The weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1852-1858, 1854-09-23
From the Milwaukee Daily Wisconsin.

From the Milwaukee Daily Wisconsin.
Northern Railroad Route to the Pacific.
Letter from James Doty to j. d. Doty, dated
Fort BENTON, May 2, 1854.
Your letter Of October 3. 1853, has at length
reached me- via Olympia, Wallah Wallah, and
Cantonment Stevens, in the St. Mary's Val
ley.
Since last wrote. several important disCov
cries have been made. and questions detcrmin-
ed to the N. z. r. r. route, all tending to es-
tablis the facts that it is eminently practicable
for railroad. and is good. if not the best, EN-
srant road from the Mississippi or Missouri to
Oregon and Washington Territories. BY the
survey OF Lieut. Grover, the Missouri has been
found navlSablc to this point for steamboats,.
Capt. McLelland has found two practicable
railroad passes through the Cascade range !:
and parties are now engaged in opening road
from the Sound to Wallah Wallah, thence to ST.
Marys valley. to which point a good wagon
/ road from the head of navigation on the Mis-
souri, has been found by Lieut.. Mullen, who
left here on the 18th March. with an ordinary
emigrant wagon drawn by four mules, and.
crossing the Rocky Mountains. reached Canton
ment Stevens on the 3Oth, having travelled 296
miles, by the Odometer in l. days.
| The winter has been very mild, and but little
snow in the mountains on the route. Lieut..
| Grover who left here tie 18th January. with a
! dor-train for Puget Sound. fOuRd no SnO,c to
the entrance Ofthe pass of the Rocky Mountains
and through the mountains to st. Marys the
snow averaged but one foot in depth. Thence
TO Puget's Sound he was compelled to take
horses. and passed through in good time and
without obstruction from snow. Two men,
whom sent with Lieut.. c.. returned in Fcbru-
ary. having walked from st. Mary's in fourteen
days. Nv meteorological records show that the
whole amount of snow that fell at this place
since November was 30i inches, and the great
est depth of snO,c at any one time ,cas II
inches.
This is an excellent grazing country. There
were a large number of brokendown horses
and mules. and several yokcS of oxen, which
had come through from Sank Rapids, LOO
miles to this point left in my charge during
! the months of October and November. These
were pasturcd on the river bottoms near here
not an animal died during the winter; and on
the 18th March the horses and mules were in
efficient working condition. and at the present
time the cattle are fat, fine beef. The Fur Com
Dany's horses and oxen are worked all winter
upon such food as they can pick up; in fact,
stock in this country needs neither shelter nor
food from the hand of man.
The soil in the st. Mary valley is known to
be fertile and any examinations in this region
show that on all the mountain streams their
valleys. within sixty miles Of the mountains. af-
ford soil of good quality, and an abundance
of wood. AS to profusion of excellent water,
any one who chances at the numerous and ne
ver-failing spring brooks and streams in the
country will be convinced that neither man nor
beast need ever perish from thirst. OF nutri-
tious wrass there is everywhere an abundance
in the river bottoms where its growth is rank,
and upon the plains, hills. and mountain slopes
which arc covered with luXuriant growth Of
buffalo grass.
Timbcr-whitc pine. pitch pine. and fir, is
abundant and easily procurablc. Stone-gran-
ite limestone, and sandstonc-is found in the
river bluffs and mountains; and what more is
needed to render this country eminently fit
for railroad or cmigrant route. or to be set
tied by farmers. beg to inquire of those who
harp upon "stcrlc deserts and RAILROAD
routes through New Caledonia: -
IT, rs is assumed in Il communication to the
National Intclligcnccr of September ). 1858,
the occupancy of a country by the Jufalo is Il
guarantee ofits fertility. then docs the North
crn Railroad route bear the palm from all other
routes. From the Shaycnnc to the .ASsiniboinc
Camp, near Fort Union from the mouth Mix
river. to near this point were always I" in
buffalo" Indian tradition says they were al
ways here. 1t Is here they remain summer and
winter: and their old and dccply-worn trails.
twelve or fifteen of which may often he seen
side by side. traverse this country in all dircc-
tlOIS through U!bUUlliu aUu valley.
! The various detached parties of the cXpcdi-
tor, and those stationed in the country. have
crossed and rccroSscd the mountains, from
November to May, with trains of pack-mulcs.
and then with wagons, and without hindrancc
from the snow : and Lieut.. Grover, who started
with dog train and snow-shOcs, and had to
abandon them for want of snow. SAYS the ac-
counts of this country heretofore given arc Il
complete hu:nbug." it being in no respect what
| tnl nod lxo
! believed to be.
The meteorological register shows that in
mldncss of winter this country corresponds
with the climate OF Oregon. or Of Europe in the
same latitude, rather than it'll northern Cana
da or Nova Scotia. At tie present time the
new grass on the i'iains affords good feed in
the bottoms the feed was excellent the 18th
April and is now luXIrant.
The spring. like the fall aud winter, has been
dry and warm. The first shower of rain since
September 2G. 1873, fell on the 2lst Of April,
since which we have had several showers-;l
thunder storm is now passing.
On Monday next | start for our northern
boundary and the head waters of the Saskatc,l-
awun: and shall examine the passes of the
mountains-with little expectation, however, of
finding better route than our wagon-rOad to
st. Mary's. This latter pass is not on the er-
irene sources of the Missouri. but is some dis
lance below the :. Three Forks" and is precise
| ly at the point where this mighty river rusles
through the Gate of the Mountains and
starts on its long journey to the ocean. Could
Lewis and Clark in ascending, have left the
Missouri at the point where the mountains first
touch the river. they would have found an OK
ccllent pass to the st. Mary river, and thence
to the Columbia.
JAMES DOTY.