Daily press and Dakotaian. [volume] (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1875-1880, 1877-05-12
THE BISMARCK ROUTE.
ufnclaI Report of the Engi-
neers

neers
BISMARCK, ID. II.
April, 3orn 1877
TO Ills Eccellencv John l.. Pens
{ nipgton, Goreraor Of Ddtota Ter.
ito,y.
SIg.-In accordance with your III
struotioas dated the 10Th day Of Feb
ruary 1877, appointing me comnlis-
sioner TO locate, survey and establish
a wagon road from the city Of Bis.
marck y the Black Hills ia Dlkota
Territory, in accordance with an ac,
OF the territorial legislature aul.ofjz-
ing the location aud survey of three
wag n roads from the Missouri river
TO the Black Hills, have the honor
to make the following report:
To accomplish the object contem
plated by she said act found il nee.
essaly owing 10 the season of the
year, to Employ three teams, having
to transport grain and forage for
teams, and provisions and camp equip
age FOR the men.
AppreheniiHg danger from attack.
Of hostile Indians, then reported as
infesting the country, and being una.
Bile to procure military escort, having
applied to the commanding officers
for that. purpose, ! deemed it ncces
sary 10 employ the following named
persons as assistants ia addition 10 the
surveyor Mr.. Allen, designated by
you, VIZ: John Rogers, Joseph Read,
u. NJ. kelIes.cn,. Fred Marsh. John
Martin, William Collins, Frank Ken.
nedy, and Christian Larson.
After ,ak:ng insupplics at Bismarck
we crossed the Missouri river on the
sth day of March 1877 and commen-
ced an examination Of the road from
a point on the Missouririver, opposite
the city Of Bismarck aud on the,
boundary of the Fort Abraham Lin
cola reservation.
With view 10 ascertain The most
direct and practicable route to the
Black Hills from this point, caused
4 survey to be made t the entire
route as hitherto travelled. This
was completed TO Crook city,
Lawrence esaniv in the Black Hills
=on the 25,h day Of slsreh 1917
Il aersaring fro this survey stha.
stes ~ sAill 1eal eli es9sfittoos
course, deviating considerably from i
dileet line, without any apparent rea
son therefor and being otherwise OBJ
jeolionai,}e, Determined. on my re-
turn, to strike oua pr direct line
from Crock city IL; Fort Abraham
Lincoln nj locate and establish the
read as near as practicable to said line.
Having taken in some
al dtional supplies ut Crook city
II commenced my return trip on
the Al day Of April, having
On The lino selected, with occasion.
ed siffgfhi dcyIaElops, in crossing
streams aud avoiding bills and deep
tTavines found a good natural high
way, requiring very llttle- expense for
improvements except il tho items Of
bridges across the rivers and streams
which are very numerous on this
route, as u course Of the road strikes
aiagonallv across the natural direction
| OF the water courses.
The lotding OF most OF these
streams is good in low water; bu,
dnfiHg spring freshets and high stays
Of water the iofding Of them is attend
cd, with considerable difficulty snd
danger, ncccssi,ating considerable
outlay of moRev Tor bridges, il order
to make the road practicable and saft
ut al seasons OF rhe-year EA dsscHp
sian Of tic crossing Of each ol thos,
streams viii lie fouxa in the suivcy
Eor's field notes.
The course Of the road as iii.aliy 10
Gated and established is marked 10y
snitsbie mounds aud posts, sndocca
sionil gui dc boatds, giving ample d:
rections for following the road.
1 The entire distance travelled a
/ shown by helohainiag, was, on II,
cid road two hpnated and twenty niu
and one halft2293 J mlles and on Tia
q road a. Gnally located aud eslablishe'
two hundred ard sixteen Hnd forty
Efour-one hundredths (2lG,4Dmi.es,
q difference of l3 miles.
IF Respectfully your obedient servan
81 PETER II SlEMs
Commissioned
lff nlTot. (, q "a, nAsasa ,s. !
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