New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1854-01-25
THE PACIFIC RAILROAD.


The NORTHERN RoUrE-Gov. Stevens has published
the following il regard to the northern route which no sur
veyed:
between be Basin Of the st. Lawrence che head waters
of the Mississippi and Puget Sound its adaptation TO set
Element, s railroad routes, its emgrant roads and the
romadic tribes within it's borders viii be the subject of
the following articles Resting the two great rivers of
the essern and western coast the hi souri, and Columbia
cornects by navig alo stream with Hgtsons Bay and
the Arctic Ocean. Between the upper tributaries Of these
two rivers the Rocky Mountains broken into spurs,
filed with beautiful and fertile v0lleys furnishing several
rood masses much lower than the southern passes AID
being by barometro measurement more than 1900 feet
below tie South Pass Tho head of navigation of the
Missouri is only about 700 miles from the waters of Puget
Sound neXhausbe in IFS lumber It's coal and It's fisheries
nnd in this distance there long reach of the COlum
bia na,g hble for steamers.
From Ills head of navigation in 200 miles and in ten
days the emant reaches that beautiful valley in Wash
iBgon Territory at the base of the mountains which even
the honest and simI le minded Flahead Inlians have
filed with cattle and raised wheat and potatoes for their
own use. Through this valley all the ladisns, from the
Cascades 10 the Rocky Noun aims pass their way to
the Buffalo plains between the Missouri aud Yellow
stone whore with the Crows aud Blackfcet, they lay in
their stores OF meat and robes and which has boon the
Of many sangumary conflicts. The best natural
wagon roads connect the head Of navigation of the Mis-
souri, with the fertile valleys along all the streams issuing
from the Rocky Mountains 10 the head Of the Yellowstone
valleys mild cattle need not shelter in winter rich in
buffalo grass, aboundng in wood aud the water of the
pures quality and game, buiSo elk deer big horn ante
ope black bear in the greatest abundance. The passes
ore yoGy traversod by the Flghend Indians between
horseback, March
avoe month for the breaking up Of the buiSo hunt by
the Washington Territory Indians and their return
the mountains their homes the plains and in the val
leys of the Columbia river and its tributaries From the
head of navigation Of the Mississippi to the head of nayga
ton Of the Missouri through he territory of Minnesota and
the region occupied 10y the Assenebone the Grosventres
and the Blackfeet tho emrant will fad grass every
mile OF the route and water at greater distances than
fifteen ard scarcely at greater distances than miles
hyreds Of buffalo occupy this vast region, and their
beers have sebsbly diminished though 1000 Red River
hunters each his fact baO horse, four months each
year pour death into their ranks and they almost the
only subsistence of some 25, OO0 Indians.
-Four routes within the Territory Of Washington are
pursued by the Indians in passing from the valley at the
western b0se Of the Rocky Mountains 10 the plains and
valleys between the CGur Eleene and Cascade Noun
tsins. The Ceur Eleene Mountains, extension of
the Blue Mountains TO Clarks Fork of the Columbia
north Of which the range known Kouteny Mountains
occupy the whole width Of the Territory for distance of
from leo to 100 miles is covered with heavy timber and
numerous well erased though narrow valleys The Nez
Pereez, the Spokanes. the Peude dOleillos the Ceur
have from three to four horses for each man woman and
child, and even children of year and half old will be
seen guiding their horses hand only the rein
tei unconscious they were exciting the wonder and ad
miraiion Of the passerby.
The Cascade Mountains have two good passes, and
Puget Sound is found climate Of extraordinary salnbry,
mhder than that OF Virgins, and the same average tenn
perature though equabe than that of San Francisco
snd soil which yields rich returns the husbandman
The strawberry often in blossom in December and Feb
rusy end ice has to be imported from the colder regions
Of the north
The country between the Cascades and the Cnur
Eeine Mountains is generally well adapted to grazing
tillage and much OF II is exceedingly well wsered
Many Of the Indian tribes known to BE rich in horses.
and they have made considerable advances in the cutva
lion 0fthe soil.
suCh the general character of the country connecting
Puget Sound the great roadstead Of the Northern Pacific
with the great basin of the st Lawrence. Tapping the
magnificent valley of the Upper Mississippi having within
it, borders the Missouri and Columbia the tributaries Of
hs wagon roads and s railroads and themselves great
channels Of communication the Rocky Mountains broken
into spurs and filed with valleys the other mountains hav
ing practicable passes adds not little TO its interest that
the scene Of the abors of first, most sue
cessfu and dauntess explorers, Lewis and Clark
The sagacity ofJeersOn saw that here great nat
ura route and he placed the ct the work who made
known to the nation. Public attention has now become
fixed upon this field Of the countys first greet explore
ton. accomplished nearly half century ago. This hsld
We viii examine and describe In series Of articles.