Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1867-08-23

.
| Mr.. E. F. johnson, Chief Engineer of the
/ Northern Pacific Railroad, is now at the In
/ ternational Hotel, and intends starting for
/ Crow.Wing aad thence to Red River, after
which be purposes returning TO this city
| previous to his departure for the Pacific end
of the road. He has, in conversation, fur
nished the following information in refer
ence 10 the road.
As yet there are but two divisions of the
road organized. and these are only for the
purpose of preliminary, or exploring sur
veys. to locate the line Of route.
The surveys in Minnesota and Wisconsin
are under the charge OF General Ira Spauld-
Ing, who has two parties in the field survey
ing two lines OF road from Lake Superior to
Red River, one line from Superior City,
crossing the Mississippi near Crow Wing.
the other from Bayfield,, crossing at ST.
Cloud, one of which Will probably be
selected
The parties have been out since about the
middle Of June, and are now advancing at
the rate Of about two miles day each, and
1t Is confidently expected that they will get
to Red River. if not beyond, before the end.
of the working season.
General Spaulding Is now located at Supe-
riOr City, and will remain there until the
work has 50 far progressed, as to render it
practicable for him to supervise operations
from ST. Cloud or from this city, when he
will make his headquarters at one of the two
places. 1t is not yet determined which, but
the probabilities are in favor of ST. Cloud.
The route proposed tor this road has never
been surveyed, aud is not yet definitely set
ft.i a III Iffara f-ar, thak
proposed by Governor Stevens, though in
general direction, as regards prominent
points, 1t Is the same.
The route as now projected will cross the
Red River, near the mouth of Sioux Wood
river. and will thence run westwardly to
Fort Clark, or Fort Rice, where 1t will cross
the Missouri. Ii will then be carried for
ward to the Yellowstone river, and will fol-
low the valley Of that river for some distance.
after which 1t will again cross the Missouri
will be carried forward until it strikes
Clark riyer on the western slope OF the
Rocky Mountains, and will then follow the
Clark River Valley to the Columbia river,
whence II will run down the Valley OF the
Columbia to Portland. At the most avail
able point on the Columbia, a branch road
" III DC III u GiAtOtAOu W
some point on Puget's Sound, not yet deter
mined.
The Washington DiyisIon, as the Pacific
end Of the road is named, is under the con-
trOl OF General James TIltOn, for several
years Surveyor General of Washington Ter
ritory, whose parties are now busIly engaged
exploring and surveying the routes.
BY the terms Of the grant. this road can
be located any where North of the forty
fifth degree Of North latitude, and IS the
National Boundary is the forty-ninth paraI-
lei of latitude there is a margin of four de-
grees in which to Co operate.
One of the advantages claimed for this
route is its freedom from snow, as compared
with routes further South, and in substanti-
alton of this claim the experience of the ori-
ginal explores is cited. They lett one as
sistant at Fort Benton, on the Missouri, and
another at CantOnment Stevens, in the Clark
River Valley. These gentlemen during The
whole winter carefully examined the pro-
posed route over the mountains, and never
at any time found more than one foot of
snow on the summit, and that not for any
great length of time. This Is accounted for
by the fact that further south the mountains
are several thousand feet higher and the
phero Is precIpitated upon them, leaving but
a small proportion TO be carried to the more
nOrtherly regions.
Another great advantage claimed is, that
the principal rivers are all crossed at points
where they are nayIgable, if not by steamers,
bv fat boats OF batteaux, rendering the
transportation of material a matter Of ease
and convenience, and enabling work to be
Il 49, Nf
points. Beginning at St. Cloud or Crow
Wing on the Mississippi, the next river that
is crossed is the Red, and that at a point
where all supplies needed could be brought
by tue river. The next crossing would be
OF the Missouri at a point 800 miles below
where steamers now run in good stag of
water. The next would be at the Yellow
stone at a point where IL would, at the very
least, be possible TO bring ties and lumber by
water, and the last this side Of the Rocky
Mountains, the Missouri at Fort Benton, the
head Ji navigation on the Missouri.
Above Fort Benton are the Grand Falls OF
the Missouri, series Of cascades extending
over a distance of from sixteen to eighteen
/ miles above which, according TO the state
! ment of Lewis and Clark, there is batteaux
navigation for about five hundred miles.
] vi luC SiOit lOutc % OOheSu4-
/ plated will strike the Clark river. which is
now navigated by steamers from Pend
d'oreille Lake to the mouth Of Jocko or Flat
head river, and thence its course is along
the banks Of nayigable rivers except at short
portages, such as those OF the Dalles and the
I Cascades Of the Columbia. At present ira
vel between the Pacific Ocean and Fort Ben
ton Is elected as follows: Steamers run up
- wxyka ahs.rf
railroad runs round the rapids, striking the
river above the Cascades, where a steamer Is
in readiness to convey passengers to WalOo-
Ia. near the mouth OF Lewis river, from
which stages run to Pend d'oreille Lake,
where they again take steamer TO the
mouth Of Flat Head river, whence they are
carried by stages to Fort Benton, via Hell
ena, the principal town in Montana Terri
tory.
This road will pass through the gold re-
gions of Montana Territory, the gold being
PRINCIPALLY found in lodges, which arc not
easily exhausted, while pocket deposits are
frequent. This region is said to be richer
than California.
As the road is now projected, the con.
struction Of seven hundred miles, connecting
with steamers on navigable rivers will ensure
steam transportation. except in winter, frou
the Atlantic 20 the Pacific.
This road runs through country in which
fuel and water are abundant, where the land
is generally good, and where the climate i
such that If the land is ct for cultivation, ir
rigation is unnecessary. the clouds furnish
4 ing sufficient moisture-&. Paul DAD
Press August lst, 1867.