The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1873-12-18

where work can be commenced at numer
Gus places to excellent advantage; aud to
which points materials such as iron, pro
visions, tools. etc. can be readily convey
ed from the Pacific side.
This leaves only about one hundred
and thirty. FIVE miles. between the upper
waters of the Columbia and those of the
Yellowstone through the mountain re
gions a considerable part of which is
easy of construction, and where timber
and stone are in sufficient quantities, and
of good quality.
Large areas of this part of the Rocky
Mountains consist of excellent pasture
land-even to the very summit of the
passes.
Hon. L. r Brunot, Of your city chair
mau of the Board of Indiun Commission
ers. has traversed much OF this mountain
region, the Columbia Valley, as well az
the Yellowstone and Missouri River Val
leys aud as he was at one time practi-
cal civil engineer. he is qualified by his
habits of observation to judge Of the rea
sonableness of the statements which have
been made by me respecting the railroad
capabilities Of these regions. | would
suggest the submission of this letter to
him, and if he shall discover in it any
thing erroneous or Overwrought, L de
sire to have it frankly pointed out. Ii is
too late in the period of my professional,
life to enter pow upon perverson OF
facts, or to attempt to mislead, either vii
fully or otherwise.
have often been asked, What kind OF
climate and country does the Northern
Pacific Railroad run through 7" My an
swer is that it passes through regions pos
sessing materially different characteristics
posit Itcould scarcely be otherwise along
aroute of such great extent, crossing a con
tinent, starting at Lake Superior longitude
92o) only six hundred feet above the lie
vel of the sea, gradually rising to the
SUBMITS OF the Rocky Mountain passes,
nearly six thousand feet above the sea-
and again descending gradually by the
Valley Of the Columbia to the leval OF
the Pacific Ocean, at Puget Sound, (loug
itude l2230). 1t may be said to begin
about latitude 4640, near the head waters
of the ST. Lawrence, the Mississippi and
the Red River of the North which inter
lock on the same general summit west OF
Lake Luperior in the State of Minnesota
The eastern part Of this State is timber
ed while its western portion is prairie,
With timber along the streams. It has
sufficient rain, aud the soil is generally
very prolific. and remarkably we'll adap
ted to the raising Of wheat. Its climate
Is cold aud clear, as rule, throughut the
winters, with sufficient snow but not as
much as in New England in the same
latitude aud usually not enough to inter
fer materially with the working of rail
roads.
Dacotah, the adjoining Territory on the
west, in this latitude, is entirely prairie
region; treeless, excepting along the
in mediate valleys of the streams. Its
surface is gently unduating, aud covered
with prairie grass, and its soil, on a large
portion of the route, is very good The
quantity of rain fall is less than in
Minnesota, but it is sufficient for perfect
| ing crops. The winters are clear and cold
and the fall of snow is even less than 10
Minnesota-gradually decreasing towards
| the Valley OF the Missouri. Coal has been
discovered in Dakotab, east of the Missouri
but no veins have yet been regularly
worked
The same general characteristics are
found in Western Dakotah, on that por
ton west of the Missouri river ;exceptin.
that there is more timber, while coal ha,
| nj al
along the line, beginning on Sweetbria
creek, twenty FIVE miles west Of the river
and extending all the way to the western
boundary OF akotah, and into Easterr
| Montana, to the Yellowstone river. Goa
is abundant, aud found at frequen
intervals from the Missouri river to TIT
Yellowstone. a distance of two hundre,
aud Eve miles II is also found in man,
places along the valley of the Yellowstone
Montana is an extensive Territory
extepding from longitude l04o t
longitud 1852, aud from latitude 444'
to latitude 49o, at the boundary OF tn
British Dominion. Its eastern portion
consists of valleys, partly wooded. bounde'
by hills clothed with grass. with occasiona
forests, not dense, but atfording abundanc
of lumber for all ordinary uses. Th
quantity OF rain and snow is less than il
Minnesota, but the country abounds il
clear, perennial streams, especially alont
the south side of the Yellowstone. TIL
Yellowstone above where the line strike
it is clear stream, flowing over pebbl.
bottom, from six huadred to a thousan
feet or more in width, aud too deep to b
fordable till late in the summer. Th
climate is not SO cold in the Valley of IN
Yellowstone as it is in Minnesota Centru
Montana is covered, with the main rang
of the Rocky Mountains aud its spurs
with numerous intervening cultlvabl
valleys. Here the Missouri on one sid
snd tho Columbia on the other side OF b
great continental range take their rise
their headwaters actually interl"ckioe
The SUBMITS of the mountain peaks az