The daily Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1854-1855, 1854-05-18

ham crossed TINS pass IN JANUARY or SIX mtieS Ou
the divide the snow from six to seven feet. 1t
then rapidly died out both eastwards and westwards,
only about tort, miles in all, having snow from one
and half feet, to SIX feet. The Columbia River
line affording connection with both Oregon and
Washington, will be recommended as certainly practi-
cabe-the qual-me Pass line saving one hundred
and fifty miles probably practicable but requiring
subsequent examination. The results of the survey
may be summed up follows Three lines run from
the Mississippi River to the Rocky Mountains; nine
passes explored in the Rocky Mountains to the end Of
January; three lines from the Rocky Mountains
to the Columbia River and Puget Sound; the Cas-
cades explored from the Columbia River to the 49th
parallel; Puget Sound examined with reference to a
railroad depot; the fact that not the slightest OBJ
struction will occur from snow established beyound
controversy.
We are permitted, through the courtesy Of the Hon.
IL. H. SHELLEY, to make extract from letter
ceivcd by him from the distinguished explorer, which
we publish revealing in its style the energy and d.
recness of character of its writer. Referring to his
arduous labors, he remarks:
owe had, indeed, extraordinary success
Northern route. The route eminently practicable
no Instructions from snowthe Missouri navigabe to
the Falls-the country well watelcd and Astounding
in grass-no difficulties from Indians-ihese the
salient facts of the years work.
"My relations in the Territory exactly as de-
sire. and am now ON my way to Washington City
to submit my report-urge the continuance OF the
ploraionS- be ready to take to the plains in per-
son, should it be desirable in reference to Indian
relations.
''Let hear from you at your earliest convent
ence in reference to what is doing in Minnesota
What is your population; and what will probably be
the annual increase TO lS6O!'
The indomtable energy of Governor STEVENS
the complete success of his explorations in dctemin-
ing only the feasibility of the Northern route but
in stamping it as by far the shortest, most practicable
Of any-these facts furnish grounds to look for
ward into the future with hopes. and larger
faith in the ultimate greatness of our magnificent
Northwest. But we will no longer keep read
ers from the speech, which have already too long
prefaced-
Ladies and GcnNemcn-Falo,c-Ci Citizens of the
City Of San Francisco and of the State of Cali
tornia:-I congratulate myself for this opportu-
nifty of addressing you. Your city, with its Co.
600 pcoplc-your State, with its 100000 people
your hundreds of millions of golden dust, and
your enterprise, which has given not OILY an i'm
pulse to the commerce of our common country,
but the commerce of the world, arc the marvel of
city, or your State, your golden dust, or your
tcemng commerce, that have excited the adnra-
ton and attention of philosophical and patriotic
hearts, your constitution and your mode of put
ting it into operation. You came here as miners,
in the eager pursuit of gold; but you paused in
mid-career to organize State, and you have laid
here at this early dayton this western coast, the
solid foundation of empre-you have given the
most significant indication to the world of the
progress of our peOple-yOu have shown that the
western movement of the country to this coast wa
no ephcmeral thing, but a solemn fact, having an
influence on the worlds history -(applause )-and
[ have here, fellow -citizcns, this evening,
to endeavor to explain somewhat that great ques-
ton which has grown out of your past acts. The
establishment of internal communications is, say,
a question of consolidation of an empire. Gap
plausc)
| Fellow ctizcns-This subject is too vast to be
approached in a sectional point of view. 1t COM
prehends the length and breadth of country ex-
tending from ocean to ocean and from the Gulf of
Mexico, that vast Mediterranean sea, with its
$lOOO0OO0O wOrtk of commerce, to the great
lakes with about the same amount. propose,
therefore, to examine first the general sub cct, and
will endeavor TO present the geographical position
of the country, and to apply the facts to past
experience in relation to the capacity of the peo-
pie of this Continent to construct not road, but
several roads, to the Pacific Ocean. (Applause J
Tie Gulf of Mexico and the great lakes are the
two grand geographical facts i'll the connection of
the shores OF the two great oceans by iron bonds.
| These lakes approach within nineteen hundred
miles of the Columbia River and the magnificent
and capaciOus Puget's Sound, and the Gulf of
Mexico approaches even nearer to San Fran
ciscO-San Francisco, whose very name is enough
without lusing superatives. Any scheme of
connecting the western coast with the Atlantic
slope without taking into consideration these two
great facts would be fatal Let us look at it care
Ill I,x-fI
We have system of railroads-we have a system
OF canals-we have system of navigation by
ocean, by river, by lake. What are the facts? On
the large canals, without expensive locking, we
can tralsT rot merchandise for two or three mills
per ton, per milc-On ocean voyages We transport
merchandise at one and half per cent. per mile
| on lakes and rivers courses we transport mcr-
chandise at two and half or three mills per mile,
and so through the great lakes. On railroads, with
favorable grades it costs from four to eight mills
per ton per mile. Let me give you some facts
more to the point. The merchandise from New
York. by her Hudson River and system of canals
can be taken to Buffalo for S. so to So so per
ton, and on the railroads from Sc to So So willie
merchandise can be carried to New York on her
rivers and on her canals from the great lakes and
even from st. Louis, for about the same price as
you must give for merchandise to Buffalo by the
railroads, not that the canals or lakes are anita
gonlstIc to railroads. By no means: There is no
dh'dSohiS'ii: All 20 toSe'ner, anu nave tnelr APP
propriate place. Thus in the great State of New
York we ind them running line after line of rel-
roads, and enlarging the Erie Canal. Thus, we
find Virginia perfecting her great water commune
cation by the James River and Kanawha Canal.
and also pushing forward her railroads So much
for the bearing of the great water communications
About the great railroad communications let me
present some of the facts in relation to their pro-
gress. We have at this moment II 800 miles of
railroad in operation-I forgot that this was two
months ago; to that we may add 1000 miles at