Minnesota weekly times. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1854-1859, 1857-03-21
4t(iirlstsota Glulus,
WEDNESDAY, MARCH IS, 1857.

NNLllllK6UlH WluW1.
WEDNESDAY, MARCH Is, 1857.
washington Terrissry-NsrsAsrn Pacific Railrssd.
We have received from Gov. Stevens q copy OF
his message transmitted to the Legislature OF
Washington Territory on the 3rd of December,
1856. 1t is mainly devoted to an account Of the
Indian war in that country, and to justification
of the course pursued by his Excellency in his
endeavors to suppress it.
He says that at the time of the war there were
but LOO white male inhabitants in the Terrific
~ and upwards of 1900 Indians, who were in
arms and united against the whites. Many per-
sons residing on claims refused to take part in
the war. All such he ordered to either Olympia,
N;squally or Steilacoom, and on their returning
to their claims in violation of orders, he caused
them to be imprisoned. For this act which was
highly properly he incurred the il-will OF class
of individuals who have over since been seeking
to annoy him in the discharge of his official du-
ties, but he informs us the war has been brought
to happy termination, and the Territory is now
in prosperous condition.
The amount of scrip issued to carry on this war,
was $l,0l9,09O 20-amount cancelled by sales,
$l3l,72l 09-amount to be cancelled $927, $685.
Is. 1t is source OF congratuation, that while
other Territories are called upon to pay exorbit-
antly for the suppression of wars, Minnesota 10
moving smoothly forward to the highest state Of
prosperity. The Governor descants eloquently
h. cls nd adv
tsges of Washington Territory. On the subject
of Northern Pacific Railroad, he says:
"The want of proper communication with the
States, has been a serious evil, and has assumed
q darker magnitude since the commencement Of
our Indian troubles. From the head waters of
the Mississippi to Pugets Sound, Post routes
have already been established, and nearly the
whole intervening country is adapted to settle
ment, either on the part OF farmers or stock
raisers. There is no scarcity of water or fuel
Timber and building stone are to be found al.
most the entire distance or can be brought to q
practicable vicinity by navigable waters"
examined with great care the Coeur d'Alene trail
over the Bitter Root Mountains, and found it to
be entirely practicable for railroad, with grades
not exceeding 60 feet to the mle-that it abridges
the distance over the route ty Clark's Fork IS
miles, and lessons the cost six millions of dol
lars.
The distance from St. Paul to Puget Sound by
the Coeur j. Alene trail, and over the Snoqualmie
Pass. will be ], 800. The distance to Vancouver,
1880 miles.
The shortest practicable railroad route from
the Mississippi to ship navigation on the Pacific
through our territory, and che equaled distance,
whether the Port be Vancouver or the Sound,
will, in round numbers, be two hundred miles
shorter than on the route of the 32d parallel,
nine hundred miles shorter than that of the 35th
parallel, and seuen hundred miles than that by
the South Pass"
1t should be remembered that this is contin.
uation of the route surveyed through this Terri
tory by Gov. Stevens some three years since
He reiterates what he has already published, that
this route will be the shorest and most feasible
the three being seven hundred miles nearer than
by the South Pass, and two hundred nearer than
by the middle route. His concluding remarks on
this subject commend themselves to the attention
of our people, for we are equally if not more in
terested in this Northern Pacific Railroad, than
the citizens of Washington Territory. He says
ssWhen, in addition to the greater shortness Of
the route it be considered that it has the nearest
connections with Asia and Europe, and that the
latter connection can be made almost exclusively
Dy wafer on Tue Inc VI Inc groat Lakes, POM
of great Importance in view of the greatest cheap
ness of freight on water than on rail road lines,
the claims of the northern route to consideration
from the government, cannot be overlooked.
The question of Pacific Railroad is not sim.
ply one of domestic inter communication and Of
strengthening the fraternal bonds which unite US
as a people, it is the question of struggle for
the commerce of the world. Over the rail must
not only pass from Asia to Europe and back
again, costly and perishable articles, but on this
route the great bulk of Asiatio supplies for the
teeming region Of the north. west, where the ter
ritory Of to-day is the populous State tomorrow,
where the wave of population has nearly reach
ed the Red River Of the north, and is moving
rapidly westward. The Indian war over in this
Territory, the reflex tide of emigration setting
eastward from the Pacific, will in single year
pass over our interior plains, from the Walla
Walla to the Spokane, occupying the Yakima, and
our miners will be found thence to the 49th par
allel.
have always been and am still of opinion that
several routes should 20 on simultaneously to
the Pacific, and that equivalent aid should be
given to all through roads. But in view of the
whole force applied to exploration having of
late been thrown upon the southern route, and
Of it's special endorsement by the department
having chrage of the rail road explorations, it
seems to me the time has come for you to memoir
alize Congress to make grants Of land to the
northern route, and to provide fer the completion
Of the explorations connected with it.