, 1853-12-24

South is Icing examined by Mr.. linEham,
"ue Of the civil engineers. All three q
these routes are now practicable for pack
animals. are much used by the Indians going
n the Buffalo hunt, and the two former can,
at a comparatively small expense he made
wagon roads Put again the ten men and
tie six OF wagon on the route, and in three
months the wagon trail is made.
Owing TO the admirable survey of Capt.
Mcclellan, the geography Of the Cascade
Range has been tho. onghly developed, and
the Snc qualme Pass, thirty miles north Of
Mt. Rainier. has been found to be only
about thirty-Gve hundred feet above the
s,a, will involve grades not excaeding forty
feet 10 the mile, and will lring an excellent
line TO the haIbor of the Sound, The gus
tion of snow aud The difficulties to be en-
couniered ;hcrrfrom, will be fully invcsliga-
ted this winter by winter parties, but do
not anticipate any insuperable obstacles ;
en- the contrary, all the information that
has been gained leads 10 the conclusion that
the difficulties will be insignificant, not
greater than in the mountainous regions
where the cars now run in the Northern
States. Without pretending TO speak from
full information, i am satisfied the passes
in these ranges are lower, the climate milder
and the difficulties of oil kinds less Than in
those further south. The Sound can be
reached from the line Of the Columbia river
Ly the admirable route of the Cowliz river,
with its easy grades, its abundant timber, its
coal and minerals Of all descriptions and
the line of tn, Columbia moreover looks 10
a connection with California via the Wi.lAm-
,ite valley aud 10 the roads from the States
passing through the Salt Lake region, comes
ESSENTIALLY and fundamentally into the pur-
view Of The Norlhern field and will not be
neglected. As regards tho intermediate
country. the feasibility and chrapness Of the
route Is extraordinary. Whatever passes
are selected good routes will connect them.
The Columbia river can b, hridsed, and we
have an excellent knowledge Of the best
,rossings
Turning now our attention 10 the Mis-
uis,ippi river, il was examined with great
rsre for nearly two hundred miles Of lis
I,no,b and much attention was given to lis
crossings as far down as Dubuaue. From
81. Paul norlhward are several excellent
crossings. that will connect with Lake Su-
nrrior and the routes running 10 the North
west from Chicago. Ietwoan the NI.ssis.
.irni and III, mouth of the Yellowstone are
,wn erca, landmarks, the keys of the many
praeticabls routes which stretch wesl ward
from ,he Mis,issipp,. The Plateau of the
Dois dcs Sioux river running north 10 R ID
River and Hudson's Bay, and great con
,luit of lumber and possibly of railroad iron !;
and ,hc broad. oppn valley Of Mouse river.
which. 40 far rron, having its source within
ONE mile Of the Missouri as laid down on
ali Ihe mans. runs in a valley Of ci,ht TO
Iweniv miles broad, at about the SANE ple-
vnt;on as The valley of The Missouri. and
s,naralcd from il by a coteau some six hun
did lret high This cotrsn finally turns
90 The North, extending into British terri.
tory. and the ascent to il Is By easy grades
If len feet and we then descend inio the
,slIsvs Of The Missouri and lis tributaries
with oradp, no, exceeding earty Eet.-
''bsncs 10 The mountains are two good
routes: IN, on, BY Milk river which, in.
.Ir,d Of running North as laid down by the
I,,ss, autboritiss. runs nearly duo west.
n,raIlcl n the general cours, of the Mis-.
rouri. aud the other between the Milk and
Missouri rivers. Throughout The entire
distance fron, The Mississinpi 10 tl,s noun.
,airs ,he crasy IL GOOD and for most Of the
dislance lnxur,ant. In one case wafer was
ma, found for some tw.nly miles. in some
two or three others for fifteen mills. and in
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