New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1858-01-27
PACIFIC RAILROAD EXPLORATIONS.
The l... sscr,ary Of Var, NJ. jefferson Dsvis,

The late Secretary OF War NJ Jeneron psVs,
undertook the expenditure OF the money appropriated
by Congress for the survey Of the VARIOUS Paehc MAI
road routes. The audscious favontsm displayed oy
M Davis is partially depicted BY Mr.. BAlnshurs' OF
Wisconsin in the following extract which we axe nom
bis speech OF Thursday lsst
M CHAIRn.y: The late Secretary of War, IN re-
porting 10 this House upon Governor Sevenss expo
ratiors, SAYS that these explorations show thsl ING
uuculiiyable region this lNouhernJ route, as ~
that of the Arkansas, begins with the nnety-nIp'h
meridian That point, Sir, IA about ninety niles west
II Minnesota: thence 10 the Pacific, be deduces from
these explorations, that the country s one OF genera
sterlty with some exceptions in the mountain va
eys. He also reports that the sum OF the areas OF
cultiyable so in the Rocky Mountain region does not
exceed, # il equals, one thousand square uhe.' Ts'
Stevens reports thousand square miles OF araoie'
able land already prepared for occupation ana sell
Element in the mountain range between Fort Benton
and the Bitter Root range OF mountains Ana, 81, AZ
read his reports and the reports OF hls ottcers 90
no. understand that there is any and between rot
Benton and the ninety-nnth merdah .nac ~
the term arid or sterile but do understand from ms
explorations that nearly this entire couteau capaOe
Of sustaining agricultural population. IL Is Ile
favorite grazing ground for the ouhalo ana, on'
they do not seek their pasturage IN ana ana sIer-
lie places. More careful and extended eXpi0Ia-
tion- by Governor Stevens have satlsfed Nun
that his estimate of l0000 square miles was an under
estimate In addition this area OF farming and, the
Governor saws there IL q tract OF ldul ~"
Peuse River and the Bitter Root Mountains, in ex-
tent equal the State of Connecticut OF az rich and
the farmer ever put plow INTO. Inc Governor
estimate OF cost of road also materially Increased
by the War Department. One cannot read the hr't
volume of the Pacific Railroad Surveys without con.
Guiding that the War Department has unfairly and
uniusy dealt with the labors Of Gov. Stevens aHd Ms
party Here i presented this remarkable spectacle
Of Department of the Government detailing it, own
officers 10 conduct explorations the object of which
was 10 obtain information of unknown and uneXplored
regions and then deliberately attempting To discredit
before Congress ard the country the results obtained,
by substituting lis judgment III opposition 10 a.
ccrtancd facts II looks very much if the War De
partment had determined in adyance, irrespective OF
the results TO be obtained by the surveys and expor-
tons hathis Northern route should beeucouraged.
$40 600 have been appropriated directly or expofso
lions of railroad routes TO the Pacific. Only so OOO
of this had beer devoted 10 the Northern ne when
the War Department stopped further work there, by
refusing pay The balance of these appropriations
has been expended South. The slO,OU or s-VOoVO
for Artesian wells, without water on the Southern
line is 10 be added, beside the slO,OocUW tor the
Gadsden purchase, which was bought Tor ralIroad
track. The explorations are 10 make elght large
ouarto volumes. The number Of volumes published,
and 10 be published il about hundred and twelve
thousand at a cost TO the Government OF about
$3.50 600 The first volume is devoted to the North,
ern route; the other seven to the Centrn. anu
Southern. The first volume u without lllusra-
| ton of any kind does not even contain the
report Of the geologist attached to Governor
Steyepss party. which, | am informed,
the late Secretary of War refused to pub
lish for want Of means. OF the remaining
seven volumes four already published, ana
are most beautifully illustrated presenting compete
paporama of the natural scenery, OF ,ne s,'o"fy,
botany Zoology ORTHODOXY and everything else mat
coud adorn and help make the books center-tabe
ornament; and il is to be presumed that the three
volumes yet 10 come 10 be of similar character
Assuming that one-ehth of the cost OF publication
ia 10 be charged to the Northern route II hen turns
out that out Of gil 600 600 expended to find railroad
track 10 the Pacific sl2j 600 is TO be put to the &C.
count of the Northern route. But this is not the end
Of these explorations l am Informed that at the
present time Lieut. Ives is exploring the Colorado at
the expense Of this railroad fund.- On the 9TH June,
lsJ3 Gov Stevens and his party started their ex-
plorations from ST. Paul. Not reaching the mountain
districts until cold weather had set in, the explorations
were vigorously carried by his efficient aids, Capt
Mcclellan, Lieutenant DOnelson Mr.. Tinc'ham, Mr.
Lander Lieutenant Mullen, Mr.. James Doty and
Lieutenant Grover through the entire Winter season.
in an unnbabted region. Of course their labors were
attended with great difficulties and the results obtain
ed were meager compared with the extensive field Of
operations before them. The Governor had made
every preparation for extensive and thorough sum
mer Reconnaissance, and had made his estimates ac
cordrgly, and reported preparations TO the War De
partment asking the cooperation OF that Department.
when Just the of operations opening,
the 18th April 1874 the Secretary of War stops the
supp!iesssys he will estimate for srrearages. but
rays nothing of future operations, although well ad-
vised how little opportunity had been afforded the
party Of fulfilling the intentions OF Congress. Not
wthstanding Congress appropriated sljO,Ooo, August
J. 1854 for continuing the explorations, no orders were
sent 10 Governor Stevens TO resume labors