The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1869-08-27

aniouhts 20 ABOUT seven hundred tons
per annum.
In addition, the Red River trans
portation carried on by the Indians
and half breeds is very large. About
twenty five thousand six hundred
! carts pass down and up this highway
during the year, each cart carrying
900 pounds.
Besides all this there is the Gov
eminent transportation to Fort Aber-
crombie and the forts beyond,
amounting last year to 1900 tons
The rates paid 1 Government for
trans ortation are 81 BOZ per hundred
pounds for every hundred miles. All
of this traffic will be transferred at
once to the Northern Pacific upon its
completion to the Red River.
The estimated value Of the Red riv-
er trade is ten millions of dollars per
annum, and is increasing very rapidly.
WESTWARD AND EASTWARD.
The keen eyed hunters of our party
have been on the look out for a stray
buffalo or a deer, but the buffalo are
one hundred miles away. We hear
that they have come north of the
Missouri in great numbers, and those
| who are to 90 West anticipate rare
| sport. For want of buffalo steak
We put up with beef. It is juicy and
tender from one Of Mr.. Merchaud's
heifers, which has been purchased for
the party.
1t is a supper fit for soyoreigns.
which we are out here on the unsur-
veyed lands, of which we, in common
with the rest Of the people. are pro-
| prietors. We are lords of the manor.
and we have set down to a feast. Our
eggs are newly laid by the hens of Da-
kotah City; our milk is fresh from
| the COWS whose bells are tinkling In
the bushes along the bank of the
river; the cakes upon table Of the
finest -four IN the world. Hunger fur
nishes the best relish, and then when
| the cloth is removed we sit around the
camp fire during the evening passing
away the hours with wit, repariee and
ljest. mingled with sober argumentand
high intellectual thought; for there
are men of brains out here tonight,
laying deep plans for the future, look
ing into the coming years, canvassing
the wants Of the advancing multitude.
lie is not how 20 meet the wants of
the present but of the future that
wrinkles their broWs with care. In
the prospective they build COM
munltIes. They are exploring this
region to see what nature has done
toward marking out the future. To
that they will bring their best judg-
ment, and will act accordingly.
Here the exploring party divides,
nearly one-half going westward to the
Missouri, the others turning eastward
to Lake Superior.
The westward bound party consists
of Governor Marshall, of Minnesota,
Mr. Philip w Holmes, Of Jay Cooke
IL Co., Mr. A. B. Bayless, of New
York, aud Mr.. George Beckett. Of
Minneapolis, Rev. Mr. Williams, Rev.
Mr.. Fuller and their wives, Dir.
Wheaton and sister, all Of minnesota,
and Mr.. White. of Watery bury, Conn /,
not of the exploring party, accom-
panYing the expedition.
The reverend gentlemen will go
west till they find the buffaloes, and
+ after shooting to their heart content,
. will return to their homes.
The expedition IS accompanied by
an escort of nineteen soldiers, com
manded by Lieutenant kelton. Four
{ Indian scouts, mounted on Indian
ponies, and armed with the Spencer
carbine, are employed to scour the
country in advance.
We have said the last good bye,
shaken hands with our departing
friends, and there they go over the
boundIess prairie-Battineau leading
them. The horsemeQ hare Al4s4ly5
disappeared IN the tall grass, ana the
wagons are but dim spots on the hori-
zen. A few months hence We shall
follow them on an iron way. A few
years hence, and this city OF one
house, or some other locality in this
J valley, will be metropolis, and the
! horizon outlined with towns and
Ihamlets.
Turning eastward we cross the Red
River, and are once more in Mime
sofa. fa
To think of the future is like think
ing of fairy tale; but the rapid de-
velopment of the West at the present
time would be more wonderful, could
we comprehend 1T. than any story of
our childhood's years; and the story
Is to be Reproduced here and all over
this region by the men who have this
great enterprise In trust Congress
has refused them the aid il granted
to the line already constructed across
the continent, but they believe that
when the capitalists Of this country
and of Europe are made acquainted
with the capabilities Of this region,
that they will not hesitate 20 invest
their money in a railroad along
route which will sustain population
along its entire length, and which for
productiveness in richness of soil,
land mildness of climate, stands in
such understandable contrast TO the
waterless, artemesia plains and barren
deserts of Utah and Nevada.
Tam glad that the line already con-
structed across the Continent has
been aided by the Government. [
have crossed the desert through
which it passes-havo looked out
4 upon the wide waste-upoh its barren
sand drifts and bridges of iaya-have
thirsted for water, and looked with
3 longing eyes IN vain searching for q
clear, sparkling stream. and [ can I'M
dcrstand, but not describe, the differ
ence between that section Of the
country traVersed By the Union aud
Central line, and this fair region
through which the Northern Pacific
is to be constructed. The difference
between them-the desolation of one
and the attractiveness of the other
will be best pretended by peru
sal of Millions description of the
boundless Waste-the wilderness-the
burning mari over which Satan walked
with restless feet, and that other en-
chanting portrayal of green fields,
waving woodlands, the clear streams
! ~ l. L., e. -