Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1854-02-04
THE PACIFIC RAILROAD.


ders will be the subject Of the following ar.
ticles. Resting on the two great rivers Of
the eastern aud western coast, the Missouri |
and Columbia, ii connects by navigable
stream with Hudson's Bay and the Arctic |
Ocean. Between the upper tributaries Of
these two tivers, The Rocky Mountains are
broken into spars, filled with beautiful and
fertile valleys, furnishing several good passes
much lower !han the southern passes, and one
being BY barome,ric measurement more than
1900 fee, below the South Pass. The head
Of navigation Of the Missouri is only abou,
700 miles from The mouth of the Puge, Sound.
inexhaustible in it's timber, its coal and its
fisheries, and in all the distance there is one
long reach of the Columbia navigabe for
steamers.
From this head of navigation in 200 miles
and in ten days the cmgrant reaches that
beautiful valley in Washington Territory, al
the base of the mountains which even the
honest and simple-minded Flathead Indians
have filed with cattle, and raised wheat and
potatoes for their own use. Through this
valley all the Indians from the Cascades TO
the Rocky Mountains, pass on their way 10
the vast Buffalo plains between the Missouri
and Yellowstone, where with the Crows and
Blackfee,, they lay in their stores Of meat
and robes, aud which has been the scene Of
many sanguinary conflicts. The best nat
nr bn of
igaion OF the Missouri with the fertile val
leys along all the streams issuing from the
Rocky Mountains 10 the head Of the Yellow
stone, valleys so mild cattle need not shelter
wood, and the water of the pure.t quality,
and game, buffalo, elk, deer, big-horn ante
lope, black bear, in the greatest abundance.
The passes are yearly iraversed by the Flat
head Indians between Christmas and New
Years on horseback, and March is the favor
ite month for the breaking up of the buffalo
hunt by the Washington Territory Indians,
and their return across the mountains to
their homes on the plains and in the valleys
of the Columbia river and lis tributaries
! From the head of navigation of the Missis-
! sippi TO the head of navigation of the Missouri
through the territory of Minnesota and the
region occupied by the Asseneboines, the
Grosvenires and the Blackfeet, the emigrant
will find grass over every mile of the route,
and water never at greater distance than
| fifeen and scarcely ever al greater distance:
l,b. ,T H.,lo
this vast region, and their numbers have no,
sensibly diminished, though 1000 Red Rive
hunters, each on his fast buffalo horse, fou
months each year pour death into ihei
ranks, and they are almost the only subsist
ence of some 5000 Indians.
Four routes within the Territory Of Wash
ington are pursued b. The Indians in passing
from ihe valley at The western base OF thu
Rocky Mountains 10 the plains and valley,
between the Cnur d'Eleiene and Cascad;
Mountains The CGur d'Eleiene Mountains
an extension of the Blue Mountains tt
Clark's Fork Of the Columbia, north o
which the range is known as kouteny Noun
iains, occupy the whole width of the Terri
tory for distance Of from 100 TO 100 miles
is covered with heavy timber, and numerou
well grassed though narrow valleys. Th
Nez Pereez, the Spokanes, the Pevde d Oleil
les, the CUur d Eleienes and other tribes, il
crossing these mountains have from three t
four horses FOR each man, woman and child
and even children OF year and half oil
will be seen guiding their horses, one han
, only on the rein, entirely unconscious the
were exciting the wonder and admiration {
. the passer-by.
i The Cascade Mountains have two goo
r passes, and on Puget Sound is found cl
mate of extraordinary salubrity, miIder tha
that of Virginia, and the same average ten
Y pera,uTe, though more equable than that
J San Francisco, and soil which yields ric
: returns 10 the ausbandman. The strawberI
is often in blossom in December and Febru
IS, and ice has 10 be imported from II
g colder regions of the north.
The country between the Cascades al
the Cpur d'Eleiene Mountains is general
"a we'll adapted TO grazing or ,ilIage, and mu'
of ii is exceedingly well waiered. Many
the Indian tribes are known 10 be rich
II horses, and they have made considerat
advances in the cultivation of the soil.
ID Such is the general character of the cou
re Try connecting Puget Sound, the great roa
I'd stead of The Northern Pacific, with the gre
n, basin of the s.. Lawrence. Tapping /
magnificent valley of the Upper Mssiss ip
a having within its borders The Missouri a
Sc Columbia, the tributaries Of its wagon roa
n. and lis railroads, and themselves great cha
,l. nels OF communication, the Rocky Mcuniai
broken into spurs and filled with valleys, I
other mountains having practicable pass
it adds not a little TO lis interest that il "
the scene Of the labors Of our first, our M
successful aud our most daunlless explore
Lewis and Clark. The sagacily of Jelfers
saw that here was great natural route, a
!, . he placed the men al The work who made
ha known TO the nation. Public attention
o. now become fixed upon this field of
n. country's FIRST great exploration, accompi
n ed nearly half century ago. This Geld
will examine and describe in series of a
m cIes.--Pioneer.