The Ellensburg dawn. [volume] (Ellensburg, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1908-11-20

THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST
FIFTY YEARS SINCE
Meeting Of Governor Stevens and
Captain cClelIan at ColviIle.

Captain Mcclellan at Colville.
Under the date OF Oily mpia, Decem.
! ber 5, 1853, Governor Stevens reports
: to the secretary OF war concerning the
+: explorations and surveys for railro ad
, route to the Pacific, between the 47th
! and 10th parallels OF north latitude
after leaving Fort Beuton. He says:
~ can pronounce, with greatest conf.
dence, the route to be eminently prac.
ticable."
A large delegation OF Blackfeet In.
diaus met Governor Stevens At Fort
Benton, September q, At which coun'
Gil the Indians agreed to respect all
whites travelling through their country.
to cease sending their war parties
against the neighboring tribes, and to
submit to the great father the settle
mont OF their difficulties. One OF their
principal chiefs, Low Hone, in q speech
Of great eloquence and power, implor-
ed his people, now for the first time
they had experienced the protecting
care OF the father, to listen to his
words; and he commanded them to
abide by his promises just made in
council. He desired that Governor
Stevens should say to all Indians west
OF the mountains that the Blackfeet
were NO longer their enemies, and that
they desired to meet them 10 council at
Fort Benton the following year.
This business brought to satisfac-
tory conclusion. Governor Stevens and
party left Fort Benton and at the end
Of the fourth day reached ST. Mary's
village, making a distance OF about 243
miles In six and half days. Lieuten.
ant Donelson reached the village on
September 20, and Lieutenant Mullan
on the 3Oth. In Lieutenant DOnelson's
expedition exploration OF the route
from Fort Benton to the St. Mary's
village, Mr.. Lander was verv success.
full in approaching the mountains high
up at the Marias river and toward the
sources Of the Teton, Medicine and
Dearborn rivers, and entered the noun.
tains, finding in each case excellent
railroad crossings, and crossed the d.
vidirg ridge some miles north OF the
pass pursued by both Lieutenant Don
elson and Saxton, bringing with him
an excellent railroad line to the juno
ton TO the two routes in the main pass.
Lieutenant Mullan left Fort Benton
September o, and struck the Muscle
She'll river on the 18th. After follow.
ing the trail Of the Flathead camp east.
ward 20 miles to a pond, and thence 20
miles 10 a southeastern direction, over
q rough and difficult country. he found
the Flat head camp still Ave days ahead
OF him. and determined to place his
party in camp, and with his Indian
guide follow on the trail. The Flat
head camp was found 60 or 70 miles
distant ia q beautiful valley, and he
was received with the greatest hsspi.
tally. Four Of the principal chiefs
agreed to accompany him to St. Mary's
village. His route was by the north
fork OF the Muscle Shell, thence by an
excellent prairie road to Smiths river
which flows into the Missouri in a
n, rtheasterly direction, and which he
follow ed for q considerable distance
when, finding it to lead too far north,
be left it and crossed to the Missouri
over an easy divide and struck it at a
point where most excellent road led
westward some 90 miles to the divid.
ing ridge, whence arises the main fork
OF the Bitter Root river. This divid.
ing ridge he crossed the second day
after leaving the Missouri, the divide
being only 400 feet high and three
miles across, and proving the only diff.
ficult point Of passage in his route from
Fort Benton. Thence his route Was by
the Blackfoot FORK of tho St. Mary's
river to Fort Owen. The valleys were
open the whole distance, except in the
case of q single mountain shutting
down upon the river bank and making
. light side cutting necessary to good
wagon road, and the grades scarcely
perceptible for rails or wagons the
whole distance.
On his arrival ut Fort Owen Cover
nor Stevens established q winter post
Is men being placed on duty with
Lieutenant Mullan. The report con.
tinues: ut was now important to give
such directions to the operations as =
insure connections between the east.
ern and western divisions Of the survey