The New York herald., 1862-10-27
NEW MILITARY ROUTE.
Captain Mullan's Military Route .
the Pacific.
Yhe OolumLla and Missouri Rivers Unho~
BY = New and the shortest Road
Across the Rocky Mountains,
La ~

nv 4 New and the Sn0rtta HOaU
Across the Rocky Mountains,
u have already poloed the return Of Captain Muilan
United s,.es Army and party, 70 this city, from the
frontier Of WI Territory, having completed the
construction OF the military road from Fort waa walla
70 Fort Bcncn upcs which they have been arduousy oc
cap,ed Tor the past Ave years
Those who have perused the columns OF the HERALD Tor
I'VE past years viii not have failed 70 notice. from
time fu and complete accounts cf the successive
progress and Incidents expeditions while Ionrneyns
amd the bold and romantic region Of the ROCKY NOUN
tahrs md proper hrals 10 these previously publish
cd accounts we now chronicle with pleasure the close OF
.aejr labors and tolls thus SO successfully ended
The history Of all past geographical explorations
(which for ooh have been 50 conspicuous feature OF
che progressive spirit Of our naton) has attracted no
re share of public attention, only in admiration
Of that liberal and enterprsing energy which gave TO
them shape and vitality, but especially ~ reason Of
those practical and useful lights they were expected 70
shed upon the or science, we'll ss add more
intimate knowledge Of our vast territorial domain
rhe lapse of half century may have caused the fact
% be unapprecated perhaps by many that the opening
OF practicable route from the head watcrs Of the
Missouri 10 the mouth Of tho Columbia early
gagged much Of the anxious attention Of President
Jefferson under whose auspices the memorable party
Of Lewis and Clarke started out in 1904. The accounts
ef the travels and results Of this early explcra
though presenting succinct and truthful atve have
not strange TO say found that lodgment among the cur
rent know ledge Of couny which the character
Of their discoveries and the ulterior benefits they
expected to insure 80 well deserve.
The virgin region Of the great Northwest has Of late
years been pretty thoroughly explored and its
developed by different government parties The explora
sons of Stevens, stapsbury Simpson, Lander, Beale
Warren and others have done much for the geographical
we'd But, without diml. .shing the character Of the
work Of these able officers free say that the
government has set oc project Of greater nation
nj importance than the opening Of military line
sbc distant Rocky Mountains uniting rn grasp the
Columbia Missouri rvcrs draining the two slopes o,
the continent by the ,horest line yet known TO geo.
Grarhy.
The utility OF this road for military purposes has already
been practically tesed by the passage ever IL, two
years since, Of several hundred troops, destined for
the line OF posts commanding the Columbia river;
and the facts that the Missouri is navigable as
far as the american Fur Company's post at
Fort Benton which Ia at the eastern terminus
OF the route and that during the past summer, some
Rve hundred omigrants from the Western States wen,
that way into Oregon ind Washington make the line full
6l the wants Of emigration and recommend as fea
who arenow contemplating making homes the Pacific
coast.
Tho 'toantry explored by Captain Nullan opens up
. new field for future investigation and further
examination. II passes through exceedingly nte
resting section Of the Northwest where the sound
Of busy energy and industry has been heard,
and where the decayng Blackfest and Flaihead
Indians Foam to-day in the unbridled freedom
- did their fathers long before them. raverses
I'D s,,
waters Of the Missouri low pass separating the Allan
tic from the Pacific SIDE Rich extensive deposits Of
gold have been discovered all along the line Of road,
these have caused industrial revolution and
activity TO take place IN that region. The shipments Of
gold from the Of Washington Territory Eastern
Oregon far exceed in those leaving California
lr "copper" lead and coal have been also found and
said that the mountain ranges rich in silver and
mercury.
This route, situated Is in uxtaposton our Brit
sh border Is destined 10 become most marked line OF
operations any trouble with the glish govern
men which would lead to conflict by either land
We have always abored under the impression that ia
case Of with England, the Pacific coast would be
come the nrst il is the most VITAL point OF attack o.
oil possessions. Even now with the dcult range
the Rocky Mountains intervening a wall and barrier
70 rapid communications these possessions only held
by MS via the slender ana uncertain thread Of a
held by the English government and the harbor
San Francisco blockaded, would virtually dspossess
Of hs golden region upon which to-day dependen
Tor that coin which is paying Of the interest OF
tional debt,
In such condition Of things this mot al iposs
be) in state OF the English government would still
have iis seaport OF Victoria Puget Sound open It's
ships and these would Immediately swarm with
British feet for now the EDglisE IRE building i
vnrl AT IN nr ffQh Cnip In .
case therefore we state, with firm conviction, that
this route just opened by Captain Mullan, becomes o.
most marked military value 10 the English govern.
ment for connecting her Canadas with the North
Pacific aud IL would seem both prudent and pro
per for our governmen-by posts, sites troops
and mail facilities-to invite to It's settlement,
hardy population by which line OF baitlement OF
men could be there built up, the speedes, and
most economical method OF guarding and protecting
during period Of war, this important line across the
continent
The people OF California and Oregon are alive to th
importance and extent Of the trade travel and inereem
muncaton which must follow upon the construction or
this line Of travel.
In order to show the interest in this great enter
prise BY the inhabitants the Pacific slope quote the
following paragraph from the Ala Catyorna leading
PAPER published in san Francisco:-
From the Daily Alta California, Oct Il
THE wALLA wALLA AND FORT BENTON wA6os
ROAD.
Among the passengers to-day by the sonora FOR Pa
mama, route for New York Captain John Muan
Secod tinted States artillery, and assistants on their
way 10 Washington city, u. c. Captain Mullan returns
East ior he purpose OF submitting hts reports and maps
20 the War Department relating to the geographical
topographa features q the mountain sections Of the
Territories oi Washington aud Dacoth through which
thc uiiary road has been located and constructed.
The union q the Columbia and Missouri rivers (dran.
ing The acie and Atlantic slopes Of our continent re-
ectyey) by nm overland across the Rocky Noun
tains u one y sne grand achievements OF the nineteenth
Clarke, 10 1904 . and %, and those n a lsiar date of
sshn fremont, Tie goserument has not ina,cd an
Efennef sn its conception, whore the prac
al results sought % he obtained have been Ier NOR
Important, ~ more senecal IN their TENDENCIES 10 the
adva cement and promotion Of Pacific p,e~essious
&an te late er ioratiens o Captain Muan To BRING to
sue eAsaal = Innation project 81 arduous sof ds