The avant courier. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1871-1872, 1871-11-30
The Line Of the N. r. Railroad.
Fonr ELLIs. M. N. Nov. 20, 1871.
70. kle Editor of tde Herald


FonT ELLIS. M. N, Nov. %, 1871.
r.. tle Edstor 81 TIE Herald
/ We have been informed by one of the n.
| =. q. surveyors, who bsls returned from tll
| Yellowstone with Col. Reberts, that the lin
OF the survey has been run altogether OH th
north side of the river. in order to avoid en-
croaching on the Mountain Crow Reserva
ten, which extends on the south side to Ion
gitude 30 deg. west of Washington, or i
about fifty miles below the mouth of the Bi.
Horn. .saa .s s 3ss
The principal valley extends south Of th
river, and widens in many places. when
other streams empty into the Yellowstone
into large tracts Of beautiful, fertile land
while the cliffs on the North shore approach
the river closely, SO that the road bed wil
have to be excavated Ie a great depth il
many places. 1Not q single stream of an
magnitude etnpties into The Yellowstone from
the north side, (fora Shields and Sweet Gras,
rivers are only small creeks, and in but on,
place does the valley widen into any consid
cradle size, where il, not far below che Bss
Timber, extends north to The. Mtlscleshen
while we have from the south tile Rosebud
Clark's Fork, Pryor,s and the Big Horn, 81
sides numberless little creeks, all with LARGE
beautiful valleys, really the garden spot o1
Montana-bat all within the Grow reserya.
ton, therefore closed To the white man. No,
because the Indians make any use OF the re.
servation; they hardly ever hunt on it, as the
extensive table lands along the Muscleshell,
with their nulnberless herds Of buffalo. offer
greater attraction. But it has been given to
them, and the Government keep the Whites
OF OF II. + It is useless to discuss our Indian
policy; we on the Frontier hold our views,
and the s'powers that be'' hold another. But
IT is self-eyiaent that, in less than five wears
after the. completion of the n. r. Railroad,
the Government Indians will have. to be pro-
yided for in some other way. than at present.
Then these splendid valleys must become the
homes Of energetic, i industrious pioneers.
who will make that wilderness blossom like
the rose, which is now. SO seldom, trod even
by the foot.cf the Indian. ! And then will be
seen the great Inconvenience OF having the
railroad on the side of the river opposite
them. Brunch roads, which must ultimately
be built UP all these valleys will all have to
bridge the river, and we will have the strange
OF a road keeping swift, dangerous
river between itself and the settlers from
which it derives its business. This is under
the superstition that the Yellowstone line
will be chosen; but if the Government adj
heres to its purpose OF compelling the Com
pany to keep on the north shore, the question
arises, whether it would not be- Of more, ae-
vantage to tie Territory and the Company
itself, If an altogether difereiit route wer6
chosen.
By following the Musclesheil from the
mouth of Powder river, the road will take q
sonthFestsFly direet;on, and then. after pass
ing Bozen,ap, have to 90 almost due north
to reach Helena, while IL it chooses the Deer
Lodge pass. it will go still further south, and
then again north, through Deer Lodge valley
Il good route could be found, avoiding.
his southerly detour, it would seem in many
'espects preferable, and at least worth a csre-
I'd examination. s.sas Ia s.gss
Draw straight line from some point on
he Yellowstone near old Fort Sarpz to Hell
ma, and you will see that it runs up the.
iuscleshell from the Big Bend to its source,
rossing the Missouri river some distance be-
ow Sixteen Mile Creek Tor Green river,1 and
hat is just the route to which L wish to call
our attention. The country between the
(elloWstone and Muscleshell rivers is low,
olling table lard, over which the road will
ave but little difficulty in making its way, as
title streams run southeast into the Y elloW-
tone, and northwest into the Muscleshell at /
ne Big Bend. The road can follow these
treams with but little deviation from
'raight course. Up the Muscleshellthe grade
I'LL be as easy as along the Yellowstone, and /
le Company is at liberty to take whichever
de seems most convenient. Following up
lathead creek tone of its branches forming
le MuseleshelD it can cross without diff
llty to the head OF sixteen Mile, or Little
eep creek, either of which streams it can
How to the Missouri, and from there take IL
raight course for Helena
BY taking this route the Company win Sc
ire an abundant supply OF timber. which,
lrticHlarly On the Little Belt mountains, has
} equal in Eastern Montana And it will
clude in its land grant the Muscleshcll and
eep Creek valleys. and the beautiful Judith
sin; while no Indians have any claims here
at will interfere with that of the Company Il
d the greater part Of the few valleys north !
the Yellowstone will also BE- within their
ant F
If It should be desired afterwards, branches
" be built in several places across to the
so as to connect this country
TIL the main line, whenever the government I
Ill see fit to open that part Of Motltana for
Element. If the Yellowstone line should !,
chosen, the Company will get but little !;
liable land frem the time it reaches the !.
ow reservation until it leaves the Yellow !.
ne, as the valleys entering that Of the yel-
Vstone from the north tas before sta.ed1 &.
small and few while its grant viii reach 5
ither the MuscIeshell nor the judith, and
the south the Indian reserve extends to- 4 !
voming.
could wish to add more details to several 3
nts, but this article has already become i
long, and shall only say. that the route !
ntioned here, is to my knowledge, per- d
dy feasible, and seems to me to be worth i
if the N. p. r.. r. Company j
uIl intend TO survey any more lines !,