Bellevue gazette. [volume] (Bellevue City, N.T. [i.e. Neb.]) 1856-1858, 1857-11-05
Col. Mobiles wagOn-ROad Expe-
ditiOn.

Col. VIM. II. Mobiles, superintendent ol
the wugon-road from Fort Ridgely 10 the
South Pass of the Rocky Mountains, ar.
rived at ST. Paul on The 23d ult., direc
from Old Fort Lookout, on the Mississ.
ipp river. Col N. left the Missouri or
the lst of September, and accompanied
his party as fer eastward as the Big Sioux
river.
A council was held with the Yanktons
about the middle of August, on the Big
Sioux, when permission was obtained tc
lay out the road over the unceded land.
Ink. pa du.ta, Colonel Noble thinks, has
gone west of the Missouri, accompanied
by the six remaining warriors of his
| band. .. r. ....H.
The policy adopted by Superintendent
Cullen, of employing Indians to pursue
Ink -pa-du-ta, has had most happy eff.
feet upon the Sioux, and meets with deci.
ded approval upon the frontier.
Colonel Mobiles and his party have sur
veyed and partially constructed a good
wagon road from Fort Ridgely on the
Minnesota river TO point on the Miss
ouri river, opposite Old Fort Lookout
The distance between these two points is
two hundred and forty miles. The road
is nearly on an airline, Fort Lookout be-
ing but about half a degree south of Fort
Ridgely. Two roads were made from
Sandy Hill river to the Missouri one
striking the river at Lookout, and passing
through a well-wooded and watered coun.
try, and the other running southwest from
Sandy Hill river, to the old Fort Aux
Cedres, and passing through an inferior
country in respect to wood and water.
The road from Fort Ridgely follows
the Cottonwood river for some distance in
southwest direction; then proceeds
westwardly until it strikes Lake Benton
passes over the Coteau des Praries, via
the natural roadway, called Hole.in-tife-
Mountain, and crosses the Big Sioux riv-
er two miles below the town of Medary.
The road is laid out from the Big Sioux
10 the James river, in a direct westerly
direction, and crosses the latter stream
few miles north Of Sandy Hill river
From this point its course is due west to
The Missouri.
Between Fort Ridgely and the Mssou-
ri, by the road laid out, horse canno,
travel two hours without finding water
Springs, lakes, and streams are plentiful
on the route.
The road from Fort RijgeIy to the
Missouri is good one, and a light bug
gy or heavily laden wagon can be driven
over it without difficulty. AT no point on
the road is the grade higher than eighty
feet to the mile, and this grade only oc-
ours in ascending the high prairie bet
ween the James River and the Miss
ouri.
But two bridges. both over the Cotton
wood river, will be necessary on the road.
Good fording places have been secured at
all the streams, and, wherever il was ad
visable, the bottoms of the rivers were
paved with boulders. Particularly on the
Sioux and James rivers safe and conven-
lent fords have been selected. Care has
been taken TO construct safe road over all
the swamps and lowlands.
To designate the road, mounds have
been constructed, from three to FIVE feet
in height, on the side of the road, its en-.
tire length. These mounds are placed al
an interval of quarter and half-mile.
and nearer together wherever Il is deem
ed necessary. This mound building was
the most laborious work performed on the