Year: 1873

plank now to place across the inverted wag-
on beds, one bridge would have been COM
plete. If we had only brought one plank to
each wagon in our train we should have had
ten times as much as we could use. But we
had not single available plank or board
We were compelled to fall back on our ex-
ira wagon-tongues and reaches These were
placed side by side across the wagon-beds /;
they did not make very even floor, but it
was the best we could do. The bank had
been previously cut away to form gradual
descent. 1t was easy to connect the float
with the shore.


The bridge was done. imagine that
Lieutenant Ray watched with considerable
interest the crossing of the first wagon. To
secure greater safety the mules were detach-
ed and led down the bank and over the bridge
The wagon wheels were locked and the wag-
on gently let down to the bridge. A detail Of
men on the other bank, then took the rope
and pulled the heavily laden vehicle across
the float and up the opposite bank. Under
the great weight the bridge sank to the
waters edge but no further The wagon
crossed in safety. The success was repeated
$50 times. When finally all our teams and
men were landed on the other side without q
single accident, without losing pound of
forage or a single piece of bareback, the
bridge had published its own triumph and
the doubters were silent.


Our meeting with Gen. Rosser caused
decided change in our plans. When We
started from Fort Rice it was supposed that
the railroad survey would have to be entirely
re-made from Fort Rice to the Yellowstone
river. 1t was supposed that we could not
make more than or miles day at most,
on account of the survey. 1t was calculated
that it would take Us from so to 60 days to
reach the Yellowstone. Supplies were taken
for 20 days, and when so miles from Fort
Rice wagon train was sent back for uddi-
tonal supplies, which it was supposed we
should need before we reached the Yellow
stone. When We reached Gen. Rosser
we learned that the survey had met with un-
expected success, that instead of taking us
80 or 80 days more to the Yellowstone, we
could make it in ten days. This news gave us
no little surprise and pleasure. AS mentioned in
a previous letter, while this is the first survey
of the country from the Yellowstone river to
the West, it is the third survey from the Mis-
souri, river to the Yellowstone. The survey
of 1871 followed the valleys of the Heart
river and Glendive creek. 1t was finally ad-
opted as the general route. 1t ran little too
far to the North to be acceptable, and the
survey of last year was undertaken to cut OFT
this angle, making the mouth of the Powder
river the objective point This route was
found impracticable, and this year another
survey was undertaken. Gen. Rosser, after
surveying the country from the Missouri to
the Heart river, has found way of connect
ing the survey of this year with the survey of
1871, rejecting last years survey entirely.
By the survey of 1871 the Heart river had to
be bridged 100 times, averaging $50 feet each
time. In this country, where there is neither
timber nor building stone, this was for
midable objection. Stone and timber would
have to be forwarded from Minnesota.
These bridges alone would have cost $780,
OOO According to the present route there are
now only II crossings, and not over 80 feet
of waterway.