The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1864-01-08

be prepared for early operations in tn,
Spring. .-.s-- ~ 81 g
Discoveries have also been made on the
Yellowstone, in the mountains to thu
north Of the Big Hole, and south all along
the eastern slope to the southern line o
Idaho. l.s-.s s,v
The TRAVELLED ROUTES TO THE MINES.
The route pursued by Captain Fisk'i
party Of 1868, ID shorter than any other
route yet followed by emigrant parties ia
the Idaho mines, by 500 miles. He went
north of the route of last year, and from
near the White Earth river journeyed near
ly due west within about 10 miles of the
British line to north Of the last crossing OF
the Milk river, thus avoiding the sterile
plains and alkali water Of the valleys Of
the Missouri and Milk rivers. He found
this route as easy as that of last year, .
good road for wagons, with abundance OF
wood, water and grass. 1t is Capt. Fisk g
opinion that the route of his party of1S63
is not only the best summer road, bnt is
entirely practicable for winter use-that
stages may easily be run on that route
from Fcrt Abercrombie to Fort Benton
the winter through as they are now run
from St. Paul to Abercrombie.
From Omaha and other points in Ne
braska and Kansas as many as 100000
men start each year across the plains for
the gold fields of the Rocky Mountains.
Omaha is more upon the border of c;viliza-
ton than St. Paul, but, as the map shows,
by any route that can be travelled from
there, it is further to the particular gold
fields of which we are speaking than from
St. Paul. From Omaha the trail across
the plains is through 700 miles of sage
brush barrens where all the water is alkali.
The trail is marked by skeletons of mules
and oxen, AVID little mounds where are
buried the thousands of unfortunate emf
grants who have died from the hardships
of the journey across this great sandy
plain. But it is the old trail Fremc mt
went tha5 way; the mail stages and ex-
press follow it, and emigrants will seek it
until they know that another and better
route is opened and made safe to emigrant
parties
A NEW ROUTE PROPOSED.
Capt. Fisk proposes new route to the
idaho mines, which presents in its favor
every prospect of feasibility with the great
advantage of being more direct and 600
miles less travel from navigation in the
West to the heart of the mountains at
Bannock City. He proposes to start from
Fort Ridgley, pursuing westerly course,
crossing the Missouri at about the 45th
parallel, striking the Yellowstone at or
near tue mouth ofthe Big Horn, and thence
pursuing nearly direct course to Ban
mock City. This route will require fer
ry over two rivers. Every other stream
can be crossed by wagons without bridge
or ferry.
The distance from Omaha by the trav-
eled route to the Big Hole country is 1870
miles the distance from St. Paul by
Capt. Fisk's route of this year is 1a49
miles; the distance by the direct route
proposed would not exceed $50 miles.
The country between Fort Ridgley and
the Missouri is well known to be easily
crossed. But yesterday we announced
the return of party to Fort Rldgley, con-
sisting of $50 men with 800 yoke of oxen,
who have, since the 18th of last month,
carried supplies to the Indian post on the
Missouri river and returned without hav-
ing suffered any hardship, though the
journey was made in part in mid winter;
and letter from one of the party even
describes the journey as pleasant.
Beyond the Missouri on the 45th par
allel we cross the broad plateau from
which flows the streams that make north
to the Missouri and the Yellowstone, a
country represented by hunters and trap
pers to be the garden of the unexplored
northwest, the feeding ground OF the buff
falo, and the favorite hunting grounds Of
all the Northern Indians. Here it isknown
that wood and grass are plenty, and that
pure water is everywhere found.
NOT TOO FAR NORTH.
In comparing the feasibility of the pro-
posed route with the travelled route south
of it, it is common to think at once the
farther north the more desolate and unin-
viting the country, whereas as we cross
the valley of the Mississippi and approach
the Rocky Mountains, the very contrary is
true. In the summer time at the south
on the plains is the great sandy desert
/ where sage brush is almost the only vege-
tation. and the water of the whole country