The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1866-03-26
ACROSS THE PLAINS.
The Various Routes
Information in Regard Thereto

Information in Regard Inersto'
A,gentleman occupying a position un-
der the Federal Government, and whose
official duties have necessitated his ire
oueat crossing of the plains, has publish
ed a lengthy article relative to the various
rontss from the Missouri river westward
from which we gather the following IN
formation
THE NIOBRARAH ROUTE.
Commencing on the north, the hrs'
overland route is known as the Niooi "a
rah, up which stream the roau .'n .;n,a -
it's source, and, up to the present ' Trt
crosses the Platte, terminating aI rois
Laramie Colonel Sawyer 3 wagon loau
marty endeavored, last season, 10 ma a
roadlon this route directly through to
Mnntana, via Powder river and the
month of Big Horn river but obstacles
met with, determined them to abandon
if. and they struck south and took the
road made and explored by Gen. Connor
No doubt, better road than the route
pursued by Colonel Sawyer the last year
can be found by going up the White
Earth, or Cheyenne, and turning the
Black Hills on the north by the Belle
Fourehe, then to Pumpkin Buttes, then
to Fort Reno, where the junction OF zen.
Connor's road is made. No practlcable
road north of this, until the Stevens
route is reached, can be found, and even
tbis has obstacles and difficulties to
overcome that render it, for the present,
| impracticable.
THE MONTANA ROUTE
Starts from Fort Laramie; follows the
North Platte to the mouth of Sage creek;
thence north, crossing the Cheyenne, to
the " est base of the Pumpkin Buttes;
thence to Powder river, at Fort Reno,
7 formerly Fort Conner, post establish
ed last Summer; y thence to the east base
of the Big Horn mountains, crossing
GRAVY Woman's fork of Powder river,
Clear fork, Tongue and Big Horn enter
ING tile valley of the Yellowstone at the
crossing of Clark's fork; thence to the
Yellowstone mines, where it strikes the
mining settlements of Montana and the
roads leading to all parts of that Terri.
tory. This road is abundantly supplied
with wood, grass and game. The road
heretofore used to Montana was by way
of South or Bridger's pass to Green and
Snake rivers, then mp Snake river
through the Rocky Mountains to Nir-
ginia City, crossing the Rocky Noun.
tains twice in the trip. The new road
saves i'm distance 400 miles. The dis,
lance from Fort Laramie to Virginia
City is 400 miles.
| THE PLATTE ROUTE.
The route known as the Platte starts
from different points on the Missouri
river, such as Council Bluffs, Omaha,
Plattesmouth, Nebraska City, ST. Joseph,
AtchisOn, Leavunworth, and Kansas
City
The roads all converge at or near Fort
Kearney as a common point, and follow
the valley of the Platte to its forks, and
either lead up the North Platte via
Fort Laramie, South Pass, to Salt Lake,
or up the Lodge Pole creek, Cheyenne,
and Blidgers Pass to Fort Bridger, and
thence to Salt Lake; or, continuing up
South Platte, 90 to Denver, diverge at
Junction, and pass up Cache La Poudre,
across Laramie plains, thence through
| BfluRtis 1dSS 10 II IJ DIluBti anu .cdit
Lake. The telegraph, mail and express
lines run over this route, which is by
far the best natural road from the Mis-
souri, river to the Pacific coast. In
going this route from Denver west,
choice can be taken of the new route to
be opened through Berthou9's Pass,
across Middle Park, down White river,
and over the Uintah valley to Salt Lake.
This route was surveyed and partially
opened the past summer by Lieut.. Col.
Johns, of the Utah command. Holiday
has obtained a charter for mail and
express line over it, and proposes to run
it the coming season from Denver to
| Salt Lake 1t saves $50 miles over the
present road. The distances on the
| Platte mt are:
| Council Bluffs to Fort Kearney lSj miles.
| LeavenW worth to Fort Kearney, 2e5 miles
Fort keNney to Cottonwood % miles
Fort Kearney to Fort Sedgwick, 2Os miles.
Fort X arney 10 Fort Laramie, 37s miles.
Fort KeaIney TO junction, $40 miles
Fort Ksarney TO Denver 392 miles.
Fort K-aTney to Fort Hslleck, 534 miles
Fort Il carney TO Fort Bridger 797 miles.