, 1860-07-27


years in every streamlet from the Platte to
the Columbia, and the evidence Of all Oi
them confirms the same account that there
exists an open wagon road country direct
fro II lIcllsgate to Fort Laramie, aud only
500 miles long. A conversation held in
the winter Of 1858, with Major TwiSS,
whose long residence among the Sioux Of
the prairie has rendered him familiar with
the country, confirms the same. An old
mountaineer, Gabriel Prudehomme, who
was my guide in 1854 had passed over
the line, and who was to- guide me over il
in July 1854, when we received instructions
that compelled us to give up the trip. In
conversation with Gov. Stevens, Captain
Humphreys, Lieut.. Warren and other Of
iicerS of the war department, | expressed
my confidence in the belief of being enabled
to find practicable line that would open
up u new route to the North Pacific, and
that would not ouly shorten the present
cmigrant route 400 miles, but passing
through a well.grassed and wei.watcred
country, would render travelling easy and
pleasant and thus avoid that long, dreary
section from Fort Laramie via Forts Hall
and Boise to Fort Wala-walIa. The plains
Of the Yellowstone and Missouri, near
their sources in the Rocky Mountains, now
form the great buffalo range of the conti-
nent. It's here that the Blackfeet, Crows,
Sioux, Snakes, Banacks, and the numerous
small bands west of the Rocky Mountains,
meet every year, and where thousands and
tens Of thousands Of buffalo are slaughter
ed for their robes and tongues The ac-
counts of oil travellers show that it is the
apparently inexhaustible fresh meat market
for the Indians of the mountains and prai-
rie. Truly this section Of western Nebras-
ka is but little known, but where countless
herds Of game roam, as in this section, can
not man find new home and thus add to
the productive wealth of the country?
cannot but regard, therefore the explora-
tons of Captain Reynolds at this time as
fraught with most marked value to the
people of Oregon and Washington. 1t is
to open up a hitherto closed section and to
pOiut out to the emigrant new sites for fl-
ture homes at the very base of the Rocky
Mountains With this line practically
opened-along which must travel the emf
grafton for the North Pacific from Mis-
souri,, Kentucky, Illinois, and the central
section of the country-and with line
opened from the head Of navigation on the
Missouri to Walla-walla, along which must
travel the emigration from the more north
ern section-with these things following il
the wake of the future, it needs no pro
phet vision to see the large and beautiful
valleys Of the Bitter Root, Hellsgate, Deer
Lodge, Beaver Head, and others, that,
gem-like, lie embedded in the heart of the
Rocky Mountains, becoming the centres Of
population that. increasing year by year,
must add not only to the wealth of eastern
Oregon and Washington, but thus supply
the link now wanting in the chain of con-
tinuous settlement from the Mississippi to
the Pacific.
What Washington Territory now needs
is to have routes explored and roads opened.
The topography of The country is difficult,
and until roads are opened connecting, cen.
tres of population, feeling Of isolation
must ever reiard her growth and prosperi
ty. Roads are the leading-strings Of all
countries, and i1 new countries especially
they constituto'the pulses of trade, travel
and wealth 1Ihat add to their Importance
and prosperity.
That have felt more than ordinary
interest that the line from WalIa Walla to
the Missouri should be practically opened,
you eau well believe, and that have placed
myself in a position where enemies have
been made and where my personal comforts
have been fur from being enviable, you can
also believe; but whether or not my labors
are to be attended with success, am will
ing to let the future decide. From the be.
ginning, however, have never ceased to
be sanguine that the route would be practi-
caly opened, Notwithstanding the scores Of
enemies within aud without, and the mass
of opposition against which it has had to
contend. puriug the past winter, notwith-
standing our losses aud mishaps when over
taken by the SHOWS Of the mountains, |
was determined to make one more attempt
to prove that our time aud means were not
being uselessly expended; and therefore
despatched Mr.. w. w. johnson, one Of the
Civil Engineers of my party, as special mes
senger TO the War Department, to assure
the Secretary Of War and General JesuI
that, if movement Of 800 recruits would
be made over our line this season, | would
guarantee their reaching Walla Walla iu
safety, and at saving Of $4,000 to the
Quartermaster's Department over oil other
aoutes; and now that the movement has
been ordered, feel myself pledged to its
success.
Truly, when we view and study the diff
ferent routes and methods pursued by the
War Department in forwarding troops to
the Pacific coast in years past, we have but
too sad aud truly costly picture PIE.
sented to US for contemplation. The move
ment of the Rifle Regiment overland in
lS49, with its losses and its costs; Of the
4th Infantry in 1852, via the Isthmus oI
Panama, with its long bill of mortality; oI
the Sd Artillery, 1858, with its San Fran
cisco wreck and its untold tales Of woe and
suffering; Of the 9th Infantry in 1858, when
summoned at the moment OF danger to pur.
sue the shortest route to Oregon, still trav.
erses the SHOWS of Sierra Nevada, with its