The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1869-07-16
NORTIlERN PACIFIC RAIL-
.. ROAD ROUTE.
LETTER FROM COL. ". ". DE LACY 10 rRoF.
A. x. EATON IN RAYxoND's MINING
REPORT FOR 1860.


ern Paciflc, and the proposed branch to
connect with the Union Pacific nads, make
the following statements: will take as the
basis of my remarks the line laid down on
the map which accompanies tho report of
Edwin F. johnson. Esq, chief engineer Of
the Northern Pacific railroad, dated Novem.
Der. 1857. .-......,
This map, in all essential points, Is very
correct The line Of the projected railroad
Is represented as crossing the Yellowstone
river 1t Onahtaroup (or Co.D creek, going
up the river some distance; thence crossing
to the head of the Musclcshell river; thence
down Deep creek to its mouth on the Mis-
souri, river; thence crossing the Rocky
Mountains At Lewis and Clarke's, or Calotte's
Pass, both on the head OF the Dearborn river;
thence proceeding down the Big B!ackfOo,
to the He'll Gate, and thence down the
Clarke's Fork of the Columbia, where it
passes without the boundaries Of the Terri
tory. would remark, briefly, that am
personally acquainted with almost the whole
of this route, except the extensive eastern
section on the Yellowstone river, and that it
is remarkably favorable for railroad.
There are no heavy mountains between the
Yellowstone and Muscleshell, the country
partaking rather of high rolling plateau.
There is very low open pass at the head of
the Muscleshell river, and the passes of the
Rocky Mountains are not above $500 feet
high. The approach to these passes is not
generally difficult, and timber of fine quail.
ty, Chiefly pineO water, and fine building
stone, abound.
There is another route which would 20
up the Yellowstone to the Big Bend, cross
over by the Bozeman Pass to the Three
Forks of the Missouri river; thence up the
jefferson to the Big Hole, or Wisdom river,
cross the Rocky Mountains at the Deer
Lodge Pass, which Is about two miles wide,
and thence down the Deer Lodge and Hell
Gate rivers, to the mouth of the Big Black
foot, where 1t would intersect the line pre-
viousiy spoken Of. This route would be
longer than the ono by the head Of the Mus
cleshell, and longer than that north of tho
Missouri, surveyed by Governor Stevens !;
hut it would have the advantage of passing
through some Of the finest agricultural. val.
leys of the Territories; also through some
of the richest mineral districts. Tie diM-
cu!.ies Of construction could be less, and tie
grades easier, than on any osser route viM
sehieA / an acquainted. Coal has been
found in many places on or near both Of
the lines spoken OF, such ~ on the Yellow
stone, in several places, the Muscleshell river,
and also the Judith at Boseman's Pass, and
on the Dearborn. These deposits are more
properly lignites. Two of them have been
tried; one Of them, at Boseman's Pass, in
making gas, and the other at the Dearborn,
in crate. Both succeeded we'll. I have
been informed that the lignitcs from the
neighborhood of Mount Diablo, in Califor-
mia, are used with success on board the coast
steamers. a.@"t s.a'a .as~'-'. .
There is gacat deal Of excellent land
along the Yellowstone, and on the large trib.
utaries emptying into it from the south, such
as the Powder, Tongue, Rosebud, Big Horn,
Clarke's Fork, and many smaller streams.
To the north are the valleys Of the Muscle.
shell, Judith, Deep creek, aud Missouri. In
western Montana theroad would pass through
mineral districts of known richness. In
eastern Montana the country, in consequence
of the hostility Of the Indians, has not been
very thoroughly prospected but enough
has been done TO prove that the country Is
rich in the precious metals. AZ the ques-
tions Of climate and depth OF snow have
. very important bearing on the practicable.
itY Of the road, I will simply give the gen-
eral results Of years Of travel and Observation
10 these mountains. During Ill Of these
years have had occasion to travel In one
part or another of the country during the
winter, and generally on horseback. za
I would say, therefore, that in open wi.
leys, such a. that near Helena, the Deer
Lodge valley, ETC., the snow seldom becomes
deeper than one foot, and that In deep, mar.
row goyges, where the sun cannot reach Il.
or whore the timber may be thick, the depth
W eAAO~ 8CAA0aouy 1SoC0cO 11OI0 TWO 70 TWO
and hah feet. In ascending the hills. par.
ticularly on their northern slopes, The snow
becomes deeper, but doubt whether, even
at the highest submits, IL ever reaches the
depth of 10 test, judging BY tie trsea The
southern slopes Of the hills, or those opposed
to the sun, are generally bare, and horses,
and cattle there pick up comfortable sub
sistenca The winter does not become 70.
.vere, nor does much snow fan until after the
flrst q January. During thst month thsss
ore generally ten days q two, weeks whsn
the thermometes ranges from zero 70 800,
and syea ~, below. The rsss Of the season
= not gsngally = severe = y ths northan
part4of Maine, Velmont g Nassachasett4
I would further add. that ouce ii about 10
Or twelve years according % The obsesva-
tions OF ed mountaineers, there comes an
extraordinary winter, when : much krssser
quantity Of snpw falls than psual. Such !
one was the winter Of l6oo(l, when y,es
numbsgg Ct horsea. and cattle peeisAsd /.
ef.qqnssqrence cf ~ dsptA of ~ ssow. Tkis
oecen e'! hokeysf, n r. y eofth@Ia eosassss.
u lnffukhae eleel leaiea sf ~ terfein
alot1 4hae. u IT, IA "a llthnf fNe..1..A-