, 1859-09-09
arrival OI Ihe Steamer chippewa" al
F0Ft Benlon-The WaIla Walla and
FOrt Benton Wagon ROad-Steamers
On De Upper Columbia.


the Upper Missouri. An express reached
the camp Of Lieut.. MUILAN, at the CGur
dAline mission, on the 10Th Of August,
bringing the gratifying intelligence that
the steamer ChiPpc0a reached Fort Ben
ton on the TIb Of July. This steamer was
not built expressly for the river, but was
picked up for the occasion BY P. CHOUrEAu,
jr. & Co., to test the practicability Of the
enterprise. 1t draws about two and half
feet Of water. Heretofore steamers have
never ascended the Missouri higher than
the mouth Of Milk river, some four hun
dred miles below Fort Benton.
The present year has been full Of mo-
ment to the development Of the great nor
then route. In 1858 and 1854 the prac-
ticability Of navigating the Missouri with
steamers to Fort Benton and the waters Of
the Upper Columbia was insisted upon by
Gov. STEVENS in his reports Of the exPlO-
ration and survey Of the Northern Pacific
Rail Road Route, and this Judgment was
repeated in bis subsequent reports-espe-
cially in his reports as Superintendent Of
Indian Affairs, and in his final report Of
the exploration now being published by
order Of the Senate. The Upper Missouri
itself, from Fort Benton to tho mouth Of
Milk River, was actually surveyed under
his direction in September and October
1858, BY Lieut.. GROVER, an officer Of bis
exploration, and the Governor himself de-
Scended the Upper Columbia from Walla
Walla to the mouth Of the DesChutes in
November Of the same year. DR.. SUckLEY,
the surgeon and naturalist Of the eastern
division Of the exploration, descended the
waters Of the Upper Columbia from the
Bitter Root valley to Vancouver in q ca
noe, also in the fall of the same year, ex-
cepting q short distance from the lower
Pend G0reille Mission, on Clark's Fork,
70 ColVille. The data collected by these
several examinations afforded the grounds
Of the Official reports in favor Of the prac-
ticability Of navigating the upper waters
Of these rivers by steamers.
1t has, however, required six years Of
exertiOn to verify these Judgments prac-
tically. Great exertions were made in lS-
IS to have the goods for the BlackfOot
council brought to Fort Benton in steam
ers. Although the urgent representations
Of Gov. STEVENS to this effect were cord
tally endorsed by the other Commissioner
Gov. CUNNING, the steamer proceeded nc
further than Fort Union, at the mouth o.
the Yellow Stone. In many other ofieia
reports the attention Of the government
has been called to the subject, and it i,
due, in great part. to an Intelligent view
Of its own necessities by the government
that the practical demonstration has mol
been deferred to another year.
r. r. Thompson & Co., the enterprising
pioneers Of steamer navigation on the up
per Columbia, were enabled TO embark il
the enterprise in consequence Of the heavy
government freighting business, of which
they had the contract, required for the sup
ply Of the interior posts. They have pushed
their steamer the present year to Priests
Rapids. on the main Columbia, eighty miles
above old Fort Walla Walla, and to the
mouth Of the Palouse and Tukanon, on
Snake river, seventy-6ve miles above old
Fort Walla Walla, and sixty-four miles
above the mouth Of Snake river. These
same gentlemen having the contract to
transport the supplies for the depot at Col.
vile. are nov putting q sailing craft on the
Columbia above Priests Rapids, and will
pursue the same course in testing the prac-
ticability, for steamers, Of the Columbia
above these rapids, as they did below that
point. They will first try to carry the sup
plies in sail vessels from Priests Rapids to
the Kettle Falls, near ColVille, and if they
succeed in thus using the river continuously,
they will next year put on q steamer.
PIEHRE CHOUTEAU jr., l. Co., have, for
two years, (this year and next) the con-
tract for carrying to Fort Benton the an
nuity goods Of the BlackfoOt Indians. The
treaty and annuity goods Of the eastern
tribes Of Washington Territory, must also
next year go up the Missouri to Fort Ben
ton, and thence be Wagoned to the Bitter
Root valley. They will, the coming win
ter, build one or more steamers specially
adapted to the Upper Missouri, from Fort
Union to Fert Bention-steamers which
viii be used exclusively on that portion Of
ihe river. and which can unquestiOnably be
used on il for more than seven months Of
the year-that is at all times when the
river is not DISTRACTED by ice.