, 1860-02-10

places, ana no steep asCents OF uescehts,
and perfectly practicable for mules carry
ing from 300 to 400 pounds each and we
arc fully persuaded that there will be no
difficulty in crossing the Cascade mountains,
by this route, at any time in the year ; or
Mt any rate, there would be but little ex-
penso in keeping the trail open, should
there be an extraordinary fall Of snow at
any time during the winter.
II. II. HYDE,
ALFRED FOSTER,
FRANK HoUsToN.
To this we further append a communica-
ton from "An old Miner" which will be
found beneficial to such as may be found
willing to act upon his suggestions
SEATTLE, W. T., Jan. 90, 1850.
Editor Pioneer and Democrat:
DEAR SIR Being aware that there are
many onterprising men turning their atten-
ton, and are anxious to emigrate, to the
recently discovered plaeers on the Similka-
mecn and Upper Frazer rivers, but having
experienced the discouraging and suspicious
impressions that are forced upon the minds
of strangers, by the conflicting and exag-
gerated reports which the interested ndyo-
Gates of the different routes have put in cir
culation, beg leave through the columns
of your journal, to present q plain state
ment Of my own experience in regard to
the several routes, and the manner in which
they have been brought into notice, more
particularly since having noticed in your
last issue an article signed by men, who
evidently were willing to employ the digni-
ty and responsibility of their position to
tho base and selfish purpose of tempting
the unwary into their clutches
During the excitement of 1858, myself,
with hundreds Of others, happened to drift,
by that "only true natural channel" to the
city Of Portland. Immediately upon our
landing we were besieged by a numerous
delegation of those fine citizens" who, in
the warmth Of their disinterested friendship,
grew eloquent in the praise Of their partie-
ular route, ria the Dalles but invariably
wound up their philippics with sly recon-
mendation to purchase our supplies Of some
particular house in that place, or some Of
the up-river towns, as each was individually
interested. No assertions were too bold,
nor means too foul to be employed to carry
their point, and that, too, in the face and
eyes Of hundreds Of honest men, who had
been "just clean through tho mill " and
had come back completely 1eeced of their
hard earnings, to hunt their way, as they
well might, among q more hospitable peo-
pie and over more feasible route to their
destination At this interval, came across
an old acquaintance who quietly took q
mp Of the country, showed me the locality
Of the different routes, and informed me Of
that which my personal observations, du-
ring the past two years, have convinced me
are incontrovortable facts, namely: that by
making Seattle 10 town located on the
Sound, easy of access to the largest steam
ers and sailing yessels) our starting point,
we arc at the outset considerable nearer our
destination than we would be after having
enjoyed the variety and comforts Of some
three hundred miles Of their bosted steam
boats, sail boats aud railroads, and l do
not know but all navigation, some two hun
dred miles Of which, now as well as then,
being "steamboap sure enough, performed
as it is upon the backs Of Indian ponies,
and snch other triAing stock as can be pur-
chased at enormous prices in the noighber-
hood of the Dallcs, and over what would
be pronounced by plcasuro-seeking indi-
vidual an exceedingly uncomfortable road.
A number Of us fitted out according to my
friends instructions ascending the Cas-
cadcs by easy grades, and crossing them at
the Snoqualmic pass, which has since proved
to be the NEST northerly gap that can be
made passablo in the whole range. With
in q distance of IS miles wo struck the
main trail, little below its junction at
Fort Okanagan with the old Hudson Bay
Co.'s road leading from tho Colville sottlc-
ments to their stations on the Upper Fra
zer Owing to tho supposed general hos
tility of the Indians, and the discouraging
accounts Of some returning miners from
Thompson river, we determined to retrace
our steps and try our luck amongst tho
numbers then congregated on the Lower
Frazer, until prospects were little more
Aattering for obtaining supplies in the up
per country. 1t being then late, no further
attempts were made during that season to
pass that way; but during the past summer
several companies have passed over the
route, and have, so far as 1 can learn, in
variably pronounced it the earliest and
most practicable of all. The citizens of
this and the noighboring towns have ox-
pended several thousand dollars in coDstruc-
ting good wagon road over the mount
aims, which will DO completed at any early
day in tho coming spring, thus quietly, and
in an unostentatious manner, developing
the resources Of their country, trusting to
its merits, and the known tendency Of trade
to seek the cheapest and most accessible
means Of transportation, TO bring their
route into notice.
OF the notorious Whatcom trail it is
needless for me to speak Tho citizens of
that locality have unsuccessfully expended
large amount of money and time to dis
cover an opening in the mountain range,
that even their well-known energy aud per-
severance could render available, and if