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

occupied as States or rovnces each having average
Of 81, 600 square miles. Starting tsefcisr, ffclu
that point of the western 0unafy al Minnesota shhh
Is may be improved bcsoa,e ts bead q sissu
boat navigation the rc river tc ilgigeufe ~ the
chamber Is asked while pTuceei, 40 cpayelisHt sai
visions, 10 group considerable nunbeI Of iaes. $50
graphical and otherwise demonstrating tho miage iin
pnrance Of that river navigation which 10 b. fhe
10 the vast district encl0se heNeen lati,ues a. and
So degrees, aud extending from the soles q Lake Win
nipeg to u Rocky Mountains.
rnE AMERICAN vALlEy on Tss miysa
OF this district Lac traverse In one drccon and otis
Tail Lake In a line north from 81 PAni-eiihsI
point not than two hundred miles distant may b,
regarded its extreme southern Limits. PembiDA a0d
the international frontier the northern, whils he iopg
tude OF Red Lake on the east and OF MinasSsken %
Spirit Lake the west, convenient Designations 81
the remaining boundaries. This would extend ra
about latitude ace 10 49, and from longiue So 30 10
99o.
Capt Pope, in bis exploration OF lsis, remarks that
for fifty miles in all directions around Otter Tail Lake a
the garden of the northwest The outlet of the lake
constituting the Of the Red River OF the Moth has
been very yorably described by DR. Owen o he United
States Geographical Survey IL presents succession VI
lakes and rapids while at other points tolling praiiAs
extend from It's tanks crested with beautifully dispersed
groves of timber IL WAS in this section OF Minnesota
that the magnetism limestone containing silmian lHsils
identical with those in the bluffs of the MissiHpp below
st Paul was recognised by DR.. Owen IN saa; showing
that the primary formation which divides Minnesota from
northwest to southwest is succeeded to the northwest 10y
the ascending series OF documentary rocks
Many of citizens have frequently traversed the
district Just named and their testimony Is that westward
from Otter Tail lake, for at least one hundred miles, and
northward to Red lake, ii not beyond more favor
able distribution of beautiful pIaes and forests can be
imagined The lakes numerous but small and almost
invariably skrted with timber the smear maple largely
preponerang Seldom is the traveller out OF sight OF
these groves while the soil Is unsurpassed.
From Dr. Owens geological report IL appears that be-
low the head navigation the western bend Of the Red
river is vast plain but the east where the county
is level timber is abundant on the river banks
The soil is congcnal to the ash, which attains large
size. Below the mouth of Red iiver strong chay-
bee springs from the clay banks. Saline springs
also found and all accounts concur that hardly AN
but is cinentIy adapted to the cultivation Of wheat
This great staple with the aid of machinery, viii here
after he cultivated advantageousy the north
western of the continent than in the Mississippi
basin.
| AssMBoN.
We believe that this is the official designation of the
district of British America occupied by the Selirs set
Elements ltcmbraces the lower or northern section OF
The Red river and the productive valley OF the Assin
bon. Here is civilized and interesting community of
10 900 souls, with schools churches, magstracy and
II successful agriculture. Its trade consisting largely OF
the exchange Of furs, is concentrating at st. lan and
is estimated during the year 1868 TO have amounted 10
| 81 000, 900.
The committee would refer for fuller details in regard
to the community ut Selkirk TO the numerous publca
! ons recently made The most important of these is
/
report of an exploring expedition which, among other
interesting statements, shows that the soil and climate
favorable 10 agriculture than the vicinity
| of Toronto The Minnesota farmer recognizes IN these
details remarkable coincidence with his expe
! rience.
| puNpERIANp
/ But north of the Red River Settlements is region
almost discovery Of recent explorers which is even
attractive than the prairie district contiguous 10
| the Red and Assniboin rivers Immediately west OF
/ Iuk are ManltDfa
with an outlet flowing into Lake Winnipeg in latitude
800 Tributary to Lake Winnipigoos the Red Deer
and Swan rivers, which drain country OF rare beauty
and fertility. traveller, writing to Canadian news
paper describes its general features rich praes, ier
speised with belts of heavy oak and elm, while the itin
erary OF Sir George Simpson affords most glowing Pie
turc of the of Swan river Under date OF July
IA he observes In this part of the country we saw
many sorts Of birds geese looms peicans ducks, cranes
two kinds OF snipc, hawks, owls, and gus but they
all remarkably shy that we were constrained to
| admire them from distance In the afternoon we FRA
yersed beautiful country with lofty hills and long val
eys full of sylvan lakes while the bright green OF the
surface, ar as the eye could reach assnmed foreign
tnge. under an nninterlHped profnsion OF roses and
blue-bells On the summit OF one OF these hills we lo
manled of the few extensive prospects we had Of
late enjoyed One range OF heights rose behind anoth-
en- each becoming fainter as it recedcd from the eye, Till
the furthes was blended in almost undistinguisable
confusion with the Clouds while the soest wales spread
panorama Of hanging copses and gering lakes at our
] feet /"
As Cumberland House is situated north OF the valley
of Swan river upon the Saskatchewan, its name has
been chosen to designate the district between longtudes
I 100 deg and lO5 deg and from latitude So deg TO 90
deg, An equal area Immediately SOUTH and between
the parallels Of 40 deg and SO deg is no less attractive
and fertile.
| sAsRATCHEwAN f
There remains from longitude 1860 to l5o and from
latitude 49o to $50 the respective valleys of the North
and South Saskatchewan ample in and resources for
four States of the extent of Ohio We propose to
slider the whole interval westward from the junction of
the rivers to the Rocky mountains, without subd
yson rs, indeed, it is presented by Cotons Map of
| North America
The prairie districts adjacent to the South SasSatche
wan described by the Canadian explorers fully equal
| crs while Sir George Simpsons sketches OF his route
from Fort Carlton to Fort Edmonton suggestive of a
superior agricultural legion During his first day route
he describes the country as 50 plcurespns In It's char
acer that almost every commanding position presented
the cements of picturesque panorama. The next day
he encanped large lake and successive DATES
he refers TO q bands of buffalo in all directions to the
! number Of about FIVE thousand, =, abundant game
bold scenery ',deicous wild imiss' 2 luxuriant
crops Of the reich Wild pea almost az nutritious food
for cattle and horses oats q of coal ten feet
| IN thickness" &C.
Bnt there Is an authority regard to the western
portions of the Saskatchewan whom the committee
ioitous 10 bring prominently before the public We
fer 20 Father DE Smct the dopo,el Jesuit missionary to
the Indians Of Oregon, mentioned hy Gov stevens In n
recent address before the New York Geographical Society
as "a whose name is a tower OF strength and faith
possessing high scientific tainments and great practical
knowledge Of the country. His 'Oregon Missions is a
publication Of much interest consisting of letters to his