Sioux City register. [volume] (Sioux City, Iowa) 1858-1871, 1858-08-19

settlements in the neighborhood Of Fort
Laramie. The wealth OF that country is
not properly valued, and the Indian title
not being extinguished, there is no oppor-
tunity to settle it. Those who live there
now, support themselves by trade with the
Indians, which Icing already overdone, il
is TO their interest TO keep others away
Extinguish the Indian titse, and extend
protection Of the Territorial government
SO ss to be cffectaal there. and soon will
spring up settlcrant that viii rival that
Of the Great Sail Lake. The Laramie
river is beautiful stream, with fine fer
tile valley, and there are such everywhere
along the base Of the mountains. Pine
timber Of the finest quality in abundance
grows there, easy Of access, from which
the finest lumber can be made; building
stone, Of good quality, abounds; and yal>
liable coal exists, and is even now used by
the blacksmiths along the route. With all
these advantages, corn was selling there
the past seasoAs at $40 bnshel, and flour
often gets up to $40 "a hundred pounds
The establishment of a military post, and
the constant passing Of emigrants, have
driven away the game, so that the indians
do not set high value on the land, and it
could easily be procured from them.
The great and barren plains which lie
between the fertile lands on the east ariI
the mountains on the west, form a natural
boundary to the States to be formed out of
Nebraska and Kansas, and a separate
Territorial organization is needed for the
mountains. There should be at least two
OF these between the source of the Rio
Grande and the 49th parallel. The Rocky
Mountains throughout this extent abound
in beautiful streams, rich mountain val
leys, coal and minerals, and are in every
part timbered more or less with pine.
The streams Of the southern prairies OF
Nebraska flowing into the Missouri river.
are none Of them navigable to any reliable
extent, and as most Of them run from west
to east, their greatest practical value is in
afording the land route of communication
between our present western settlements
and those 10 be formed in the mountains.
Their vsIl-,s fu, aisii ths o.iy ---... L..
which to traverse the intervening desert,
for here only are such supplies of water to
be found as are required, and here, too, is
the only soil that can be cultivated, and
such scanty supplies of wood as the region
produces.
To all the mountain region, from Santa
Ee, New Mexico, north to the 10Th paral.
lei, the Missouri river furnishes the best
channel for communicating with the east,
and it is from its banks that all the routes
will start leading to the interior. From
our reconnaissance Of it in 1856, am con-
vincei that the navigability Of the Missouri
is not properly appreciated by the public
generally. 1t is the second navigable
stream in the United States, the Missis
sippi being the first. Steamboats, carrying
from $50 to 300 tons, can in the high sta.
ges easily reach the mouth Of Milk river,
1000 miles iron st. Louis. and it is the
opinion of all those who have examined it
above this point that light draft boats could
reach the Great Falls above Fort Benton.
AS high up as Sioux City it is, when not
obstructed by ice, always nayigable for
hshtdraft boats. Something should be
done by Congress to remove the snags,
especially in the portion between St. 10
scph and the mouth Of the Niobrara. A
boye this there are eemparatiyely none
There are now running u the Missouri a,
least ore handrel stannboats, at an aver.
age expense proDablg of $4,000 day.
In the running season Of six months there
Is no doubt that so days fer each is lost
on account of delays produced By these
snags, amounting to loss Of $500, 900
annually, Independent of the loss Of boats,
increased insurance on freight, &c, to say
nothing Of the danger and loss OF life. A
sufficient appropriation (say S2OO,OO0) to
build three snag boats, and $1,000 an
nually for three years after, would make
the river as safe to navigate night and day
a. the lower Mississippi. The commerce
Of the Missouri is rapidly increasing.
The bottom land along the river rarely
exceeds . mile in width above the mouth
Of James river, but timber exists nearly
its whole extent on one or the other side
Of the stream, and would furnish all the
timber needed for settlements, and fuel for
steamboats,. Indian corn Of the variety
cultivated by the Rec indians, could no
doubt be grown with success, as the grass
hopper Is not very destructive to corn in
ordinary seasons.
There Is large fine tmbered bottom
land on the Missouri, near the mouth Of
the Yellowstone, for so miles above and
below, and for about 40 miles up the Vel.
lowstons itself, and this is probably one Of
the finest regions for game on the cont
nent. An excursion up the Missouri river
in the American Eur Company's boats,
will show one more wild life than any jour-
ney Of the same length by land, and can
be made with all the comfort Of a journey
on the Mississippi. Our notes and sketch
es, measurements, and distances on this
stream are very numerous, as will be here
after seen IN our reports.