Year: 1873

Gen. T. l.. Rosser, Assistant Chic
Engineer of, the Northern Pacific, wbs
left Bismarck on Juas 10th in charge o
the surrey to the Yellowstone River, re
turned here on Friday last on the
steamer Key West. We learn from
Gen. Rosser, the following details re.
specting the survey and the trip. -


The expedition reached the Yellow.
stone river fifteen miles above the sup.
ply depot on July l7th, being one month
in surveying a line of two hundred
miles through an Indian country. The
party experienced many rain storms
one Of great severity accompanied with
fall of hail as large as walnuts, which
delayed the party considerably. The
health Of the expedition has been excel
lent, one man was accidentally killed and
one died from sickness the balance of the
party, nearly three thousand men are al!
we'll which is remarkable fact and
proves the healthfulness Of the climate
of this section of the Northwest. The
distance from Bismarck by this estab-
lished line TO Glendive Greek is two
hundred and five miles and to Powder
River 254 and one half miles. Gen. Ros
ser saves twenty-threeImiles in distance
over the Liasley line and is ten miles
shorter than the line Of the impractical
cut off. The General states that his line
is entirely feasible, practicable and will
cost less per mile than the line already
built between Brainerd and Fargo, that
the country is generally of fine location
and soil excellent He is in excellent
spirits and health and returns much
pleased with the success Of his speedy
work and the practicability Of the route


1t. Fred Grant returned with Gen.
Rosser and proceeded down the river on
the Key West to Sioux City where he
will take rail for the East.


Prof. Phelps, Of the Minnesota State
Normal School of N'inona, who accom-
panied the party as far as the Yellow
stone, also returned with Gen. Rosser.


From him We learned that the valley
Of the Mauvaise-de-terre, bad lands,
possess very excellent soil, Grasses
were growing as high as the back O. a
horse; that every indication signalIed
the truth that this supposed entirely
unhabitable region was a cereal and
vegetable producing country. He had
reference only to the numerous valleys
leading into the mud puff formations as
we understand 1t. Prof. Phelps and
Gen. Rosser brought six boxes Of speci.
mems Of great variety. They have also
some very handsome. specimens Of the
horns of the mountain sheep.
Not an Indian or an Indian sign was
seen on the route. No buffalo or elk
were seen. The mosquitoes had killed
and driven of the elk. A number OF
antelope were found dead that were
killed from the effects Of the hail storm
spoken Of -.


Twenty five and half miles west of
the Missouri River opposite Bismarck,
inexhaustible quantities of coal were
discovered which Gen. Rosser states will
answer the purposes of the railroad and
will give people along the line Of the
road cheap fuel. ...... 49,.


From the incisive pen of Prof. Phelps
the TRIBUNE will be the recipient of a
concise and perfect statement Of the trip
with all it's incidents.


The success of the establishment of
this line which has so long and eagerly
been, looked for by thousands Of people
is received with great satisfaction, and
the future pushing on" of the work
of this great thoroughfars is 10 longer
in doubt 1t is glorious news for those
who stuck to and abided by this gigsn-
tic undertaking through ali its various
phases. Let croakers now close their
mouths and forevermore keep silent on
this subject.