Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1872-09-05


has recently (July 10Th, 1879 completed a
tour of inspection along the line of the North
em Pacific Railroad in Minnesota, and as far
west lis the valley of Heart river in Western
Dakota, writes as follows Of the results of
his professional observations ~ ,.te..
A heavy business IS constantly passing over
the completed section of the road through
AIinnesota-conssting of the local CARRYING
trade of the country traycrsed by the line, the
business of the Hudson Bay Company and
the British settlements in the lower Red river
valley; the transportation of railroad iron,
cross-ties, materials and supplies for the large
amount OF track now being laid, by the st.
Paul and Pacific Company in Western Min
nesota, and similar material for the Dakota
division of the Northern Pacific Road. /
passed across Dakota, between the Red river
and the Missouri, going and returning in a
wagon, travelling only by day and camping
at night, so that had full view of every
portion of the railroad line, and of the coun-
try through which it is located. l carefully
observed not only the grading and construc-
tion, but also the character of the country
and the soil. The distance across is about
200 miles, and we were seldom out of sight
of our engineers and contractors camps.
There has been no difficulty whatever in
obtaining at all points good water for men
and stock, either from natural springs or
from excavations of from eight to ten feet in
depth. This settles one important question
relating to the early settlement and success
full cultivation of this section. This is en-
tirely prairie region, intersected by few
streams, such as the Rush, Maple, Sheyenne
and James rivers The valleys of these
contain what timber there is. .. b.
After much careful exploratory work and
preliminary location, the assistant engineers
have secured en- admirable line with generally
very light grades and easy curvature. Even
in passing into and out of the larger valleys
the SlIeyenne and the James--we
were not compelled to exceed (and only
for very short distances to reach) our maxi
mum of sixty feet per mile ascending west
ward, and fifty feet per mile ascending cast
ward. The whole country is a gently undu-
lating plain, affording ample drainage,
interspersed with occasional lakes, some of
which are brackish and others of fresh
water. The rainfall the present season,
through all this region, has been abundant,
and at times superintendent. ,a5
The D1dgdtS te1FC, or bad lands, sO-called,
of the great valley of the Missouri, are not
met lciM on this road. About thirty miles
east of the Missouri our line enters the wide
and beautiful valley Of Apple Creek, down
which 1t passes by gentle grade, over ex-
cellcnt soil all the way to the river. The
entire region, from the Red river to the Mis-
souri, and beyond, at the time l passed over
it., was clothed with nutritious grass, afford
ing fine pasture, without exception, along the
whole 200 miles. For 4 large portion of the
distance the soil is very superior, equal to the
best of any land. It is safe to say that at
least nne-tenths Of the country | saw is good,
arabic land, constituting one of the most fer
lille and attractive prairie regions ! have ever
seen.
Some Of our exploratory lines We're traced
through what is called the glUncajS terre.
These so-callcd ''bad-lands" are not desig-
mated thus on account of their soil, but more
on account of their shape, being water-won,
OR broken, so that they are not adapted TO
cultivation, while they would also increase.
materially, the cost of railroad construction
through them. The ''Coteaux" (hlllocks)
through this portion of Dakota are by no
means formidable. They are rounded, gently
sloping and covered with good grass. Within
a recent period this whole region has been a
vast pasture-land for the buffalo and the AN
telope, which no longer roam here.
OF the productive qualities of the soil, saw
sufficient evidence in the superb appearance
of garden of several acres at the second
Sheyenne crossing, 90 miles west of Red
river. The potatoes, corn, peas, beans, rad
ishes, &C., were among the finest have
anywhere seen, and it was no fault of the
soil, or the climate that, ten days later, that
occasional scourge of all new prairie regions,
the grasshopper, had appropriated the grow
ing crop to his private use. st
The valleys of the Sheyennc and tha
james, where our line crosses, are paticu-
larly lovely, having abundant water, trees
enough to relieve the eye, and Il rich soil.
The Missouri is. a noble river where the
road strikes it--wide and deep, with IA
swift current, and heavily wooded along its
shores and islands It is navigahlG for Il
thousand miles above, TO Fort Benton, and
quite u number of large steamers, heavily
laden with merchandise for Montana, had re-
Gently passed up. 1t is the opinion of an eX-
perienced Missouri river steamboat man, that
on the completion of the Northern Pacific
Road to the Missouri the business will be
done over this road, not merely to all points
on the river above, but also To points several
hundred miles below. ~.
spent a day, on horseback, Yves; of the
Missouri river, along BEck creek and Hart
river valleys, and found good grass every
| where The valley of Heart river, which
our line follows some distance toward the
Yellowstone, comes fully up to, and even ex-
ceeds the expectations j had formed from
| Division Engineer Rosser's previous reports,
maps and profiles, and his verbal exDlana-
| tions. 1t isl source of much qualification
| to ME to know that our assistant engineers
have been very cautious IN their statements
respecting all the country west of Minnesota
knowing, as i do, the desire of the CON-
pany to have all their published representations
understate, rather than oyerstate the advan-
" i'F li3itzt'aiit .titlI s. 3-sU Il El s e