, 1854-08-05
Northern Pnciflc Rnilrond.


the selection Of route for a railroad acros,
the continent, that entrusted to Governor
Stevens, Of Washington Territory, is by faI
the most satisfactory. An ample force
was placed under the Governors command
lie was permitted to choose his own men,
and allowed such discretionary departures
from the line of his instructions as circum-
stances might render necessary. He took
the field in June, 1858, having left the
Mississippi on'the 18th of that month, and
moging steadily westward-throwing out
parties on the right and left Of his line,
surveying every stream Of any consequence,
exploring every pass again and again-he
has accomplished, in that time, the survey
Of belt extending two thousand miles
from east to west, and from one hundred
and fifty to two hundred miles from north
% south. In the Rocky mountains his eX-
plorations have extended over four hundred
miles from north to south, and in the Cas-
cade mountains over two hundred and fifty
miles. While the work of reconnaissance
was going on, the auxiliary departments Of
geology, natural history, botany, etc, were
prosecuted with vigor and success. The
results obtained in so short space Of time
are, as far as We are aware, unparalleled.
The exploration and survey have estab-
lished the practicability of the northern
Pacific railroad, connecting Puget Sound
aud the valley of the Columbia river with
the head-waters of the Mississippi river and
the great st. Lawrence basin. These ex-
plorations have been very extensive, and
have included thorough examination of
obstructions to be expected from snow
Three large well organized parties have
been in the field. One, under the personal
direction Of Gov. Stevens, left the Missis-
sippi river in June, pushed westward, on
several lines, to the Rocky mountains,
crossed them in September, and in Octo-
Der met on the Spokane Plain second
party under Capt Mcclellan, which had
made an examination of the Cascade noun
tains from the Columbia river to the forty
ninth parallel The third party, under
Lieut. Saxton, pushed forward from the
Columbia river with supply train, es;ab-
lished depot in the st. Mary's valley, and
met the advance of Gov. Stevens party in
the Blaekfeet pass in the Rocky mountains.
Winter parties were left in the mountains
to ascertain the depth of snow. Lieut..
Mullen was placed in charge of one party,
and wns stationed in the st. Mary's valley,
just west Of the Rocky mountains. Mr..
james ID. Doty was placed in charge of the
second party, stationed at Fort Benton,
east Of the mountains. A third party, un-
der Lieut.. Grover, also remained behind
to survey the upper Missouri, and to cross
all the mountain ranges to the Pacific to
ascertain the depth Of snow. From the
st. Mary's valley fourth party, under A.
W. Tinkham, Esq, was sent back over the
mountains by-a, new pass, with directions
to return on new route to extend the
field of explorations The route thus occu-
pied by Gov. Stevens and his party is tlR
route Of the two great rivers across the
continent-the Missouri and Columbia
Their tributaries interlock the whole
mountain range is broken down into spurs
and valleys, and no obstruction exists from
snow. The whole route is eminently prac-
ticable. The highest grade will be fifty
feet to the mile and it may be reduced
to forty on subsequent examination. The
summit level Of the road will be about FIVE
thousand feet above the sea. There will
be but one tunnel. The SHOWS will be less
than in the New England States. The
Missouri river has been surveyed, and found
to be navigable for steamers to the falls,
about seven hHndred miles from Puget
Sound, and five hundred miles to the point
where the main Columbia is first reached
by the railroad from the east. This FIVE
hundred miles is in. part along Clarke's
fork, affording one hundred miles naviga-
BILE for steamers 1t may be here observed
that party under Dr. SuckIey went down
Clarke's fork, from the base Of the Rocky
mountains to the Columbia, and thence to
the lower Columbia, in canoe in October
and November, developing many facts in
ragard to the part it must play in the
building Of railroad. They went the
whole distance in canoes, except one link
of sixty miles. All the winter parties were
heard from or had come in on the 25th ol
March. The developments are extraordi.
nary. In the first place as to snow:
Lieut. Grover crossed the Rocky noun,
tains in the middle Of January, and found
but one foot Of snow in the pass none in
the valleys. Lieut. Mullen crossed the
Rocky mountains four times in December
and January, aud the greatest depth o.
snow found by him was fifteen inches, and
that for a short distance. He writes tc
Gov. Steyens, late in January, that by
spring he will have explored every pass in
the Rocky mountains from the South Pas,
to the 49th parallel. He dwells on the
luxuriant grass Of the valleys in midwinter
and expresses the opinion that it must be
come a great emigrant route. The Flat
head Indians cross these mountains with
horses during every month Of. the winter
i At Fort Benton, just east of the mountains
4 there is not snow enouOh NOR has ther,