, 1860-02-24
The Fort WaIIa WaIIa and Fort Benton
Wagon Road.

We have received intelligence from this
important expedition rs late as the 10th
Of January, at which time Lieut.. Mullnn
had gone into winter quarters with his par
ty, on the St. Regis Borgia river, ten miles
from the main Bitter Root river The work
on the road was not suspended until the 9th
December, when finding the snow 26 inches
deep, Lieut. NJ. deemed it best to drive oil
his animals to the Bitter Root valley for
the winter, and setting his men TO work in
the woods, erected log cabins for their
shelter and temporary comfort. To his
winter camp he has given the name Of
Cantonment Jordan" in honor Of zeal
GUS and earnest friend Of this new overland
wagon aud emigrant route. An advanced
party has encamped for the winter at the
crossing Of the Bitter Root, whip-sawing
lumber for building boats, to cross the ex-
pedtion 10 the spring, and also have estab-
lished an astronomical observatory at the
same point
One OF the engineers, with o small party,
has gone forward to Fort Benton, to ex.
anime and map the line, in order to pre-.
pare for the work and location Of the road
by early spring. The whole expedition
was well supplied with ratiOns, and Lieut.
Mulan thought he had sufficient to subsist
his men until he could draw his supplies
from Fort Benton, that had been sent there
last year from ST. Louis.
The snow at the Cantonment, when the
expressman left, was two feet deep, and on
the summit Of the Bitter Root Mountains,
FIVE feet The weather through the winter
has been cold, especially during the latter
part Of November, and in early December,
when the thermometer fell to 42o below
zero. 1t was thought that the winter
would break in February, and the party
would resume work in March. During
the past season the party have opened and
completed 288 miles Of road, and had some
800 yet to complete, but Lieut. M. thought
that he could reach Fort Benton with five
months work. He estimates three months
to the He'll Gate river, and two more thence
to Fort Benton.
As soon as the bad weather set in, the
citizens Of the Bitter Root valley came for.
ward with their animals, 10 assist the expe-
dtion to push on the road, and under the
general direction Of Major John Owen,
rendered every aid possible. This praise
worthy act bespeaks volumes, and shows
the earnestness felt in the opening Of this
road by the citizens Of Eastern Oregon and
Washington Territory.
The work on the road has been found
much greater than was at first supposed,
but Lieut.. NJ. feels sanguine that be will
have the route opened to the Missouri riv.
er by August next. He had sent one Of
his civil engineers to Washington, as bear
er Of dispatches, in order to urge upon the
Department q renewal Of his appropriation,
and to lay before the Secretary of War q
plan Of operations during the next year.
When the expressmen left camp, the en-
giueers were busily engaged in preparing
maps aud pro6les Of the different routes
examined during the past summer.
Feeling as we do, the deepest interest in
the opening Of this line to the Missouri, we
shall hail its completion with welcome, aud
bear witness to the zeal and ardor with
which it has been prosecuted by the off.
GERS and engineers in charge.-MoHntai''cer
FEB. l5tb.