St. Cloud Democrat. [volume] (Saint Cloud, Stearns County, Minn.) 1858-1866, 1859-01-20
H. the upper Missouri, the Yellow Stone,

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lila. the upper Missouri, the Yellow Stone,
tie Jumes, the Sioux, the Sheyennc and
other tributaries Of the Red River Of the
North, are unquestionably adequate for
tho organization of eight first class States.
While the Great Plains between Minneso-
tn and the Falls Of the Missouri, and also
the interior valleys Of the Columbia, will
constitute vast grazing ranges, the Rocky
Mountains themselves are destined to wit
ness more animated combinations of indus
dustry. The valleys are fertile-the win
tors m;ld-,,seful and precious minerals a
bound-the hills are clothed with valuable
woods-water power is abundant, and
there, upon the crest of the continent pop
ulation may be expected to concentrate
more than upon the Great Plains. Let
Government secure to the emigrant wa
gon road and regular mails to this most
beautiful and salubrious region, and the
next ten years will witness at the Falls Of
the Missouri the same transformation,
which an equal period, just passed, has
wrought at the Fails Of St. Anthony.
"a. In the more Western valleys Of the
Rocky Mountains, several Indian tribes,
half civilized by their intercourse with
Catholic Missionaries, own large droves Of
horses-thcse animals needing no protec-
ton in winter and finding sufficient susie
nance along the margins Of mountain
streams. This is the case, even at Fort
Benton, two degrees North Of St. Paul,
and situated at the eastern base Of the
Rocky Mountains. Contractors could al
ways obtain horses from the Flatheads,
Nesperces or Kootonias Indians at mod
crate cost and whenever necessary. The
Crow and Blackfeet Indians, who inhabit
the eastern valleys of the Rocky Noun
tains, have breed of horses, noted among
trappers as superior to the animals found
among more southern tribes. The North
ern route has great advantage, in this
respect, over the Central or Southern.
5. 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 a consequence, springs and riyulets are
always accessible. ........
18th. The hostile Indian tribes of Wash
iugton Territory have been effectually
subdued by the late military campaign.-
Parties who have recently passed without
molestation from the navi gable waters of
the Columbia, to Fort Burton, on the Mis-
souri,, report that the Indians in the Bit
ter Root Valley and elsewhere, are very
dcsirous that a regular communication
should be established by wagon roads and
mail carriers between the head Of naviga-
ton OH the Columbia and Mississippi
Rivers. .....
9Th. The distance from St. Paul and
the western end Of Lake Superior to the
shores Of Puget Sound, as ascertained by
Gov. Stevens, is in round numbers 1900
miles. On the Southern route, the dis
lance is 2795 miles from St. Louit to San
Francisco; and the average speed is 100
miles 4 day. We are justified in fixing
the time OF the transit from Minnesota to
the Pacific at eighteen days.
18th. With our Minnesota experience,
we unhesitxtingly assert that aNorthwes-
tern winter, with its moderate but perma-
nent snow fail; the frozen streams and
marshes; the subsistence of the wind at
seasons Of extreme cold; and the increase
Of animal vigor, is advantageous to an
Overland Mail Service. One fact is most
PROFESSIONALLY established, that the win
tiers are less rigorous at all parallel points
westward of our boundaries, than in Min
nesota, growing sensibly milder with every
degree Of west lopgitude,1 until, at the
sources of the Missouri, as already stated,
horses and cattle: do not require shelter
the mail route from Dubuque to St. Paul,
over the prairies Of Northern Iowa and
Southern Minnesota has been served hith-
therto during the winter, very successful
", and no portion Of the route to Puget
Sound is more. unfavorable. At all events,
contractors can be. found, having ample
experience in the climate Of Fort Smelling,
who are ready and willing to assume the
risks Of "snow and ice" if Congress will
give the aid asked by this memorial.
9TH. Perhaps single illustration may
have greater weight than any array of ar
gulnent. Hon. Isaac J. Stevens, in re-
cent discussion before the New York
Geographical and Statistical Society, pro-
duces on the authority Of MIR. Collins, A.
merican Consul ON the AMOR, some in
teresting and pertinent facts in relation to
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