The weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1852-1858, 1853-07-16

able representative abroad when W. G. LeDuc
is away from home, let him be wherever he
may
To the Editor Of the New York Herald
NEW YORK HOTEL, June 2S, 1853
notice in your paper of this morning an ar
tcle on the Pacific Railroad i'm which YOU make
mention of and dismiss the Northern route, 1.-THE
survey of which was commenced at st. Paul. by
Col. Stevens. some few weeks since,) in the fol-
lowing brief and erroneous paragraph -
The most nOrtheriy route is that of Colonel
Stevens, which contempates making Puget's
Sound, at the northern extremity of the United
States on the Pacific, the terminus. We appre-
bend that this will be found too far north. too
much among the SHOWS and abyrnths ofmoun-
talns aud difficult rivers, rocks and defles. and
too long for the purpose. in view of through
ticket in the shortest possible time, and at the
least expense
1t is true that with editorial astuteness YOU
only apprehend that this will be too far north
&C.; but your apprehensiOns are those of the
great majority of people whose only knowledge
of the subject is obtained by a glance at the
map" and from reading papers of such uniycr-
sal circulation as the Herald, for this reason,
viz. that the opinion of the people generally
coincide with yours, and will receive contrma-
ton and prejudice from the paragraph above.
deem it important to offer some statement of
facts in regard to the northern route to the
Pacific.
In remarking upon the southern route YOU
say that, s. \ glance at the map will show that
throughout its whole extent it avoids the noun
tains, and the deep SHOWS of the mountain pas
SEES of the other routes" Allow me, i'm the
start, to correct this statement by saving that
glance at any map now published of any of the
routes proposed, can convey but the most crude
imperfect, superficial, and oftentimes erroneous
Impressions, in regard to the country Or its sus-
capabilities for the purpose of road making.
The southern, the middle. and northern routes
and every one of them, and any other routes
across this continent, must cross mountainous
country, and in this respect that route is best
which has the least distance through the noun
tains, and in which the mountain passes are
most nearly in the proper line of direction, and
offer the lightest grades. The two raIiges of
the Andes, or Rocky Mountains, which mark
our western territory, approach each other to-
wards our northern boundary. The head wa
tiers of the Columbia the Saskatchewan. and the
Missouri are all found in this vicinity. and III
terlocking with each other; and in no other
Place on the soil of the United States is the dis
lance across the mountain ranges so short as in
the latitude of Pugct's Sound. From St Paul
westward, Col. Stevens will pass through an
undulating prairie country. intersperscd with
groves of timber and lakes, until he passes by
the head waters of the Red River of the north.
when he will find the vast buffalo plains which
extend through to the head waters of the Mis-
souri, and Columbia. with scarcely an impede
mcnt. The "labyrinths of mountains" there
fore Will be by actual survey resolved down to
the shortest possible crossing in the United
States and the clue to that labyrinth will be
found already marked out by the Columbia or
its branches. Now for the "dificult rivers"
From st. Paul to the heads ofthe Missouri there
are no rivers of any consequence to cross, ey-
cept the Missouri itself, which it is proposed to
cross twice, and at such points that no common
road would consider the difficulties as at all
much less impractcable. On the
west side of the Rocky Mountains there is but
one stream of any agnitndc-Clarks fork of
the COiumbia-which it is presumed will not be
more difficult to follow. or to bridge. than the
Colorado, the Gila or the Rio Graudc.
glance at the map will give you an idea
of the comparative distance between points
whose latitude and longitude are determined
which very short examination of the map will
Think convince you is by many miles the
shortest to the Pacific. and by many hundred
miles to the coast of China and the empire of
Japan, towards which we are looking with such
an avariciOus gaze. If the northern route to
the Pacific be - too long for the purpose we
MAY rcnOuncc all nope or intention OF making q
road, for shorter cannot be found Nor can
either Ofthc more southern routes I've built SO
speedily. Or so cheaply, as the northern. The
northern route can be commenced at no less
than four different points. all of which can be
approached hy steam navigation. From st.
Paul or the west end of Lake superior, it can
be worked westward from the crossings of the
Missouri, to which men and materials can be
taken 10y steamboats, from st. Louis, it can be
worked in both directions, and from Pugct's
Sound 1t can progress eastward. This is mat
ter worthy of consideration, when the country. (
md the events Of the times, demand the most
speedy completion of the road
There is now railroad connection from New /
DIRK to Chicago. and a railroad projected and |
chartered from Chicago. by way of Madison to |
st. Paul, and thence to the western part of Min |
lcsota. This road is in running order to James
lille, and under contract to Madison. and is be-
ng surveyed from Madison to st. Paul. If ST. /
PAUL be the point of commencement for this
oad as it is the initial point of survey, it will
&c easily accessible by the Mississippi
The Mississippi is navigablc for irst-class
'oats during the spring and summer and fall
months, which will serve to convey such mate
lais and supplies as are not to be had on the
pot. Again the Mississippi and Lake Superb
II road from st. Paul to the west end of Lake
superior connects with the rich iron. and cop
'er. and lumber region north of st. Paul.
his road, when built. will connect the Gulf of
It. Lawrence and all the lake ports with the