The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1852-04-14

soneis estimated that an addition of $3.50 tons
10 the down tonnage Of 1910 would exhaust tho Gu
yac,ty OF the Erie Canal Not merely 22j O00 but
LOU, G2tons have been added to the down tonnage
of the Erie Canal, and the average froigh,s arc 30
per cent. less, with arrival Of l50S,6T tons at
tide water IN 1851, than with an arrival Of i6! 3l5
tons in 1870
All of which is respectfully submitted.
&. w. NEWELL, Auditor.
News from the Emigrn,ing Company which
started last Spring, from st. Paul 20 Ore
gOn, by the Northern Route.
From the Minnesota Democrat March 81
Wehave received the subjOined highly Interesting
letter from Henry Doolittle, Esq, who is f,voraby
known to many OF our citizens His narrative will
we hope, euro some of our citizens of the Oregon
and California fever.
MARYsvILLE, OREGON TERRITORY,
December6, 1851.
ID A. ROBERTSON, Esq =
DEAR SiR:-Our little party arrived at Portland
in this territory, tho 18th of November, having
am aware that the people of Minnesota, generally,
think that good and feasible route from Red
river to Oregon is in existence; and that if it was
generally known in the States, portion of the
great travel across the Missouri plains might be
diverted from that channel, and made to pass to the
northward and the Rocky Mountains, at
pass in about 40 degrees north latitude. Our party
left st. Paul, on the 18th day Of April. Wo
passed up through Gull, Leach, Cas-, and Rod
lakes, down Red lake and Red river, to the Selkirk
settlements in thirty six days; having made fourteen
portagcs in all distance Of twenty four miles
The Selkirk settlement extends along both sides of
Red river, about twenty-five miles and up tho
Assinneboinc, some twelve miles The population
consists of Scotch, Canadians, and Hali-breeds
numbering about twelve hundred. There are
several Protestant and Catholic churches. Tho
Hudson Bay Company have two well built stone
forts, about the size Of Fort Smelling This COM
pany imports and retails nearly all Of the goods and
merchandise sold in the settlement. The Canadians
and Half-breeds depend in a great measure upon
the buffalo hunts for provisions; while tho Scotch
settlers farm considerable raising very good crops
of spring wheat, oats, peas, potatoes and garden
vegetables. There is great scarcity of timber
about the settlement. The houses are mostly built
Of hewn logs, and plasterod with kind of white
clay, which give them tho appearance of being
white-washed. We were detained some time in
purchasing horses and CARTS and in waiting for
Mr.. -, who had the misfortune to jump out Of
canoe and lose his money. But as that gentleman
had uniformly borrowed of the rest of the company
whenever he could, pretending he had large drafts
on the H. b. Co., which we found to be entirely
false, and also the stories he told about having
crossed the plains from this point, we did not pity
him much.
However, he was furnished with horse to pro-
coed with the party. We found cart trail to Fort
Ellis, trading post ofthe H. B. Co., on the Assn-
neboine river, distance from Red river about 200
miles The country full ofttle lakes and groves
of small poplar timber. Here we were joined by q
French gentlemen with a small party, going to-
wards the mountains on a hunting excursion Thus
far we had been detained on account of rain and
high water, so that we did not start again until the
18th of July. In fourteen days we arrived at Carl
ton House, another trading post 300 miles from
Fort Ellis. Thispost is on the Saskatchewan river.
The country We passed over was rolling prairie,
with here and there bunch ofpoplar or willow
bushes. at this point, we were obliged to leave our
carts, the country becoming broken and billy. Mr.
Lee stopped at this point, and was Immediately sent
back towards Red river. John Mccormick and
Michael CASTILLO also stopped here to wait the
coming the Hudson Bay Company boats, which
ascend the Saskatchewan to near the mountains
then cross with pack horses and descend the Coum-
bia to Fort Vancouver, the great post west Of tho
mountains, of tho Hudson Bay Company,
From Carlton we proceeded to Fort Pitt, then on
to Edmonton, with pack horses and Indian guides.
The distance from Carlton to Pitt is $50 miles and
from Pitt to Edmonton 1870. The country was gene
rally prairie, but billy and broken, too much SO for
wagons or carts to cross. The Hudson Bay Compa-
ny have no trail or path across the plains to the
mountains They do all their business in boats, and
all of their posts in this direction except Fort Ellis
being built on the banks of the Saskatchewan
These posts are not in straight direction towards
the mountains, but we were obliged to 90 from one
post to another, on account OF our party being SO
small, and also, because no guides be procured
who will venture to the plains in the nearest
direction, it would lead into the territory Of the
Blackfeet; and also across portion Of the Sioux
territory; both of these nations, being hostile to
the whites, and at war with the Creek nation, in
whose territory we crossed most Of the way. At
Edmonton we exchanged our horses, and our party,
consisting of Messrs. Bonstul, Harris, Pettigrew,
and myself started the 18th of August for the Rocky
Mountains distant about 300 miles We could not
procure guide, because we were obliged to cross
into the Blackfeet country. Where the H. 3. Co.
cross is far to the NORTH in about 81 degrees north
latitude. We were told at Edmonton, that it was
impossible for us to get over the mountains, as Mr..
Sinclair was lost month in them with Indian guides,
and had to return and procure other guides before he
succeeded in crossing
We got a chart of the route from an Indian, and
proceeded. We proceeded very well in getting into
the mountains, but could not get them, find
where the trail continued but, after six weeks
hard work, climbing up and down, and over logs and
rocks, we came to the Kootanie river, branch of
the Columbia, in the Flathead country. We did not
see any Indians in the mountains nor any game. We
got out of provisions, and were obliged to kill two
horses and eat them, before we found any Indians,
we procured of them plenty of dried salmon, roots
and bear meat. The tops of the mountains were
covered with snow, their sides being thickly set
with small pine trees, or else with broken rocks At
Fort Colvill, on the Columbia, Messrs. Bonstul and
Pettigrew stopped to wait the coming of the H.
b. Co. boats, and Harris and myself came on with
our horses to Fort Walla Walla, then on down, by
the Dalles and Cascades, to Portland The boats Of
the H. b. Co, arrived few days after, bringing
Mcssrs. Bonstul, Pettgrcw Mccormick and Costello.
The country for 300 miles west of the mountains
is billy and mountainous; then high and broken
plains covered with brushsage and very little grass
There is no part of the country west OF the noun
Trims, except few valleys, that is fit for white
man to live on, until we get to the Daes efound
excellent feed, plenty of water, and sufficient wood,
all of the way east of the mountains. But we saw
no bufalo-they not having got as far north as We
at that season of the year-but found consider
able antelope and elk From what ! have learned
of the country, think the regular emigrant route
much preferable to going to the north.
Harris is ut work on a saw mill near Portland, for
$50 per month and board. Mccormick is in black
smith shop at Salem, working for So per day and
board. Where the balance of the company are,
do not know. ] am on my way to the mines, and
should not have undertaken so imperfect sketch
of the route, had not been aware that it would BIO
a long time before could write from the Mines and
fearing that some of the Minnesota people might
undertake to emigrate to Oregon by the route We
followed. As soon as get fixed in a ranch at the
Mines will give you few sketches of Oregon and
the gold diggings. Till then adieu and to the good
people of Minnesota would say, stay where you
are, in preference to cmigrating here.
Very respectfully yours, Sc,
HENRY DooLITTLE.