, 1873-06-30
A Trip Twelve Hundred Miles
Northwest.
The Town Of misunderstanding
Of the Northern Pacific
Railroad.
Sights on the Way--The Town
Garnins.
Departure Of Stanley's Great Expe"
dition.
The Sioux and Their Opposition---
will There 30 q Sioux War?

OF tho world sEo would say was grcat trhy-
slor mud noedcd clean shirt. must really tnko
up tho 1nap to aee whero am.
Aht Hero I have 1t. nm at Bismarck, tho
ncxt station to Gravolotto and Sedan in the glory
OF that great Primo Minister. am at tho lass
spike Of tho Northern Pacino Railroad.
WHERE ARE WE Now2
Tho Northern Pacific Railroad at present lalts
nearly on the latitude OF Colorado and beyond
the extrcmest settlements Of Texas; tho whole
OF tho Indian Torritory and most Of KANSAS lilo
to the east Of it's parallel. II tito bonds soil up
70 tho paBt standard, md 1t ean build without
other difficulty than Indian interference, 1t can
with eReo lay 800 mileH OF track next year, and
carry tho cargoos Of Montana away from the
Union Pacific Railroad. To mo, tho enterprise
has boon chiefly notable for itB national Of
focts. Before 1t WAS undertaken, tho populace
know little or nothing OF the region 1t pormeatos;
already thoro is honrd On tho limo tho unmistaka-
bic tread Of the vanguard Of a million people,
educated by similar enterprises to take adyan-
tage Of everything on these Plains In the short
ost time. The problem OF cold weather has boen
Holved by the experiences OF last wintcr-the
seVerost on tho Plains. Tho Indian problem
retreats as the engineer approaches it. Tho
problem Of timber seems to be partly eliminated
BY tho certainty of coal and the apprehension
ot drouth will probably bo found, as In Western
Kansas and Nebraska to be Bolved by cultiva-
tion, the breaking OF the soil, and tho growth Of
heos. Il Indian hoHtilitios ensuo, thoy must DO
brief, and such war will roll up revenues for
tho railway. The foe is tho best friend to such
IN enterprise.
wuAr IS DAKorA7
Tho extension of tho railway across Dakota
las led to the publication Of now and COM
p1ote map Of the Territory by st. Paul engrav
ing company. Dakota iB nearly square in
alape, $50 miles wide by almost 400 long; and
tic Missouri River enters It's boundary at tho
northwest (where the Yellowstone, or true h1ia-
BolEi, joins the nominal MHRouri). and flows in
very nearly diagonal course to tho southeast
coEner. cutting tho Torritory into two vast tri-
anglee Nearly tho whole of this great region il
timberless prairie and grassy plain, with high
tab!o-laEd knobs running up at.aome few points.
The Missouri River is nayigablo throughout
nll it's course in Dakota or from the tlourisling
IONA town Of Sioux City to lonely Fort Buford.
It's western bank, for nearly all tho
eourso, is watched by Indians, and tho
spnrso populaco is confined to tho corner noar-
sst Iowa; to tho northeast corner, whore POM
bina and st. Joseph rotain some inhabitanoy;
20 the Missouri Valley, where thero aro above
half-a~dozon forts garriaoned by soldlory. There
are about dozen counties organized or out
lined. md Yankton, Ver1nillton, Fargo, St. Jo-
eeph, and Bismarck arc among the most noticoa-
bic rowns. The agricultural prospects OF Da-
kota are to be meaBured by the capacity for tim
bor as it shall be planted by Bettlors to increase
and equalize rain. On the Dakota line Of the
Northern Pacific Railroad tho grass is rank and
lusty, and the cuttings show strong black
mould, frequently three feot thick. Thoro arc
no alkali formations on this line, except
On the westorn side Of tho James River,
near tho battlefield where Con. Sib1ey routed
The Sioux, July n, 1868; at this point, q few
is the opinion OF Chief Enginoor Meede thas
this ia merely tho potnah resulting from immo-
mortal grass~fros, in combination with the salt
OF the water. Coal has been found at Fort Rico,
Heart River, q few hours vest of Bismarck.
This is the first coal found going westward on
the paralle!o Of Minnesota. Beyond Dallota coal
is nearly ubiquitous. and Montana is full Of it.
coed from Sioux City up tho Valley OF tie James,
Or River Jaquoa, to striko tho Northern
Pacific at Jamestown; and the Winona
l. St. Peter Railroad Is meditating to
be the Kansas Pacific Of the Northern trans
continental line, and join it beyond the Hun
-...- -, DAKOTA sERsAEloNe.
It Was with sense Of earlinegB In Naturo that
nealo taoso ehtGsprlees spoken OF while tra.
vatstne tae as yes ooundlees aud unoroken soil
hnt1 wnlGn ls 1ow 10 Inc Vory dhalan Wh9 mas boon
nassny q! atlYen aososs ~. IL seemoa tnat lived
~ H. sne uam1 ~ tuo uoetuIos VI tno country anu
sns stl9as 1s n83t aed noI yet come oy whtch these
pc III tolnn or anascepe Wero to 20 relieved
1a1 ~ .uol Icy aIinohs VI larns. ana stook anu
em ,ssn ~ as "miss ensahes anu ofohard-slnts,
Hehina mo tha mo9o a,o,, =, I'm ,,o,,,sn,.
r,sa hr"t,a o, tne ho1e elo' ~ 'ne hemisphere
ND ,.iotaa,i, ootv'o' "en1 tno esaha eeeppes
And th;s ,ttIo s4u 4r,,, "ossosa cont,aent'
anu thlh h1t1e treln on TIE North
;nta,,,,.ot Sn nt'uu :h "stlea us a. notlnS moro
tnroaas rn,.rad ~ ~ ou naa .A5 6ay, tnat
hotWsan fhem bnt o ninInc w;ld dm.
esst-e reese .lne nb,okona ~ .n siIas
wh;cf aa.ss oTnor.at ~ i;,a,,; tno pials9'
"ncs or tw;co oTI ns;p ~ ~ entnIaB H,o1es, nna,
over tic A mt ~ oasa %.tvn nr peoo
ss to y from t. NorIh o ~ ,s .nase oa of to tSd
LOU ~. ~ T.. sny ana tno saskatoho.