Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1881-02-04
Northern Pacific Railroad.

Washington Territory.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 2S, 1880.
Hon. l.. L. GROVER,
L. s. Senate:
DEAR SIR: You have requested me
to state to You in writing my opinion
upon the matters following, to wit:
1st.--The relative advantages to
the stockmen of eastern Oregon and
Washington Territory in driving
stock to an eastern market at
Cheyenne, Wyoming Territory, and
to Miles City, in Montana Territory,
80 far as distance is concerned, and
what routes would be followed in
each case respectively?
ID How the natural grasses en-
route on said two roads will compare
one with the other?
3d.-What would be the advant-
ages to the public to have stock driv-
en- from eastern Oregon and Wash
ineton Territory to either of said
two named points-assuming that
the Northern Pacific Railroad shall
be extended to Miles City at an
early date -?
In reply to the foregoing questions
1 beg now to say:
First. That Miles City, in Mon
tana, is farther west than Cheyenne,
in Wyoming-Miles City being
little to the east of the 106th degree
of longitude, while Cheyenne is in
longitude 104 degrees and As min
utes, west from Washington City; so
that whenever the Northern Pacific
Railroad line shall have reached
Miles City, in Montana, said road
will be several miles west OF the
Union Pacific at Cheyenne, in Wyom-
ing.
If stock were driven from some
central point east of the Cascade
Mountains-say from about the cen
ire of the great stock region of that
section of the country, to VII, Walla
Walla, Union, or Umatilla counties
the distance to be travelled to
Cheyenne would be nearly twice that
to Miles city, in Montana.
To reach Cheyenne, stock would
be compelled to pass up the valley
vi tho Snake rivor et nonr Fort
Hall, and thence across the Rocky
Mountains to the head waters OF the
Platte River, and thence down the
valley of said river by either its
north or south fork.
To reach Miles City, stock would
cross the Spokane River at or above
the point thereon where the N. P.
r. r. Co. propose crossing the same,
and thence ria either the Mullan
! Wagon Road, or the Pend dOreille
River to Missoula City; thence up
the Hellgate Valley to the Deer
Lodge Valley; thence via the Little
Blackfoot to the Missouri River
south of Helena, to the Yellowstone
River), stock SO driven could be
thence easily and speedily shipped
by rail to eastern markets.
Second.-The advantages to stock
men via the route to Miles City so
above described would, in my opin-
ion, be tar preferable, because the
distance to be travelled on foot IS
less, the grasses en- route are richer
and more abundant, and the water
during the entire road is pure and
perfectly free from alkali or other
deleterious matter injurious to man
or beast, aud the cost of driving
would be considerably less.
The natural grasses on the more
northern road to Miles City are, in
nv opinion, far preferable for stock,
being more nutritious; and stock
driven over said route at easy stages,
or drives of from ten to twenty miles
per day, would improve, and be
| heavier at the end of their drive at
Miles City, than they could be at
Cheyenne. -,
I have seen both routes, and have
not any interest in either OF pecu-
niary or other character. Stock
could be driven on either OF these
two routes at any time whenever
they could be driven on the other,
and this could be done at any time
between April 18th and November
18th of any year.
Third. to the advantage to
the public, this would all be, in m my .
opinion, by the Northern Pacific
Railroad route to Miles City, and as
hereinbefore described, because the
public would have the positive ad-
vantage of better be eff at less price
via the Northern Pacific Railroad
route, than they could possibly have
at any time by the route overland
or ON foot to Cheyenne, anl thence
by the Union Pacific Railway.
These views, as above expressed,
are based exclusively upon my own
personal observations while IN the
field during the year OF my service
when engaged in making geograph-
ical surveys in Montana, Idaho
and Washington Territories, ex-