Saint Paul weekly Minnesotian., 1859-01-08

horses. noted among happers as superior to
the animals found among more southern tribes.
The Northern route has . great advantage, IN
this respect, over the Central or Southern.
3D. There Is an abundance of water, for
the use of man and beast, at every point OF
the route. We have already referred to the
general and sufficient fall of rain-as conse-
quence, springs and rivulets are always acces-
sible.
4th. The hostile Indian tribes Of Wash
ington Territory have been effectually SUBJ
dued by the late military campaign. Parties
who have recently passed without molestaton
from the navigable waters of the Columbia, to
Fort Benton on the Missouri, report that the
Indians of the Bitter Root valley and else
where, are very desirous that regular COM
munication should be established by wagon
roads and mail carriers, between the head OF
navigation on the Columbia and the Mississip-
pi States.
5th. The distance from St. Paul and the
western end of Lake Superior, to the shores
of Puget Sound, as ascertained by Governor
Stevens is in round numbers 1900 miles. On
the Southern route, the distance is 2795 miles
from St. Louis to San Francisco, and the ave-
rage speed is 100 miles day. We are JUS
fed in fixing the time Of the transit from
Minnesota to the Pacific at eighteen days.
9th. With our Minnesota experience, we
unhesitatingly assert, that q Northwestern
winter, with its moderate but permanent snow
fall, the frozen streams and marshes, the sub
sidenoe of the wind at seasons Of extreme
cold, and the increase Of animal vigor, is ad-
vantageous to an overland mail service. One
fact is most unquestionably established, that
the winters are less rigorous at al parallel
points westward Of our boundaries, than in
Minnesota growing sensibly milder with ev-
cry degree Of West longitude-until at the
sources of the Missouri, as already stated,
horses and cattle do not require shelter. The
mail route from pHbnage to Saint Paul, over
the prairies Of northern and southern Mime:
sofa has been served hitherto during winter
very successfully, and no portion of the route
to Puget Sound is more unfavorable. AT al
events, contractors can be found, having am
pie experience in the climate Of Fort Smelling,
who are ready and willing to assume all the
risks of ''snow and ice" If Congress will give
the aid asked by this Memorial.
7th. Perhaps single Illustration may
have greater weight than any array OF argu-
ment. Hon. Isaac }, Stevens, in 2 recent dis.
cussion before the New York Geographical
and Statistical Society, produces on the au-
thority of Mr.. Collins, American Consul on
the Amoor, some interesting and pertinent facts
in relation to the great postal service from
Moscow to trkoutsk IN Eastern Siberia. The
distance is not 1900 but 8, 4a6 miles, On tAis
route are established two hundred and ten
stations with Postmaster and the necessary
RELAYS of horses at each station-sixteen and
two-thirds miles to each relay of horses. The
contractors are obliged to carry the mails twice
a week, and they are also obliged to transport
passengers over the route at certain rates OF
speed, to wit at eight miles an hour in win
ter six and two-thirds in the summer, and
five and one-third in the fall, (our Minnesota
time tables shows the same proportions at diff
terent seasons
The time required to carry the mails from
Moscow to IrkrOutsk, is twenty-five to thirty
days, a distance, on the average of 112 to 1877
miles per day, while the government couriers
90 oyer the route in fifteen to twenty days, or
at an average of 14l to 22s per day. The
mail route is between the fifty second and fifty
eighth parallels, and the thermometer in win
ter on large portion portion of it is liability
below zero. A moscow, the western termi-
nus of the route, the average of the thermom-
eter is Is degrees and at Tobolsk II degrees
above zero, while at Torusk it is three de-
grees, and at Irkoutsk one degree below zero.
The average temperatures from January 1857,
for the three latter places, were respectfully
three, five and six degrees below zero. Mr..
Collins himself Travelled over this entire route
in winter and early spring, making such rates
Of speed as from VerehHesdinsk to Chetah,
800 miles in forty-fiye hours, and from Ir-
koutsk to Keachtu, 367 miles, in forty-eight
hours. But he mentions another fact more
significant still On this distance of 3,426
miles, between the parallels of 50 and 56 deg,
the thermometer on a large portion of il
through the winter being below zero, he found
500 cities, towns and villages, showing con.
clusively that the extreme cold presented nc
difficulty in the way of the occupation of the
country.
In the face of such statement, will Con.
gress hesitate to establish across the Ameri
can continent postal communication in the
temperate. climate Of 47th parallel Of latitude
parallel if extended across the Atlantic
which traverses Southern France, Northern
Italy and the Crimea, and if extended beyond
the Pacific, which is central to the Japanese
Empire and the magnificent valley of the
Amoor. Such girdle of the globe is south
not north, of the heart of Christendom and
civilization.
The memorialists close with the expression
of their confidence, that there will be no deni
al or delay by Congress, in making provision
for a semi-weekly overland mail service from
the Northwestern States to the valley of the
Columbia and the shores of Puget Sound.
After the applause had subsided, Ex Gov
Alex. Ramsey offered the following resolu
tons for the acceptance Of the meeting:
ResOlued, That the distribution of popula
ton, and the developement of commerce in
the zone bounded on the North by the inter
national line of 40 deg. and on the South by
the 43d parallel of lat. embracing as we'll the
vallies of the Great Lakes; the upper Missis.
sippi and the transmontane slopes of Wash.
ington and Oregon, reaching to the Pacific
Ocean and Puget Sound, creates necessity
for immediate action by the national Govern.
ment, to open postal communication, at least
semi-weekly, through this immense region
the necessity being the more immediate and
pressing, inasmuch as British enterprise
through the aid OF its government, is about
to establish northern communication with
the Pacific and make our people dependent up
on them tor the mail facilities they are entitled
to at the hands of their government, a gov.
ernment which has already manifested it's lib.
erality towards such enterprises by the an
nual expenditure of million and a half OF
dollars for the extension. of postal facilities
between the Mississippi and the Pacific South
of the 10th deg. of North latitude.
Resolued, That we the people of Minnesota.
many of us long resident in this region OF
country, and entirely familiar with it, hereby
bear our testimony to the fact that Northern
stage route to Puget Sound conveying pas
sengers and the United States mail is eminent
ly practicable, and would not be interrupted
by winters cold or depth Of snow, nor by
any difficulty incident to climate or latitude.
Resolced, That we hereby tender the thanks
of the people of Minnesota to Senator Rice
A,,l hn ~ - r TIL.