352 ITINERARY OF ROUTE FROM ST. PAUL TO FORT UNION, 



Siberia of America that it has often been represented to be. The winter has been remarkably 

 mild. In the Bitter Root valley, at no time has snow been deeper than four inches; and even 

 this from several falls of snow. On my arrival at Fort Benton, and from my own observation, 

 I have been informed of the exceedingly mild character of winters having but little snow, and 

 comparatively little cold. Having made full and detailed notes of each point of the route in 

 fact, of the two routes I will be enabled to make you a more full and detailed report, should it be 

 at all necessary. 



Truly and respectfully, your obedient servant, 



J. MULL AN, 

 Lieutenant U. S. Army. 

 Governor I. I. STEVENS, 



In Command of N. P. Railroad Exploration and Survey. 



H. 



ITINERARY. 

 27. ITINERARY OF THE ROUTE FROM ST. PAUL TO FORT UNION, BY A. w. TINKHAM. 



OLYMPIA, WASHINGTON TERRITORY, 



March 11, 1854. 



SIR : I have prepared, and herewith submit, an itinerary of the route pursued by the train from 

 St. Paul to Fort Union. 



I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant, 



A. W. TINKHAM. 

 Governor ISAAC I. STEVENS, 



Chief N. P. Railroad Exploration, Olympia, W. T. 



Miles. 



June 2, 1853. Camp in the vicinity of St. Paul, one and a half mile from town, 

 on old St. Anthony road; owing to our nearness to the town, grass poor and wood 



scanty ; water obtained from a house near by l 



June 3. By the St. Anthony road ; pass over green, fertile prairie, with rich, 

 dark soil, or between cultivated fields, to St. Anthony; in about five miles the road 

 approaches the Mississippi river, and thence forward to the town winding along its 



bank 7 



Winding parallel with the Mississippi, road runs through fertile prairies and 



oak openings ; reaching Rice creek, crossed by a good bridge 7 



Camped on a small brook ; wood and grass good ; water good and convenient ; 

 soil sandy 2J 



m 



June 4. Continuing through prairies or oak openings, with a good road ; cross 

 Crow creek, a small stream, by a miserable bridge 3$ 



Through oak openings, with tamarac swamps in sight some two miles to the 

 right of road ; road reaches Rum river, a river some one hundred and twenty feet 

 wide, and supplied with a ferry 5J 



Through prairies and oak openings, with scarcity of water, lighter and often 

 sandy soil, to camp on small rivulet about half a mile from the Mississippi; wood 



and water good ; grass in the low lands near Mississippi luxuriant 11 



20 



