, 1853-07-30
Puget Sound Ran Road Survey.


Correspondence oil the Now York Tribune.
ST. PAuLs, Minnesota, May %, '53.
As things look now at St. Paul, Govern
Of Stevens is Just the man 10 lead the expe-
dilOn which Government has given to his
charge. A large part of the corps are al
ready on the ground and busy F. w. Lam
DER, A. w. Tlnkham, with Mr.. Adams as
assistant, all civil engineers, find plenty of
work, anticipating the arrival of the Gov
srnor, exploring the country from the upper
Mississippi TO Lake Superior. Mr.. Lander,
The chief civil engineer, reports no difficult
ty in finding a good crossing of the Missis-
uppi short distance above Sauk Rapids, not
hundred miles north of St. Paul. . l.
One Thing is certain, that advantage can
never be taken Of the navigable waters of
The ST. Louis river, which empties into Lake
Superior at its western end. Last year, on
the 18th of June, the Algonquin, a small
sail vessel made an effort from the Lake 10
reach the settlement, which is about 30 miles
up the river, and was prevented by the ice.
Now the Lake itself opens in the early part
Of May, if not the last Of April, therefore it
would be a great mistake to think of max
ing The Falls Of the ST. Louis the initial
point, so long as the road.can be carried 10
The Lake without any impediment.
This will be one of the most glorious
schemes ever opened up in America. The
facl is now settled that the road will meet
with no distractions from Lake Superior to
the Coteau des Prairies, two hundred miles
This plateau once reached, the open, smooth
prairie sweeps of for hundreds Of miles to-
wards the base of the Rocky Mountains.
The glory OF the scheme certainly is but
Iille or not fairly understood by the great
world abroad A water navigation extends
from the outlet Of Lake Erie till within one
hundred miles of where l now wriie-over
fifteen hundred miles-fo the largest steam
ELS.
At the foot Of Lake Superior the Puget
Sound Rail Road may come in, bearing 10
the East to New York the teas and cof-
fees, and silks of China and the Islands.
A branch road Of ninety-six miles will
connect the Great Lake with the navigable
waters Of the Mississppi,t two thousand miles
shove its mouth Take these items into
consideration. and no American but must
rejoiee thai the Government has taken act
I've steps 10 test the feasibility of construct.
ing road in connection with this immense
water communication, 10 link together the
two great oceans by thoroughfare across
the Continent.
Some very learned men will doubtless
discourse profoundly about the sterility of
the country so far north, and that the road
Will not change the climate nor make the
land productive. Tell such that they know
nothing whatever of the country, or Of its
lsothermal lines. God never made more
fruitful and delicious land than those portions
oi Minnesota through which the line must
run. The summer is as warm and the win
ter not so severe as in New York State.
Governor Stevens is said to be regular
50 ahead man, and so far the work shows for
aseli. His men, baggage, and about one
hundred and fifty mules, have already arriv-
cd, and work has been going on for over a
week. How he has managed so to expedite
bis affairs is problem.
Z. The shipments Of merchandise and emf
grafton to 81. Paul this spring have been
enormous 80 that many of our merchants
who purchased even in the winter, have not
yet received their supplies. The Governor
has crowded Them off and hurried his effects
along II is not easy to.deGne how much
The people Of the West admire such char
,cler Ten years is a lifetime here, and
twenty, lime out Of memory.
The organization of the expedition is as
follows:
Governor Stevens commands: Captain
Sardner heads tho escort Of mounted dra-
goons. "
The scientific corps is thus composed
SeOlOgy-Dr. Evans. Natural History
Or. Baird. Bolany-Dr. buckley. Min,
s,TaIosy-Dr. Evans. Civil Engineers--F.
v Lander, A. W. Tinkham Assistant
Adams. Topographer-J. Lambert.
A!''ronomers--G. w. Stevens, -Remen-
w. Magnetic Observer -Jekelfarul
;" Artists -SIanly, -StIobel
nave already seen some Of the Artists
WORK, and can promise the public when
governor Stevens Report is made up and
gwen to The world, there will be something
% Pleasing to the rye os to the mind