Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1854-02-23
THE PACIFIC RAILROAD.

THE PACIFIC RAILROAD.
TEA NORTHERN RoUTE.--Gov. Stevens has
published the following in regard to the north
ern route which he surveyed:
The geographical Importance of the region of
country between the Basin of the st. Lawrence,
the head waters of the Mississippi and Puget
Sound, its adoption to settlement, its railroad
routes, its epaigrant roads and the nomadic
tribes within its borders will be the subject Of
the following article. Resting on the two great
rivers of the eastern and western coast, the Mis-.
souri, and Columbia, it connects by navigable
stream with Hundson's Bay and the Arctic
Ocean. Between the upper tributaries of these
two rivers, the Rocky Mountains are broken
up into spurs, filed with beautiful and fertile
valleys, furnishing several good passes much
lower than the southern passes, and one being
oy barometic measurement more than 500 feet
below the South Pass. The head of navigation
OF the Missouri.is only about 700 miles from
the waters Of Puget Sound, inexhuastable in its
LUMBER its coal and its fisheries, and in this dis
tAnce there is one long reach of the Columbia
navigable for steamers.
From the head Of navigation in 200 miles and
i'll ten days, the emigrant reaches that beautiful
valley in Washington Territory, at the base of
the mountains which even the honest and sim
pie minded Flathead Indians have filed with
cattle, and raised wheat and potatoes for their
own use. Through this valley all the Indians,
from the Cascade to the Rocky Mountains pass
on their way to the vast Buffalo plains between
the Missouri and Yellowstone, where with the
Cows Blackfeet, they lay in their stores Of
meat and robes and which has been the scene of
many sanguinary conflicts. The best natural
wagon roads connect the head of navigation Of
the Missouri with the fertile valleys along all
the streams issuing from the Rocky Mountains
to the head of the Yellow-stone-valleys SO mild
cattle need not shelter in winter, rich in Buff
falo grass, abounding in wood, and the water Of
the purest quality, and game, buffalo, elk, deer,
elk big. horn antelope, black BEAR in the greatest
abundance. The passes are yearly traversed by
the Flathead Indians between Christmas and
New-Years on horseback, and March is the
favorita month for- tho hroaking up the huffaln
hunt by the Washington Territory Indians, and
their return across the mountains to their homes
on the plains and in The valleys of the Column
bia river and its tributaries. From the head
of navigation of the Missouri through the ter
ritory of Minnesota and the region occupied by
the Assenebonies, the Grosyentres and the Black
feet, the emigr mt will find grass over every
mile of the route, and water never at greater
distances than ten miles Myriads of Buffalo
occupy this vast region, and their number have
not sensibly diminished, though 1000 Red River
hunters, each on his fast buffalo horse, four
months each year pour death into their ranks,
and they are almost the only subsistence of
some 25 1000 Indians.
Four routes within the Territory of Washing
ton are pursued by the Indians in passing. from
the Valley at the western base of the Rocky
Mountains to the plains and valleys between the
Cear d'E 'Eleicne and Cascade Mountains The
COeur d Eleiene Mountains, an extension of the
Blue Mountains to Clarks Fork of the Column
bia, north of which range is known as Koutney
Mountains, occupy the whole width to l20
miles, is covered with heavy timber and numer-
Gus well-grassed though narrow valleys. The
Nez Pereez, the Spekanes the Peude d'Oleilles,
the C@ur 'Eleienes, and other tribes, in cross
ing these mountains have from three to four
horses for each man, woman and child, and even
children of a year and half old will be seen
guiding their horses, one hand only on the rein,
entirely unconscious they were exciting the won
der and admiration of the passer-by.
The Cascade Mountains have two good passes,
and on Puget Sound is found climate of ex-
traordinary salubrity, milder than that of vir-
ginia and the sameaverage temperature, though
more equable than that Of San Francisco, and q
soil which yields rich returns to the husband.
man. The strawberry is often in blossom in De.
cember and February, and ice has to be import
ed from the colder regions Of the north.
The country between the Cascades and tn,
Coeur d'Eleiene Mountains is generally adapted
f to grazing or tillage, and much of it is exceed
ingly well watered. Many of the Indian tribe.
are known to be rich in horses, and have mad
! considerable advances in the cultivation of tn
soil
Such is the general character of the countr
: connecting Puget Sound, the great roadstea,
4 of the Northern Pacific, with the great basin q
. the St. Lawrence. Tapping the magni6een
. valley of the Upper Mississippi, having With
; its borders the Missouri and Columbia, the tr;t
utaries Of its wagon roads and its railroads, an
= themselves great channels, of communication
1 the Rocky Mountains broken into spurs an
i filled with valleys, other mountains having pra,
ticable passes, it adds not little to its intere
n that it was the scene of the labors of our frs
Q most successful and most dauntless explorer
e Lewis and Clark. The sagacity of Jefferson sa
g that here was great natural route. and
IS placed the men at the work who made il know
g to the nation. Public attention has No
!. become fixed upon this field Of the country
9 first great exploration, accomplished nearly ha
s century ago.-Pioneer. a
VI.