at St. Paul, the emf
grant is nearer to the Pacific, by geo.
graphical lines than he is at st. Louis.
St. Paul is not only further west than
St. Louis, but the distance is also d.
minished, by the shortening of the par
allels Of latitude so far north, between
the same meridians; for the nearer a
parallel Of latitude is, to either pole, the
less is the circumference of the globe
on that parallel and the shorter the dis
lance between meridians.
There is route extending westward
from the Red River Of the North, much
used for long time, by the Hudson
Bay Company, by which mails are reg
ularly transported to and from the Co.
lumbia river. This route is not only
shorter than any other, but it is easier
and safer, on all accounts. 1t extends
along the dividing ridge between the
basin of the Arctic ocean Oil the north
and the basin Of the Mississippi on the
south, crossing few rivers of much mag
nitude, and through country, much of
which abounds in timber and game, and
through the territory Of friendly Indians.
A gentleman who has often travelled
that route, says there is not ten miles in
the whole course Of it, destitute of wat
er, that there is no danger of starvation,
and that those who frequent it, enjoy re-
markable vigor and health as might be
expected in high latitude. In regard
to climate, it would certainly be more
favorable to health than the route south
Of latitude 40, especially to people of the
north. Once having reached the waters
Of the Columbia river by this route, it
is an easy matter to 60 to the shore Of
the Pacific, or to sail down the coast to
California. That this northern line,
could be easily intersected by road
extending north westward from st. Paul,
say at its crossing on the Missouri river,
the favorable character of the country
intervening, leaves no doubt. . BY the
map then, it will be seen at a glance.
that the best way from the lakes to the
Pacific, will soon be (when the Fox and
Wisconsin river Improvement shall be
completed to take steamboat from Green
Bay through the Fox and Wisconsin
rivers to St. Paul; there to take an
overland outfit and travel to the north
west to intersect the route so long tray
elIed by the Hudson Bay Company to
the Pacific Ocean.
LOCAL AND TRANsITORY.
The Saint Anthony Mills are now sup
piled with logs; and are saving 10000
- l.