, 1857-11-27

- 49,
Water-bOrne halfway across the continent" :"
thus striking the great thOroughfare Of
northern emigration. and passing over the
prairie region reaching from the MississiP-
n the Rocky mountains, through the
timbered districts Of Minnesota, and ac-
esssibls to the vast pine regions Of the Red
River Of the North-apprcachss the sum
nit Of the Rocky mountains by easy grades
Of sixty feet TO the miles-(as per Govern
sr SrEvExs' report )-and crosses the d.
viding ridge by tunnel Of 81 miles. OF
this divide and the country adjacent there
"a, Lieut.. Sexton. IAN officer Of the expe-
dition.l says: THE ridge which divide
the waters flowing into the Atlantic from
those flowing into the Pacific, at the place
whore We crossed, is but high hill, and it
is not more than mile Ia q straight line
between the sources Of the Columbia and
Missouri. Nature seems to have intended
il as one Of the great highways across the
continent = A magnificent country
cited to support numerous population Of
civilized men. . - A liner region
through which 10 build road, can nowhere
Be found. The vast amount Of timber and
stone, granite and marble, will furnish an
inexhaustible resource Of material for its
foncfrnrfion 80 -
Il End that my previous IDEAS Of the
Rocky mountain range are, so far as this
section Is concerned. entirely erroneous In
stead Of a vast pile Of rock and mountains,
almost impassable. l ind a 6ns country well
vatered BY streams Of clear cold water, and
interpreted with meadows covered with q
most Iuxuriant grass
From the summit, the line Of road is said
to descend BY easy grades into the St.
Maryb or Bitter Root valley, Of which
Lieut. MuLLES Of the expedition says
This valley is not only capable Of grazing
immense bands Of stock Of every kind, but
IS also capable Of supporting dense pop
ulntlOn. The mountain slopes on either
.-., du,,.. ,h. ,no.. ..-.r. v;n,.rs or.,
inc sroo0ds n .h,nd.ncs vhIla M. mour.
,,i.s q. vail ,imh.r,a v;,h Mn. .on.l IN
-. ,....., !. ~. -.,, - - ..,.a
- - 90. Tn,s -. -.orn.S,.
,,,h .ro,h., h .on., r. II. .,,sr,o- Il,
nor,.nc.'-,h.. oS % ,ha 0,.0, a, AI;D. oonn.
~ ,-s;.h .g.,. .o,,.r,s d,r.s,I, ~ a
h.nu,if,,l ..,,;o, w;,h a. eo.,,,v :. "a
~, n. vV,IIs.vsIla. inns ,how;og ,h.,
from ~. main chain n ~ IRoctv monn,.in,
= ~ ~ mog,h !, N. ,on,.s.I,,. - Do.....
+. ,,eh ssr.;i. s,.a nrossc,,v. ara. tho,
,..a. -, ,,hs ,,r,,., r..,. ana u..,rv..
..,,,,,..I q =. 9 ,.-..d - nnhI,. ..d ~;
..,n i...e,Y
"a Al. a...,;,,;., :, a.. - ,h... mann,
,.,n v.l,.,. NJ Nv Txr.,v ia
.,.;,..., ~ ~. sv,.ai,;on ..v,. .srb. .o,,
!. s.,,,l. "a ,h.-. a.. .,..v s.....hl. .nd
Drom;.Irg location, sor f.rmioo where !,
sood oil plen,v of GOOD wood suf,ciep,ly
s..r q, i.mb.r;,ol,or sn.I rr,. .ool w.,sr
80 -,.,,,- 81 .r,...hi. .nd h..l,hv ~;
~. ..a ! .l...;0. ,,o,n.,t -. ;,S.o.
mep,, NOT often united. and are sua,cieptIy
attractive to,bronv these MAINTAIN valIsv,
a no di.tant d.x with Central ponulation
of vast imporlanee--making in N. heart
ofthe mou6tains and mid.vsv hstwesn ,bs
Missouri and Columbia a central deDot Il
,upplies dis.ributiur mint Of Labor and
materials. and finally a region prOduetiye
Of valuable expor,ss
Il being the general opiuiou on the A.
Iantic side. that this route for railroad
being 30 far north. must Of necessity meat
In ,,s,,,ao.n,atle d;,,.rl,;.. f,or, s,o,v