, 1857-12-18
olympia WASHINGTON TERRITORY FRIDAY DECEMBER l8 1857

proportion of intelligent thinking minds
among our people.
Information recently received from various
sources to be relied upon, go to show that
the gold fields in the vicinity of Fort Colville,
and the country adjacent, are likely to prove
quite remunerative to those who are now
working them. 1t is said that men engaged
in the diggiugs are making from So to SIG
per day, and feel assured that with the
proper machinery and good management,
the mines in that region will become source
of great wealth and profit.
With regard to internal improvements, /
need do but little more than call your at,
tention to the fact, that the subject of a
Railroad across the Continent, engrosses a
large share Of the public attention through
out the nation, and whilst other sections are
straining every nerve to secure to them
selves the advantages to be derived from
its location, Washington Territory is max
ing no effort in her own behalf, although
tits believed that the route passing through
her domain, from Puget Sound bysway Of
Fort Benton, and thence to the head Of Lake
Superior, or the Mississippi, offer the short
est and most practicable line from the
Atlantic to the Pacific.
To other portions Of the confederacy, the
location Of this great national highway will
add prosperity and greatness to us, it is
the great fountain from which must flow all
our future prosperity.
From what have seen of this most I'M
portant of all the Territories, and from the
most reliable information | can get of the
great interior portion of it lying between the
Cascade aud Rocky mountains-the mild
ness Of its climate-its arabic and its graz
ing lands, stretching its eastern boundary,
| am brought to the conclusion that the
northern route possesses as many, if not more
natural advantages for railroad than any
other across the continent.
This fact will be the more apparent when
it is known that distance of only some five
hundred miles separate the navigablc waters
of the Columbia from those of the Missouri,
thus aflord;ng line of transportation for
material and laborers in the construction of
the road, far into the interior from both the
Pacific and Atlantic slopes.
When it is remembered that the north
ern route has the great advantage over any
other both as to population and capital
that taking the equated distance, it is the
shortest route by some two hundred miles
that the country through which it passes is
well watered, and that along the line is said
to be great sufiicency of material for its
construction-tha its terminus on the Paci-
ic is upon the waters of Puget Sound. one
of the largest and most commodious harborSl
in the world-being the nearest to, and
facing the oriental nations, and finally, that
proceeding towards the Atlantic, it strikes
the Mississippi, the great highway to the
southern States, and connects with the great
water and railroad lines terminating on the
Atlantic sea-board: l cannot but believe
that this route will be thought worthy Of,
and receive that consideration at the hands
of Congress and the American people, which
its many advantages entitle it to.
Present indications go to show that most
serious difficulties are likely TO occur between
the government of the United States md
the people Of the Territory of Utah. Look
ing to this result, and also to the well known
fact of the hostility of all the Indian tribes
in that quarter, it would seem that more
northern and less dangerous road might be
established and protected by the govern
ment for emigrants from the Atlantic States
to the territories Of Oregon and Washing
ton, by the route over which Congress by
act approved March Sd, 1855, established -
mail route from st. Anthony Oh the MlSsls-
ssppl river 70 fuget SOUND ana az, also,
by aet approved Feoruary 0th' 1922 ap-
proprate inc sum OF ihirty thousand Gollars
Tor inc construction OF military ROAD rom
tue treat FaiiS OF the Missouri 10 "alla
WaIla'
am Oh opinion therefore, That lp view of
the TACT that Congress dld pass these acts as
above recIted, establishing mail route on
this northern line, ana appropriatlng money
Tor the construction o! military road over
n VERY IinDOrtlQt norton OF II flpV will Inv