Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1883-09-01
HISTORICAL.
The First Protectors.

The First Projectors.
1t is said that Asa Whitney, merchant
of New York city, was the first to propose
| and diligently advocate the construction of
national railway to the Pacific. But
about the same time DR.. Hartwell Carver,
of western New York was earnestly NOV
ing in the matter and he has produced ar
| ticles in favor of such railroad which he
| published as early as 1837-'38. At that
| time his project included call America for
| the Americans" In 1845 DR.. Carver and
his associates memorialized congress for
charter. He then proposed to build a
road from about Dubuque on the Missis-
sippi through the South Pass of the Rocky
Mountains to two terminal points on the
Pacific coast. Subsequently he proposed
to build from Lake Michigan to the Column
bia, and this he designated as the Oregon
road. Mr.. Whitney proposed to build a
Pacifcroad for land grant of thirty miles
wide on each side of the road. DR.. Car
yer proposed to build the road
for a land grant of twenty miles on each
side of the road. Mr.. George Wilkes, of
New York, criticised their plans sharply,
and strongly argued that the Pacific rail
way should be built, owned and controlled
by the national government. The specu
lative anticipations of these gentlemen
as to the benefits and dangers, the facili-
ties and distractions, regarding the
location, construction and operation of
railways across the continent were much
like what has been written by all who have
followed them on the subject. The people
of St. Paul and the Northwest have read it
all many times within the last twenty
years-if they have read their home news
papers. DR.. Carver's speculations as to
the traffic of the East Indies may not have
inspired some late publications, but was
in the same vein. Here is sample SEN
| tence:
"Methinks can look forward through
the vista of time and see countless thou
sands of our fair country-women sitting
of an afternoon leisurely slipping and
| drinking their tea, until they become in
toxicated with the sweet favored aroma of
this delicious beverage, and cry out, in
sweet and musical accents, blessed be God,
| and the projectors and builders of the
Oregon railroad, now and forevermore,
amen"
In 1854, Edwin F. Johnson,
G. E., published with pro-
file map pamphlet advocating
the northern route to the Pacific. His pro-
| file begins his line at Chicago, reaches the
Mississippi at La Crosse, crosses it about
the mouth of the 81. Croix, passes the Red
riveri valley abont forty miles north of
Lake Traverse, and proceeds to the noun
| tains by way of Milk river and the great
| falls of the Missouri, crosses the noun.
tains by Louis Pass, descends Clark's
Fork and across the Cascade mountains to
| the head of the straits of De Fuca. This
line he estimated at 1850 miles, or about
$50 miles less than the actual distance by
| the route he marked out.
GOVERNOR STEVENS SURVEY.
In 1858 congress authorized e1plora-
| tions and surveys ''to ascertain the most
practicable and economical route for a
railroad from the Mississippi river to the
Pacific ocean," which surveys were made
under the direction of the secretary of
war in..1853'54. The report of the secreta-
ry of war Jefferson DaYis) accompanying,
and reviewing the field reports and the
final reports of the chiefs of the several
expeditions was published by congress in
twelve large volumes in 1856 These re-
ports corrected most of the misinforma-
ton regarding the western part of the
United States, which had been popularity
believed until then, but they did not quite
remove that old idea that the center of
the continent was an arid region where
agriculture would never be an import ant
industry.
The Northern Pacific line, or the route
near the 47th and 49th parallels. was ex-
plored by two parties, under the general
direction of Gen. Isaac I. Stevens, of
| Washington territory, who accompanied
the eastern party, while Bvt. Capt. Geo. B.
| Mcclellan, United States corps of en-
gineers, conducted the principal explora-
| tions west of the mountains. Among
Others who were prominently connected
with the expedition we're: John
Evans, geologist; F. W. Lander,
| civil engineer; A. W. Tinkham, civil engi
geer; Lieut.. G. Grover, fourth artillery
Lieut.. j. Mullan. first artillery; Capt. Jo-
| seph Roberts, fourth artillery; Lieut.. Rufus
Saxton, fourth artillery; James Doty, me-
neurological observer; Lieut.. j. K. Duncan,
third artillery; George W. Stevens and
| Capt. A. Remenyi, astronomical and mag
netic observers; DR.. George Suckley, natu-
ralist; and Lieut.. r. Arnold, fourth artil-
lery.
Governor Stevens was instructed to
| operate from st. Paul or some eligible
point on the upper Mississippi towards
the great bend of the Missouri river and
thence on the table land between the trib-
utaries of the Missouri and those of the
Saskatchewan to some eligible pass in the
Rocky mountains" The second party was
| to move from Puoet Sound exnIore the
passes of the Cascade range and meet the
eastern party between that range and the
Rocky mountains. The route reported
upon began at st. Paul, assembled the left
bank of the Mississippi to Little Falls;
thence, crossing the Mississippi river and
directed to the Bots de Sioux prairie OF
PLAN; thence south of the Sheyenne