The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1859-02-22

above lsouth % Pembina 400 miles whio the distance
from the International line, lay The river Lake Win
nipeg Is 75 miles distance navgable by steatrs
5I5 miles 10 this add 800 miles for the aygaton of
tributaries and the river eorst OF the Rcd River valley,
accessible with steamers will be found exceed nine
hundred miles
wisNIpEG.
This inland Sea about two hundred aud fifty miles
ia length bat of unequal breadth. It's must be
equal that of Lake Eric The western bank is aluvia
resting upon limestone while the bays of It's
eastern shore develop the gnels granite aud trap rock
of the primary formation The lake is not deep, but
with ahallows obstructive To nayg alton.
rHE RIVER sAsKAroHEwAs.
All subsequent explorations confirm the accuracy of
Sir George Simpsons description of this important river
as given by him n his Overland Journey Around the
World = He applies the name to the north branch
terming the south branch Of the Saskatchewan the Bow
river. Their point of junction Is in about latitude 5s
and longitude lO5 degrees onethrd of the distance
from Lake Winnipeg to tho Hocky mountains. Just
west OF this point of junction. in the vicinity OF Fort
Carlton, Sir George Simpson saw aud described the two
rivers lfl VII ttH1f Fattbt
The Saskatchewan " he remarks .'is here upward
of quarter of mile wide presenting as its name i'm
plies swift IL Is navgable for boats from the
Rocky Mountain House. in longitude ZIG degrees, TO
| Lake Winnipeg, upwards of seven hundred miles in a
direct line but by the actual of the stream near
ly double that distance. Though above Edmonton the
river is much obstuced by rapids yet from that fort TO
Lake Winnipeg it is d. scended without portage alike
by boats and canoes while in the upward voyage
the only break in the navigation is the Grand Rapids at
| the mouth of the river.
| "1he Bow river, south branch of the Saskatohc-
wan takes its rise ia the Rocky mountains, the in
ernational frontier and Is of considerable size, without
any impcdimcnt of any moment
sat the crossing place as hr ms latitude 1902 the BOW
river about third OF mile in width with strong
current aud twenty miles below falls into the main
Saskatchewan whence the two streams flow towards Lake
Winnipeg forming at their mouth the Grand Rapids OF
about three miles in length"
In the narrative of Capt John Franklins journey to
the shores of the Polar in the years 1879 22 full
Ter description of these Saskatchewan Rapids is given
! than has been elsewhere published, We propose to
compile particulars OF his westwardy from
the mouth of the river in Lake Winnipeg to Cumberland
house in latitude 54o longitude 1922 where he left the
| river on his northwcstward journey.
Capt. Fri,kn's party, the 10th of October, 1879
began ascend the Saskatchewan s'From the mouth of
the river to the foot of the Grand Rapid the distance IS
1 two miles There several rapids in this short dis
tancc during which the river varies it's breadth from
five hundred yards To half mile Its channel is stony
At the Grand Rapid the Saskatchewan forms sudden
bend from south 10 east and works its way through
narrow channel, deeply iu.o the limestone strata
The stream rushing with impetuous force rocky
and bottom presents sheet of foam, and seems
to bear with mpaiience the Strengthened confinement OF
its lofty banks % p The portage is eighteen hun
dred yards long, and its western extremity found
to be in $50 s. 25 north latitude, and 500 2s q west
longitude
y noon on the 18th October, the boats and their
goes having been conveyed the portage the party
resumed their voyage. .1he Saskatchewan becomes
wider above the Grand Rapid and the scenery improves
The banks ae high, composed OF white clay and lime
stone, and their smpits are richly clothed with yafi
ETY. OF frs popars, biroiea, and Willows Capt Frank
lin proceeded, before stated, to Cumberland Honsn
with further difficulty of navigation but il was not
until the 22d Of November that the Saskatchewan was
completely closed by ice On the LIST of December he
mentions that q there had been determined thaw
during tho preceding three days The ice the Saskat
chewan and lake expanded from its channel broke
p and the travelling either became dangerous
intil of Drrpmbcr
The latter circumstances though not relating to the i'm
mediate topic OF navigation, illustrate the great similarity
of climate to what experience especially in 1888 y
in Minnesota.
These statements from the journal of Capt. Franklin
sufficient TO establish that in volume and depth the
Saskatchewan is fully equal to the Mississippi above
Cairo Nor the rapids at the mouth an insupeabe
obstacle to the conveyance of steamer from Lake VIM
pipcg into the navisable waters above them. Gentle
men connected with the Hudson Bay Company represent
That the chQRnel at the most agitaed point Is deep
boats under skiliul potage descending the rapid With
safety while of vessel could he cord He'd through
IN the opposite direction ii would not be expedient to
attempt this except to introduce steamers the navi
CATION of the Saskatchewan demands them but it is
feasible and probable that steamboats,, moorcd in
the Mississippi and Minnesota rivers, will yet seek the
northwestern limits of their voyages within view of the
Rocky mountains
When however an efficient public organization is ex-
tended the Saskatchewan valley there is reason to
believe that of its first measures will be to shorten
the from tho BED River Of the North to the chan
mel the South Saskatchewan by an improvement most
obviously suggested by nature
The Assinbon falls into the Red River Fort dar.
ry; its course quite directly from the west such is
o the direction of It's principal tributary the GU Appel
ie or Calligg river Mr. James Mckay, intelligent
officer of the Hudson Bay Company, assured member of
the committee last summer that the sources of the stream
last named the On Appellee, within short distance
from the south Saskatchewan, from the "ebow, it
s called whence that river turning from west
10 eqs. bends enthusiastically to its junction with the
North Saskatchewan direction which the united stream
mostly retains to its mouth. Ma Mckay states that with
little expense the Calling and South Saskatchewan cham
nels might be Connected thereby improving the naviga
tion of the Assnibon and enabling the river boats
to be multiplied oh the Red River of the North, to avoid
tho ogleaie aud pes of Lake Winnipeg and the incon
venence of tPanshiEmsnt at the rapids The feasibility
of such connexion has been recently confirmed by
poiatons the spot mndc under the direction ol te
Canadian government and, when accomplished, great
facility for direct communications to the most favorable
..sa of the Rocky mountains that in latitude fifty known
as the Koot1sgis pess, will have been secured
The topic last under consideration VIII suggest 30 the
student OF map OF Central British America go suffer ns
TO style the immense and fertile plains whose western
limit is the eastern boundary of British Columba) that
similar SplV much greater, extenaion OF river com
,nicaton May hageqlter be accomplished between The
head of samboat navigation IN NE North Saskatchewan
at Fort Edmonton latitude 5to Longitude lsaS end the
Atbabasca aud Peace rivers, navgabe tributaries oi
Mackenzie river In similar latitude iufsa has thus
linked by short Canals The cbanncs OF great inand
streams and when il is considered that The SOURCES oi
Fraser river separated from those OF face river ny
the distance of only three hundred and seventeen yards
the former an ancn of the Pacific and the latter flowing
from the west side OF the Rocky mountains northeast