The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1859-09-02
From Red River.
LAFAYETTE, ON RED RIVER, |
August 18th, 1859. I

to know what progress is being made here
in Northwestern Minnesota in developing
lire of communication between St. Paul
and British America and how American
enterprise is stealing a march upon John
Bull in his profound cogitation about reach
ing his new settlement on the Pacific. The
temporary stay of boat Ans. Northrup
at Fort Abercrombie was unavoiaably
necessary in order to perfect the completion
of its outfit, and enable its new owners to
put it in running order, and so, after delay
of about six weeks it lett for Fort Garry on
the 3lst of July, having on board several
passengers from Canada, and the next day
met the teams laden with about thirty tons
of the Hudson Bay Company's goods which
she took aboard at the mouth Of the Upper
Wild Rice. Between this point and the
mouth of the Shayenne so many distractions
to navigation were found in the river that
it was deemed impossible for the boat to
reach the Upper Wild Rice again this sea-
SOD, and Captain BELL informed Mr.. MAC
KAY, the agent of the Hudson Bay Com
pany that it would be necessary for him to
erect his buildings and warehouses at some
point below the Sheyenne.
On the third of August an accident
happened to the boat, which at first, threat
ened to interrupt the regularity of its trips
Tor short time. just after it had passed
the mouth of Goose River at point where
the identity of the channel is almost destroyed
by numerous bars and islands, the boat got
aground on bar which extends quite across
the river, and as the water was nowhere
more than twelve inches deep, all attempts
to get the boat off for several days proved
entirely useless. As soon as it was evident
that the boat would not, in its present con-
dition, be able to pass the bar, Captain BELL
sent word to Mr.. MAcKAy, requesting him to
send down his carts and convey the freight
to Fort Garry by land. His messengers
arrived here on the evening of the 9Th and
the next day informed Mr.. MAcKAY of the
disaster to the boat, who Immediately made
preparations to leave with his men. On the
9th the stage arrived at this place for the
first time, and Capt. BLAKELY who had also
come through departed Immediately for the
boat in company with Mr.. MACKAY. As
soon as they arrived there wing dam was
built of logs about half way acrsss the river,
thus narrowing and deepening the channel,
by directing the water to one side of the
river, and when the latest news came from
that place, the boat had already passed the
bar and would start for Selkirk on the
morning Of the 18th. News arrived at this
place this evening that it had been decided
not to run the boat any more this season,
but to tie her up at Selkirk until the open
ing of navigation in the spring, and that the
goods of the Hudson Bay Company would
be taken down by land. AS this is the only
point below here where any difficulty has
been experienced, there is little danger of
its always remaining an insuperable obstacle
to the navigation of this river in low water.
Much greater difficulties than this have been
met and overcome during the last few
months, and the public need be under no
apprehension that the regular trips of the
boat are to be almost entirely suspended
during the summer season for the want Of a
few hundred or thousand dollars expense
at single point between here and Selkirk.
Several gentlemen from Canada, who
took passage on the boat for Fort Garry
have stated to me that this enterprise has
been looked upon with as much interest, and
has created as much excitement among the
inhabitants of Upper Canada as among its
patrons in Saint Paul, and that thousands
are preparing to emigrate to the countries
northwest of US as soon as they are certain
that safe and expeditions communication
is opened between Saint Paul and Selkirk
Settlement. Mr.. MCKINNEY, a gentleman
who is going to locate and trade upon the
Saskatchewan, informed me that hundreds
from his own place, town opposite De-
troit, will take this route for British Amer
lea either this fall or early in the Spring
and MIR. Ross, an intelligent gentleman
from Sekirk Settlement, has expressed
similar views, and stated that Canadian
company, now organized at Toronto, will,
during the coming year, place a line of
steamers on Lake Winnipeg and the Sas-
katchewan, and extend this line of commu.
nication as near as possible to the Rocky
Mountains.
The location which Mr.. MAcKAY has
chosen, and which understand he proposes
to call "Georgetown," in honor of Sir
GEORGE SIMPSON, is at the mouth of the
Buffalo River, and here he proposes imme-
diately to erect suitable accommodations for
his men and cattle to cut hay enough to
winter his stock, ana make this the depot
of the Hudson Bay Co.'S operations on
Red River. A substantial bridge has been
built across the Buffalo, and large raft
has been constructed on the Red River. on
which Messrs GRANT & GINGRs crossed with
their trains as they returned to Pembina
and St. Joseph. W.