The weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1852-1858, 1854-05-20

priests and trappers that this was certainly prac
tcable route doubt not that our American pro-
gross and American enterprise have simply to ell.
counter difficulties to overcome them. / have nc
doubt that from San Francisco good route will
be found to Texas and the Southern States, and
the Gulf Of Mexico, with good connection with the
Middle and Northern States In the subsequent
portion of my remarks shall refer to this subject
again, in reference to what | conceive TO be the
duty of the government at this iuncture.
We have, fellow citizens, great continent, and
IN the heart Of this continent Is the Great Sail
Lake, the colony Of the Mormons. This, it seem.
to me- IN view Of the great progress of Iowa and
Missouri in railroads. must be point of railroad
Communication. If the route be found practicable
the roads from Iowa and Missouri ought to be ex-
tended To the Great Salt Lake, and from that
point we may be able To push road through
Mobiles Pass to the Sacramento Valley. Gentle
men, there is a third route, too, in an unknown
region, an undevcloped region, rich in resources
and destined to lead to a great port Of trade.
refer to the route it was my duty to explore. To
crafty what suppose NAV be the wishes of the
audience, will give a brief view Of that cxl lora-
ton. (Applausc) And when do SO, it is SIM
ply 10 illustrate the general question, and to vim
IIcate the grounds have taken, that we must not
have one but several routes to the Pacific Ocean
Fellow citizens, through the partiaiity of the Ad-
rinlstration and the Department, which thought
only taa highly of my services, was placed in
charge Of the exploration of the Northern route
That route CONNECTS the great St Lawrence Basin
and the great reads moving through Canada and
the Southern shores Of the basin-by the Northern
shore Of the Missouri river, to pass at IL 81, to the
columbia alley and Puget's Sound. The plan was
10 operate liz three Ja,tes-One starting from the
Mississippi river, and moving wcstward-the Sec
ceud was to start from the TO uuIbIa river, for the
plrpssc T exploring the Cascade range; and the
third party was to move from the Columbia river
rake 3 rapid reconnaissance nf the country, and
establish depot in the heart Of the Imourt;ns,
and meet us La the passes Of the Rocky Mountains.
Fellow -ctize,s this is IL brief the plan of opera
fisns j do not intend ta weary YOU With plUlx
details We moved FROM the NLssjssj ppi river in
three parties To one was sSigned the DUTY OF
Surveying the Missouri, to ascertain if it was
adapted To the purpose of supplies for the build
ing of railroads The two other parties moved
across the Plains, and carly in August we ren1lez-
voused at Fort tnon Fro& Fort Unisn pro-
s'eedcd towards the Rocky Nountains, and there
surveyed the vari"ss approaches for some twenty
days Fort Benton Is one hundred miles east Of
shc mountains, and small party remained there
duriag the winter t" make observations in regard
to the snow. Having crossed the Rocky Noun
ta:ns, finally reudezrouscd in the beautiful
valley VI ST NJ iry's, the last day Of Septcn-
Der, and there another party was planted Of Is
neu, with orders Ia tirn their faces to the noun
tain passes and not leave them till they were
driven out by the s,ow- Gentlemen. this was a
very improper order, rs l have since found oct,
and have sent orders t" counicr,Dand it-thcrc is
a.ori 10 dire Nesa s,s At Fort Benton, east of
tive R"ui2iils. another party WAS despatched down
The Missouri for tlx. purpose of surveying the por
lion above FO!t Union, aud then 10 return, i'll Srder
that they might cr~s the mountains with dog
tEain, and they did cross, stirling on the ID of
JANUARY; and when they crtsscd the Rocky
Mountains, Lieutenant Grover found it necessary
,o Gisi,aai his dogs The party sent back over
the NOUN; aims returned by a new route king a
th,.rl l,,,n In, fIa
meantime. Capt. Mcclellan having organized
party ut Columbia Barracks, made the survey OF
the cascade range, from TIE Columbia river to
above the 18th PARABLE. There were two or three
colncdcnts of this surveying party that were
somewhat remarkable Ny advance party under
Lieut. Grover, and the party Of Lieut. Sartan, from
the Columbia river, met in the very pass III the
Rocky Mountains that We had fixed for meeting
IN the city of Washington left Capt. Mcclellan
iT Philadelphia at \, NJ. on the niening of the
10Th of May, and we reached Colviilc, on the Up
i"r C"lu,nba the app"lntcd place of meeting
from the Mississippi and he from the Pacific
coai-on the 18th October, the very same day,
and that without once having heard from COM
inunicatcd with each other in the meantime.
Gentlemen, have gained these results from
that ex ploraton We have established the entire
practicabiity of a railroad route from the great
lakes 10 Puscts Sound bv the Columbia river. We
have tunnel of two and half mics ia length.
J rec"lcct the exact CONFORMATION of the country.
It Is the route Of the Two great rivers across the
country, the Mssiss ppi and Columbia. Going
west We follow the flowing water-9"ing east We
follow flowing water. There it is all in one brief
word. Gentlemen, for the advantages growing
ont of the exploration have to refer you to facts
.f the survey. We find the Miss uri Iutvigabc for
steamers within five hundred miles of the head of
navigation of the Columbia river.
One party starring from the West, passed the
Rocky Mountains, and went in a canoe I" Column
luece Of being off tile Railroad llue. In reference
SHOW, it must be- gratifying t" you to learn that
VIC studied that subject. 1t has been to me 4
source ui much reflection, and it is great gra:Ifl-
cation that did not cct involved in greater er-
rnr. We reached Font Union early in August. My
men ut that time were Inexperienced and required
To he taught. They had submitted patiently and
mildly 1" rcproof som, times ,njustiy; for when
great object Is ones mind We have no time
except to give orders and that they are obcyed.
felt grateful Ia them, and on reaching Fort un-
On L called up my men, thanked them for their
good services and gave every man permission to
90 home. We did not know at Fort Union what
was before -Four hundred and sixty miles cast
of the Rocky Mountains, they told us that We
should find sn"w knee deep before we could get
within 1910 n,iics. and would have it ~ feet deep
in the PASSES. We had work before us. We were
determined 10 go 10 the valley of the Columbia
and to Pugcts Sound.
After reaching Fort Benton We had commune
cati. n with the American Fur Company, who for
20 YEA have been in that part of the country, and
rciihcr ti,cy nor the Black Feet Indians knew "b-
.olutelv an thing about the snow in the Mountain
rasscs. Ticl, lest opinion was, that it would be
safe fer Us la soilough the passes a, an early day.
Hence We lcfi thc,", not knowing how were to
make good our survey to the Pacific slope. On
approaching ST. Mary.s Valley, we came IN con-
,act with the honest slmrle-hcartcd, truly rcl-
gious Flat Head Indians, the noblest Indians on
,liis cot,tincut brave as white men. who seorn to
tell lie, and VIII" in their many conflicts with the
Black Feet have shown themselves to be brave Ill
battle and mcrciful in victory. (l.pplause3
1 met these honest aud good Flat Head Indians,
and that they crossed the mountains in winter, and
that their favore time for crssing was between