The Coeur d'Alene press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1906-1907, 1907-08-29
THE NORTHWEST
IN DAYS OF OLD
Governor Stevens Tells What He
Found Here

The development of the Pacific
northwest lie closely connected with
the building of railroads, and there
are many interesting incidents with
the preliminary work of searching
out the routes for these roads.
a An old document of the war de
partment in Washington contains
Reports of explorations and surveys
TO ascertain the most practicable and
economical route for a railroad from
the Mississippi river to the Pacific
ocean, made under the direction of
the secretary of war in 1885.
There we're several OF these routes
explored. One was near the 35th
parallel of north latitude; another
near the 3sth and 39th parallels; an
other near the 41st and 42nd paral.
aels, and still another near the 47th
and A9th parallels. The last named
route was in charge of Governor Stew
ems of Washington territory.
Entering upon this exploration
Governor Stevens writes to Hon.
Jefferson Davis, then secretary Of
war:
Dear Sir: have the honor to re.
sspectfully inform the department
that | left Washington city ON the
9th inst, stopped In New York one
day 20 transact business, and, taking
the route OF Lake Erie and Chicago,
reached st. Louis on the 10th. re-
nlaiDed Ia Sc. Louis until the depar-
ture OF the fur company's boat on the
2lst, which carried up ten thousand
TatiOns to Fort Union, and small
party consisting of Lieutenant Donel-
sen, Lieutenant Mullan, Mr.. Graham
and ak trappers and miners. Lieu
tenant Donelson lie instructed to make
fShe best possible survey of the Mis-.
souri, and Of the country in the vi.
cinity of Fort Union, from the White
Earth To the Porcupine rivers. Whilst
ut ST. Louis secured the services of
Alexander Culbertson, Esq, as spe-
DIAL agent among the Blackteet Iu-
dians. He has lived Ia the country
twenty years, and knows by name
every adult male in each tribe. he
estimates the number to be from If
teen TO eighteen hundred lodges.
found him To be a reliable, steadfast
and calm man. He joins the mRiu
party At Fort Uniou, and accompanies
mo Fort Benton. The fur company
makes the trip, 400 miles, in twenty
days, four mules drawing 1900
pounds. The grasses in the Blackfeet
region are exceedingly good, the
country is we'll watered, and wagons
can be taken to the very base Of the
mountains.
''The Blackfeet tribes know all tn,
passes ia the mountains, aud Mr.. Cul
beFtson assures me that we shall hav,
no difficulty in securing the eonH
sdeRce of, and controlling the Black
feet. With vigilance aud firmness,
eantertain no apprehenslons whatever
"Di. John Evans, who lie iutrusteS
with the geological reconnaissance o
%&sG&AAt @AN VA Na
general land offioe, for which cong
Fess has made q special appropriation
has accepted the position of geologis
OF my expedition. He adds: -
shall reach st. Paul this evening
where | expect to find all the arrange
ments we'll I'D Sanoed to commence tn
exploration, aud from which place
hope TO start, at the furtherest, b
the frst Of June.
The following was announced q
the general organization of the eN
petition:
/. The expedition IL 10 charge G
Isaac |, Stevens, governor of the tel
ritury OF Washington.
2. There will be two main partit
Ia prosecuting the work. Our party
under the Immediate direction of Il