, 1868-05-22
The MuIIan Road.


We take from the Helena Herald tho fol-
lowing letter, written to that Journal by a
prominent citizen Of Minnesota. The SUBJ
ject matter of the communication is of IL
terest to this community, and therefore, we
give it publication in our columns:
ST. PAUL, Minnesota, April IL, 1865
fGENTIEMAN=nis is now almost a year
since our last interchange of views and sem
timents, with reference to the long deferred,
yet still vitality important subject of the great
Overland Route from this State through to
the navigable waters of the Columbia Those
Of our leading citizens who have taken most
active part in forwarding this important pro
ject, express themselves more confident than
ever before, of being able soon to consum-
mate success in the undertaking. A large
delegation of our strong -men-aFe now. IN
Washington, and have been.,for some time,
seeking the desired military aid to enable
them at once, on the opening of the staging,
freighting, and land emigration season, to
put on through mail service, By stocking
the entire road to Walula, so as to run at
least tri-weekly coaches. The Messrs. Bur
bank Co., have bought off the Cayuse
Northern Mail men - having assurances
from the Department that the contract would
be let this season on the basis of coach SER
vice; and feeling assured of their ability to
underbid all others for the same. This
Company still retain on hand all their coaches
and hacks-the best in the Western coun-
try-and have also several hundred head of
fine horses forthe route, and abundant means
at command, to put the enterprise in active
operation without the slightest delay, when
the good word shall come.
The "Pony Express" or mail service un-
dertaken last season on this route, was, as
you are doubtless well aware, an entire fail
ure; and was, sometime since, declared a
nuisance by the Department, as well as by
the people OF Minnesota. Ii is palpable to
the travelling public that this is the very
best and much the shortest route, and it will
certainly command great amount of the
passenger and1express carriage to aud from the
rich gold fields of Montana and Idaho, when
coaches shall once be put on and properly
protected. Prominent capitalists of Super
ior City. and other persons largely inter.
ested In the water transportation and geuerr
al commerce of the great chain of Lakes,
have recently been here to confer with our
people on the expediency of establishing, by
joint stock company, regular express and
freight line, consisting, say, of two hundred
teams, divided into four trains, to carry
overland to the mountains all merchandise,
machinery and supplies shipped by the
channels of the Mississippi to Saint Paul,
/ nd hu ha I Oh L., zcI I
Superior. There is no route on the CONT
nent over which freighting could be peri
formed as low as by the one mentioned and
in case of the putting on Of a stage and mail
line over the Northern Route this spring,
you can rely on the other thing following
close in its tracks
But am writing a long letter without
having as yet touched upon the points we
wish most of all to be posted on at this time.
Our friends and citizens in Washington City,
as well as ourselves here, wish to be tighten
ed with regard to the present condition of
the Mullah Government road, from "Fort
Benton to Walla Walla;" and also, to know
about what amount would be required to
put that road in good useable condition for
the purposes of stage, freight and other
wagon travel and you will greatly oblige US
all, BY forwarding at as early day as pos
| sibie, an estimate of the same, together with
any suggestions you may think would bene.
fit or hasten the final success. of the work in
| hand.
1t has always seemed to me that the peo-
pie of Montana themselves, might, by unity
OF action, and by the arousiDg of progressive
| public spirit, commensurate with the value
and very great Importance of this whole pro-
ject to them, do much towards securing the
favorable action OF CoDgress-not alone for
the Northern Mail and Emigraut Route,
but for the early construction of the propos,
ed Northern Pacific Railway. They ought
to see what is so materially for their own
interests, and act accordingly.
~~~-~~-~~~-sO-~~~~
WHISKY FRAUDs.-A Galveston, Texas.
dispatch gives an account of an investiga~
tion made by the Treasury agents of a
bonded warehouse in that city. On an ex-
animation, out of four hundred barrels, sup