Year: 1864

MANKATo, Jan. 10, 1864.
To the Editor Of the Pioneer


Now is the time forthe Government or some
enterprisng man to set on foot an expedition
from th' State that will have for its object the
opening "f a new route from here to the Idaho
gold fields Nearly One-third of the route has
been made known to the people of this State as
practical route by the supply train that left
Mankato last November, and reached Fort
Thompson on the Missouri River Dec 3D. That
train went from Lake Shetek, beyond Mankato,
directly west by compass, found an easy route
one that can be made practical as mail and
stage route at a small expense. The distance
fiom New Ulm on the Minnesota River, to
Fort Thompson is 262 miles. The route from
Mankato to Fort Thompson is far better than
the route from Sioux City, Iowa, or the route
from Sioux City to Mankato.


I think team will Transport supplies on the
direct route from this valley to the Missouri
river onchalf easier than they can from Sioux
City to the same point Two yoke of oxen
will take twenty hundred from Mankato to
Fort Thompson as easily as the same team
could take ten hundred from Sioux City. On
this route there are no hills while the other
route is made up of hills, liver courses and
ravines. The route from here to the Missouri
river at Fort Thompson is as well watered and
nearly as well timbered as the route from here
to Sioux City direct in fact, were to have my
choice in warm weather would make quite a
tdifference in favor of the route we opened in
nbor no 1y troi has <bo
route opened to be the shortest and most
direct route to reach the upper Missouri river.
and all of that upper and western country that
is now just on the eve of being developed
that wild country that is now for the first time
having its fertile valleys traversed by the white
man, and its untold mines of gold disembowled
from the earth ..


These valleys, mountains, hills aud rivers Of
Idaho, whose richness in gold and silver ore
no one can calculate, lie directly west of us.
BannOck City is directly west of St. Panl; it
will not vary many miles either north or south
of this latitude. The rearcst route to reach it
is to start from Mapkato, 60 west to Fort
Thompson, go up the Missouri river some sixty
miles to the mouth of the Cheyenne River that
empties into the Missouri River from the west,
then strike up that river; after you pass the
first hundred miles up this river you leave the
dry sandy barren soil of the Missouri River. AT
the forks of this river, one hundred miles from
the mouth. You come into fine timber, and q
rich fertile soil. Here at the forks of this river
l am told is o natural place for fort and post,
By taking a directly westerly conrse frcm this
point you will pass south of the g Black Hills
and find a far better country from there wes
to the mountains than you fad after leaving
Minnesota to that point.


From all could learn of that route when on
the Missouri River from traders mixed blood
and Ind ans who hai triversed it. there is M
more difficulty in opening it than there was il
going from MankatU to Fort Thompson will
our train.


This route is the direct one from the State
to the gold fields of Idaho. The northern rout
takes you to Fort AbercrOmbie and north O
the great bend of the Missouri River. man,
hundred miles out of the way. The souther,
route takes you by Omaha up the Platte Rive
to Denver City, then northwest about the sam
distance out of a direct line i-Hs 80


This new route, when opened, will .ake yo,
from St Paul to Bannock City, on almost al
air line route, and if this new route could b
opened and proved as practical west of the Mis-
souri, River as it is now east, who can forese
the tide of emigration that must pass through
our State within two years? Make this th
route as it would be when once opened, and i
would be the shortest one, and our State woule
control the supplies and the trade of that ricl
and undeveloped region a.f,... IN,


Now Is the time for Minnesota to attend tc
this matter, and secure q trade that is almost
priceless. Now is the time to complete q route
that is one-third made and let the gold dust o
Idaho come to our hand and to our market,
and not be drifted to another State through an
other channel. l,5.t -.
] If this route was once opened the whole
trade of that country would find its outlet th's
way. The emigrant and the trader are IKE
bees, they always take the Safest the shortest
! and the most direct route.