The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1858-12-16

freezing point, and find that the thermom-
eter at Fort Benton was forty three out Of
ninety days, and at Cantonment Stevens
thirty two out OF ninety days above the
freezing point, against only six days out of
ninety at Fort Smelling, five days out of
ninety a, Quebec, eight days ont Of ninety
at Montreal, and eighteen days out Of nine
iy at Albany, all in the winter Of 1883 and
1854.
But it may be objected that the temper
AZURE at Fort Benton and Cautonmen:
Stevens is not the measure OF the tempera.
ture Of the intermediate rocky range through
which the route passes, and which must be
much lower. Fortunately, the party OF
Lieut.. Grover, which has been already re-
ierrcd TO in connection with the depth OF
snow, made observations of temperature on
the route, and it has been found by careful
comparison that the party made the pas
sage during the extreme cold weather OF
,ha, winter and the temperatures observed,
therefore, indicate the EXTREMIST cold OF the
pass, and not the usual cold. A very intel.
lgent young man who accompanied Lieut..
Grover from Fort Benton to Fort Owen,
returned Immediately, aud found the wealth
CT very mild and pleasant in the pass, cor
responding to the observed temperature at
Fort Benton and Cantonment Stevens
The mean temperature in the pass from
January IL to January 23-twcve days
was 10 lilo degrees below zero at Can.
tonmeut Stevens the mean temperature was
81 below zero at Fort Benton I $40 be-
low zero.
The greatest mean cold Of any day OBJ
served in the pass was y degrees against
"a degeces at Fort Smelling, and still
lower figure at Pembina. The fact that the
winter Of '53-54 was unusually cold in the
mountain region Of the northern route, is
shown in the TACT that in the Bitter Root
Valley, the thermometer never went down
TO zero in the winter OF $3.50, while It fell
as low as 20 degrees below zero in the win
ter of SO "a. The average mean tcmpera-
ture of this valley in the winter OF '53- "a
was 24:90 whereas in Sd SIS, it was 5000.
The same general result, determined by OBJ
servation, as regards the temperature Of the
pass, would be arrived at by using the for
mula that every 1000 feet in altitude would
depress the temperature three degrees. Now,
only FIVE miles Of the pass 10 more than s.
900 feet above the sea, the greatest altitude
being but GOA feet, and the average height
OF the pas, is but about four thousaI feet.
The cold Of the pass-consdering simply lG5
miles Of tho distance where the altitude ex-
ceeds three thousand feet-will be only from
one to seven and half degrees colder than
that at Fort Benton.
Gentlemen, continued the lecturer, il does
seem to me that these facts, drawn from Off
cial records, every one Of them entirely re-
liable, ought To settle forever this question
which has been raised prejudicia to this
route, that it will be obstructed by snow in
cold weather. Why, sir, SO successful has
been the great railroad from Moscow to st.
Petersburg, that they are now pushing rail
roads in all directions running them into re.
gons truly Siberian, crossing tracts where
for three months the thermometer never
rises apove zero, and for many days the
temperature is lower than the greatest cold
ever reached in the mountains Of the United
States. And we find that Canadian roads
are being extended westward, utterly re.
gardless Of these objections, experience hav-
eng shown their futility. Mr.. President, |
was raised 10 snow country myself, aid
have helped to break out roads encountered
with snow. have lived in the snow state
Of Maine, and am familiar with numbering
operations Oh the ksnnebec and the Penob-
scot, where timber is cut, roads are opened,
aud logs are han d to the streams to have
them in readiness for the freshets Of spring,
in snow four TO six feet deep.
Wehave body Of railroad engineers and
contractors who have gained their profes-
sional and practical knowledge in these snow
regions, and who know that the obstacles
which have been apprehended from snow,
have all disapl cared in the light OF expert.
ence. 1t is not the snow Of your mountains
in the interior. Even if 1t should reach
depth Of from six to eight feet, that will be
no obstruction 10 the passage Of cars, for by
raising your road bed, and using the pillow,
you,hrow II or without difficulty The
snow comes not in single falls and there will
be no difficulty in keeping the track clear.
On the sea board, the snow when followed
by rain and the weather suddenly turn cold,
lrrtZiDR tHt tittt 10 iuc railway, JUGS some
times furnish an obstruction that may re.
quire days 10 overcome. II ! were asked
where shosId expect tine most difficulty
from snow in the whole country, from the
Atlantic to the Pacific, | should say the
frs, ten miles from the Atlantic ports. /
cannot say this for the Pacific ports, for
there snow Is seldom seen, and when il does
fall il disappears in a shor, time.
shall, therefore. assume that this route
is entirely practicable, so far "a regards The
cold and SHOWS, and pass on 10 more de.
tailed view Of liz characteristics, and Of its
relation TO other routes / will present Il
as a good route for emgrants by the ord-
nary conveyaDces Of the country. The dis
tance from 81. Pau, and the western end Of
Lake Superior 70 the shores Of Pngets
Sound IL, in ro1nd numbers 1900 miles
We'll. the difficulties which have presented
in The way d railroad ib,erfred with the
carrying Of the mails On this rJue the entire
scar. think, sir, hat not ooly ought the
mails 10 BE- carried over this route the en-
tire year, but ia n limited uumher u days.