New-York tribune., 1872-08-08
DAKOTA.

LETTER FROM CHIEF ENGINEER EoBERrs-RAIL-
ROAD TRAFFIC-CHARACTER OF DAKOTA
LANDS-AN EXCELLENT COUNTRl-NDlAN
MATTERS.
Chief Engineer W. Milnor Roberts, who has
recently Ouly Is 1879 completed tour OF inspection
along the line OF The Northern Pacific Railroad IN mnne-
sofa and as far west as the valley Of Heart River IN
western Dakota writes follows Of the results OF hs
professional observations;
heavy business IS constantly passing over inc com
pctod section OF The road through Nlnne h
0i Tie local carry trade OF ihS cHuIS iS and
tie line, the business Of the dSon 5a{ 6&o"V & V,aT @
Tho railroad iron, crOsstes, materials
and snr plies ior The large amount Of track now being
Nurcsotq and similar material for the Dakota division
lf the Northern Pacific Road / passed across DakOd'
frrpinr In wagon travelling only by day and camping
Al ng so that had iull view Of every portion oi the
Gated / carefully observed not only the grazing ana
construction, but also the character of tne country anu
tie soil The distance is about 200 miles, ana We
seldom out Of sight Of our engineers anu e0o'
There has been no difficulty whatever in obtaining ut
al points good water for men and stock either from nat
ur springs from excavations OF eight OF ten ieet IN
Jrpth This settles one important question relating TO
the early settlement and successful cultivation OF this
secon This is entirely prairie region htersoeteu ~
James Rivers The valleys Of these contain WHAT
After much careful exploratory work and preliminary
location the assistant engineers have secured an admir-
0bC line with generally very hght gIades ana eas! cur
Even passing into .nd out OF the larger val
leys-the sheyenne and the James-we We're ere not com
plcd TO exceed taud only lOt very snort usancest 10
rcach) maximum Of 90 feet per mile ascending west
ward, aud 60 per mile ascending eastward The whole
country is gently undGlating pain anordlng ample
drainage. interspeTsed with occasional lakes some OF
which are bracish and the Others OF fresh water the
s,--.;i tS lIeso9' 6 at II In Tines rainbdaut
The mauvais terre bad land, eaed, Of the great
valley of the Missouri are not met with on the line OF
Ibis road About thirty miles east 81 tne Missouri % o Our
down which 1t passes by gentle gradetOHcF eHcel-
lent O all the way the river. The entire region from
Missouri and beyond, at the time
passd over clothed with nutritious grass, af
iordng fine pasture, without exception, along the whole
vs. M es For large portion Of the distance the soil
very superior equal TO the best Of any land 1t Is safe
say that at least Dnetenhs OF the country that saw
good arabic land, constituting one OF the most fertile
nnd attractive prairie regions nave any MAerS seen.
Some OF our exploratory hnes were traced thlOugh
called the Danvas terTe. These socalled bad
lands are desnated thus ON account OF their soil,
broken, that they are not adapted to cultivation,
while they would also increase materially the cost OF
railroad construction through them. The "COtteauX
Qilocis) through ills portion Of Dakota are by 10
aud Covered with good grass. Within recent period
thi whole region has been vast pasture land Tor tie
OI the productive qualities OF the sOu, saw sufficient
evidence the superb appearance Of garden OF several
ncr the second sheyenne crossing, o. miles west OF
Red River. The potatoes corn peas, beans, radshes,
was no fault OF the s0l or the climate that ten days
tcT that occasional 5cOurge OF all new prairie regions
the grasshopper, had appropriated the growing crop to
Tie valleys Of the sheyenne and the James, where
line crosses, are particularly lovely having abundant
water trees enough to relieve the eye, and rich soil
Missouri Is noble Whele tc road strikes IL
and deep, with swift current aud heavily wooded
along shores and Islands. 10 Is nayigaDle for thou
saud niles above, Fort Benton and quite number Of
large steamers, heavily laden with merchandise for
Montana, had recently passed up. IL Is the opinion OF
experienced Missouri River steamboat man. that on
tie ion the Northern Pacific Road ~ the Mis-
SCUM, the business will be done over this road. not
merely 10 all points on the ryer above but also " points
several Bundi ed miles below.
Rvcf along Buck Creek aud Heart River Valleys, aud
IIyer wlch our line follows some distance toward the
Nell fully and exceeds, the
expectations had formed nom Division Engineer ROs
ser previous reports maps aud pIofes and his verbal
explanatiOns III Is a source OF NUT qualification
know that our assistant engne ers have been very
cautious In their respecting all the country
west Minnesota-knowiog as do the desire OF the
Company have all their published representations
region through which the road is building. Fortu-
hatey. hnal and critical surveys are proving that
the facts may be considerably undeTstated, and yet
make perfectly satisfactory showing
The newspaper stories about Indians and dangers from
them to the railroad across DAKOTA have no solid 0unda-
fOn In fact The Indian situation, far the North
Pacific Railroad is concerned, is this As far west
the Missouri River the question s settled ana no dan
need be appreheuded. Our men travel all over the
country between the Red and Missouri Rivers, by day
and by night without escort and unarmed The few |
troops al the James Missouri Rivers viii suffice TO
last have finally disappeared before the army Of white
settlers. West OF FoTt Ellis, in Montana all the way 70
the Pacific coast the Indian question forever disposed
Uf All engineering parties, six IN number, between
Montana aud the Pacific, are operating without escort
The Only portion OF the lne yet IN aDeyance between
che Indians and the whites Is between the Missouri
River and the westerly bend Of the east OF
strong escorts Of United states troops, well prepared TO
tight n essary But fighting TO be apprehended
III our escorts were weak, there might be some risk.
Frontier specuatOrs who wish 10 see Government |
money freely spent their vicinity and 20 their advan
faRe will doubtless continue to furnish the newspapers
with prOphesies OF imminent Indian wars" In the |
Nortb.West The construction OF the Northern Pacific
Railroad viii entirely settle the Indian troubles on belt
al least 100 miles wide and 1900 miles long embracing
10000 square miles large portion OF Which VIII ere
long cOnain industrious population giving profitable
employment not only 70 the main ne but TO the numer-
country becomes settled and its many resources de-
Yel0ped YOurs truly W. MuNOR ROBERTS,,
Chief Engineer, n. Il. Il. r. Of