The weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1852-1858, 1854-05-13

the y. .. DIstrict OOurt, TeCcutiy III seSSion d.
Chicago, presented the present mail arrange
ments Of the West as public nuisance. If they
had included the Postmaster General himself
they would not have been much out of the way.
The Jury comprised the leading citizens of
Northern Illinois, including one Democratic
editor-Bross of the Chicago Democratic Press.
The following is the presentment -
To Hon. Ihos. Drun,n,ond, Judge of the U. S.
District Court, for the District of Illinois.
The undersigned members of the Grand Jury
for the District Court of the United States for
the District Of Illinois, at its April term, 1854,
respectfully present, That upon the investiga-
ton of the case of the United States against
Sylvester King, for abstracting letters from the
United States Nail, the said King being engag-
ed in the transportation of the mail between
Warren and Galena, in the State Of Illinois.
from one ofthe way bags on said route, the said
mail-bag being presented as part OF the evidence
in the case, was found to be SO insecure and di-
lapidated as TO afford insufficient security for
the mail matter contained in it one of the sta
pies for fastening the mouth of the bag was
gone, and had been for the last six months as
stated by the Postmaster at Galena, thereby
enabling the said King or any other person, to
take from it any part, VI the hole Of the con-
tents fsaid bag.
The undcr-i gncd would further present, That
in their opinion there is gross and palpable neg
| ligence somewhere in the post Office establish
Inent, to permit the peoples mail to be trans
ported in manner so unsafe and insecure. They
| therefore respectfully request that these facts
may be presented to the post Office department
at Washington, that measures may be speedily
adopted to remedy the evil
h,x-n
alluded frequently to the absurdity of the argu-
mdnt, that the Northern route for the Pacific
Railroad was impracticable on account of the
depth of snow in the Mountains. We find the
following interesting facts connected with this
question in our our exchanges. The eXplora-
tions of Mr.. Tinkham, who, it will be reccollec-
ted was one of Gov. Stevens corps ofengineers.
took place, Of course, during the last winter:
The Pioneer and } cmocrat, published in
Olympia Washington Territory, uudcr date of
Feb 4th. thus announces the arrival Of Mr.. Alb.
W. Tinkham, who has been for number of
years in the employ of Col. now Gov Stevens:
Since our last issue, Mr.. Tinkham, one of the
civil engineers of the northern Pacific railroad
exploration. has reached this place, having since
the 10th of October crossed the Rocky Noun
tains for the second Or third time.
Mr.. Tinkham with his party, consisting of an
| Indian guide and three men, were fifteen days
making their way on snow shoes through the
! Ger I'd Alene mountains, carrying on their backs
fifty to seventy pounds cach and living mostly
on Hour and salt. He crossed the Cascades
simply accompanied by five Yak-c-mab Indians.
This winter route by Mr. Tinkhan, for hardi-
hood and success has never been surpassed on
the continent and besides adding greatly to
| the question of route has furnished information
indispens able to remove the doubts which have
existed as to the Olstruct:Ons to be anticipated
| from snow.
The editor then goes on to speak of the OBJ
structions of the southern routes which have
been explored-all of which were more or less
obstructed by snow-but not to such degree
as had been reported. He says: '.It has been
no new thing to find in the papers ofthe United
| States intelligence from our great unknown in
terror furnished by guides, Indians and others,
and stating the winter SHOWS of the different
mountain passes to be as above. The southern
routes for a railway could not claim to be free
| from this difficulty; what then was to become
OF our northern route. traversing country be-
tween the 10th and 10th parallels? These OBJ
Jectlons, the cold and snow, have been q profile
! source OF argument to the opponents of this
| route, and were freely urged before the starting
of the expedition which has now reached the
waters OF the Souud-provng at least that a.
| Sluc lIOiI tHtSc ODSltClCS, we nave Il railroad
route in all respects for its dircctness its econ
omy of construction. and its facilities for cheap
operation when the locomotive shall take its
place upon it,
| To investigate the question ofsnow Gov. Ste
vcns determined to send out expeditions at mid
winter to traverse the Rocky Mountains. The
region between Olympia and the mountains was
entrusted to Grover, while the Bitter Root and
| the Cascade ranges of mountains were cntrust-
cI fo M TinEhon NJ of .l,o
winter months. with only indians for his COM
panions, travcrsing those dreary regions, and
at one period, as he writes home. subsist:ng for
fifteen days on dry -four and salt alone. He
passed down the Bitter Root range in Decem-
Der, and in the open valley of the ST. Mary's river
found no snow-the weather was fine and the
grass green. Leaving the valley, he found on
the mountains no more serious obstruction of
snow than is found in our northern Atlantic
States. The editor says: 'IIerc in the middle
of December, on the high grounds occupied by
the TRAIL at least six and even seven thousand
feet above the sea. was there snow three feet
deep. occasionally four feet deep: and in spots
of few hundred feet extent six feet deep. But
this was on the high grounds, while the railroad
line far below, would at that period Of the year
be free from SNOW"
On the 18th of January. we find our intrepid
traveller about 40 miles distant, ascending the
snow shoes, but the snow was so light that he
found travelling in them was very difficult
"Without other company" says the account.
ethan the 1;k-e-mah Indians whom he took
with him, Mr.. Tinkham crossed the divide call
ed the sno-qual-mc pass on the 2lst of January.
after deep fall of snow, and the depth was
on the summit no greater than from six to seven
feet; thu accumulated SHOWS up to that period,
and which taken in their successive deposites.
would he an insignificant obstruction to a road
properly equipped. The railroads of our north
ern and eastern States, especially the woods of
Maine. encounter much worse snow without
breaking the regularity oftheir running time
Fourteen miles beyond the pass, the snow is
only eight inches deep, and then gradually
| fades away as the descent is made toward the
Sound: so that. adds the account the whole ey-
tent of country covered by snow over two feet
deep is only 45 miles broad, while the snow of
six feet depth, extends for only some half doz-
en- miles,"
gs- Some saucy editor has been getting up