St. Cloud Democrat. [volume] (Saint Cloud, Stearns County, Minn.) 1858-1866, 1866-02-15

Letter from Non. Ignatlu. Don,ell,:

- u
Hon: ID. schenef, chairman lcouaiBittee @ Mil,t.r,
DEAR. SIR-On the ,26th inst. i offered
IN the -HouSe the following resolution.
which was adopted. and Is nov before vonr
Committee szsi s'Es<S5 II 4sssIzsss5ss =, ::
WHExEAs. the development Of the ,o,an,c.a,,. a..
regions o. the country Il of the utmost impoftsnce 70
me financial success Of the nation; sd ,viyeas Com
sh ed Ses S:txssS = the eaths1n tier
only by long detour 70 the southwark q f.r Il st.
Louis; therefore, .sf.g3 7Ef:- s.. -,
ks:o.ed 1h.t the conmittee On Hllttary 1nsir;,s
a Ss d5sessd ts to saas into the q direct
Of te tSs sn y
And Idaho, BY the most direct and advantageous
route the construction Of military rad With prop
desire leqs to submit the following state
the Territory Of Montana lie. ,,i directly i,
vest Of Minnesota, Al = distance Of about
800 miles, and Is separated from. It by the
Territory of Dakota. Montana Is one Of
the richest gold predicting Territories in
the the Union, and is rapidly iuereasing in
pop ulation. s.,s.= s. S : Z s.
Atthe last, Congress an oct was passed.
approved March ID. 1865, aFpropriatihf
$4,000 for the construction Of ) wagon
road "from point on the weytern bounda-
~ Of Minnes0ta, TO be determined, ~ the
Secretary Of the Interior, to . point 1T or
near the mouth of the Big :Shey enne riyef.
and thence up said river to its main forks.
theace up the north fork to 3 point 1T In.
tersectlon with wagon road from Niohra-
ra; (provided for IN the same act, aud for
which an appropriation Of $50, 600. xals xas
made, and thence to Virginia City. in
Montana Territory, =
The PURPOSE of this act was 10 open 81 a di-
rect 'communication bet xeen Minnesota And
Montana ACROSS Dakota, Territory se..z 4,
On the 18th OF March, 1865, ,Wilmot ".
Booking, Esq, Was appointed to construct
this road. s5aSG < = ,si Z. - ID -
y Mr.. Brooking surveyed and CONSTRUCTED
this road as far Al the: forks of the Biz
Sheyenne River, about one-third Of the
entire distance, but was unable to proceed
further on account of the hostility Of the
AaoiahSs: assfs .-s.3.ftyz, = ffF;5s sti;t. =.
!, He expended about six thousand dollars
and expresses the opinion, il his report.
that the balance Of ths appropriation
f$l4;o0O) Willis sufficient TO construct. the
whole Of the road: ! Il stE- s..ss ,nf,5.,E.s,
He says: Il found an; excellent road as
far as went, With abundance Of water.
wood and grass; Ster ! gently rolling prai.:
rie,. and from information gained inodi
friendly Indians and mountain strappers. i
have no doubt, in fact am. confident, that
good road can be found over the entire
IL regret" he adds; ..yeffyjsmuoh that /
VAS unable to go.throikh with this road,
for I am confident that l could have found
shorter, more practicable and in every very
! respect; better route to Montana than has
yet been found.''1i ~ aaacf..ts sl} III s.sss
He fdrther says: teThe road has been
thoroughly marked with stakes and monu-
ments as ofteh as every half mile, 'issi.idt isnidt
when necessary nearer; and since cons
strueted has b. en- better marked BY two
heavy trains passing over: it, one from Min
nesdta and the other military, so that the
track cannot be obliterated tor two or three
years. "ssl 10 E#a' 3t5 ri. 5E -, s,a::ts.,34Ei
q He described the cctntry between the
Minnesota and the BiG Sioux River, ae
e'quite level and the soil very rich The
The bottom lands are covered with heav :
grasses, principally blue joint and there
is considerable timber He E,ves It de
his opinion that this whole country ,If,ll
in few years be settled.
would therefore call the attention 6f
your committee to the following facts: .l5R
| a. That it is the duty of Congress to pro-
vide protection 70 emigranis upon the great
! interior lines Of communication. 1s.'5
| 2. That Congress owes it to the new
territories to afford them direct communi-
cation with the States, from which they
Will draw their supplies. .ef. population. ~