Year: 1868

neer in chief, when leaving Washington City last
March, now, on my return from Montana, send
you brief account Of my trip over the Rocky
Mountains:


left Walla WAlla on the Both Of May, taking
the usual route, via Snake river and Palouse to
the Spokane river. noticed on this trip, more
particularly than ever before, the large proper,
tion of good land, in patches of from so to 500
acres, lying between Snake river and the Spo,
kane, of the best quality of wheat land-equal
to the average of WallA Walla lands, and which
will produce from 20 to 40 bushels of wheat per
acre, with springs, or indications that water
could be had by digging, on almost every quar-
ter section of land. Besides, these vast plains
are covered with an inexhaustible source of
wealth In their rich, natural pastures of Jestued
scGbrelLa, the celebrated bunch grass, which is
probably the most valuable grass known in the
world for pasture.


ROUTE FOR TIE RAILROAD.


l went via Pen d'0reille Lake, and examined
carefully the southern shore. am satisfied
that there will be no serious distractions To
building road around the south side of the
Lake, at a convenient elevation above high-water
mark. From the south arm of the Lake the
route will most likely lay across the Spokane
plains, and running nearly parallel with that
river, to the mouth of Hangman's Greek dis
tance of 50 miles, nearly direct line, and almost
as level as any Illinois prairie. From this point
there can be nearly direct line run to the Coz
lumbia, so as to head the Grand Coulee and
strike the river above Priest Rapids or, cross
ing further south, have been assured By rela-
BILE men, of good judgment, who have crossed
through with wagons, that there will be no diff
Guilty in crossing the upper or northern part of
the Grand Coulee. From the upper end of Pen
d'Oreille Lake the line would pass up the Valley
of the Carks Fork of the Columbia, for $50 miles,
to the mouth of the Jocko. This river will be
easily bridged, having bluff, firm banks, and in
many places, natural rock abatments in the
river.


THE VALLEY OF CLARK's FORK.


This valley ranges from two to twenty miles
in width, and although mostly heavily timbeEed,
it contains large amount of fine agricultural
land, capable of raising wheat, oats, barley, po-
tatoes, and most of the fruits of the Northern
States. 1t is extremely well watered all along
the route there is the most beautiful, clear, cool
streams rushing down from the mountain sides
across the valley and leapng over the bluffs into
the river, afording an unlimited water. power,
and the most magnificent embellishments to truly
| picturesque and romantic residences. On this
$50 miles the work will be comparatively light
there being but little grading, with an abund-
anee OF the finest quality of timber, and rock
upon every mile of road.


THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS


Up the Jocko Valley over the divide, to the
head waters of the Big Blaekfoot, the grades will
| he liUht
streams. From the Big Blackfoot over the main
range of the Rocky Mountains, the country is
more like rather rough, rolling prairie, with
streams and passes cutting entirely through the
range, than mountain chain that divides the
waters of continent. In fact, it very much re-
sembles the country going east from Council
Bluffs, for the hrst twenty miles on the Chicago
and Northwestern Railroad. This is the most
interesting portion of the whole route it sur
prises every one seeing it for the first time to
find upon the very summit Of the Rocky Nouns
tains, in latitude Al and 4S, where the idea has
generally prevailed that the country was bal,
rem inhospitable waste, TO find the most beautiful
rolling prairies, covered with dense growth of
grass, and interspersed with flowers and shrubs,





timber in every direction. l crossed the Rocky
Mountains further north this time than ever be-
fore. have crossed the range ten times and at
six different places, but have never seen anything
so grand and beautiful before as the view from
this point. 1t perfectly surprising, and cannot
be appreciated nor understood without being
seen. But the most surprising feature of the
| ia ha of hat f,II
and the fact that cattle winter here and keep
fat on the natural pastures. Mr.. T. K. Mccoy
wintered 200 head within few miles of the
summit of the mountains without any feed what
ever, excepting what they had by grazing on the
dry grass. He supplied one or two stands all
winter and spring, in Helena, with the finest
quality of fat beef, and in May was obliged TO
stop killing the larger ones because they were
entirely too fat, He told me that during the
month of January be crossed the mountains sew.
eral times, and frequently stopped to let bis
horse grsze on the dry grass. He also told me
that during the winter, when the snow was only
five or six inches deep on Little Blackfoot, that
they could hear by telegraph of its being i've and
six feet deep 400 miles south on the Central
rootei ana OF travel being impeded by the
storms. In fact, there never has been winter,
with all their horses and men, and stations tea
and twelve miles apart, that the Overland Cons
Pany have carried the mail through on time,
while on this route, from Helgate to Walla Walla
distance Of 400 miles, and that new route,
with stations in places so miles apart Messrs.
Clark Witcher carried the mail on horseback
and not only carried it through every trip, semi
weekly, during last winter, but were never once
7 behind schedule time. 1 doubt whether the
same fact has ever occurred on any new mail
I route in the United States. These facts show
coneluSively and practically that not only is the
country susceptible of settlement, but that there
will be less impedment to travel by rail during
the winter months than in any Of the Northern