HISTORICAL SKETCH. 91 



1858, Daniels.] 



GOVERNMENT ROADS IN MINNESOTA. 



According to the report of Capt. J. H. Simpson,* dated September 20th, 

 1855, the following territorial roads were in course of construction at that 

 time by the general government, viz., from Point Douglas to the mouth of 

 the St. Louis river ; from Point Douglas to Fort Ripley ; from Wabasha 

 to Mendota ; from Mendota to the mouth of the Big Sioux river ; from the 

 mouth of Swan river to Long Prairie ; from Fort Ripley to Pembina, and 

 from St. Anthony falls to Fort Ridgely.f 



PACIFIC RAILROAD SURVEY. 



The reports of explorations and surveys to ascertain the most practi- 

 cable and economical route for a railroad from the Mississippi river to the 

 Pacific ocean, made in 1853, 1854 and 1855, contain a few articles relating 

 to the natural features of Minnesota. Such are found in Vol. I., pp. 39-55, 

 on the Route near the 47th and 49th parallels of north latitude; Vol. II., p. 45, on 

 a Railroad from Puget sound via Smith pass to the Mississippi river, by Fred. 

 W. Lander; Vol. XII., Parts I. and II., wholly devoted to the Northern 

 Pacific route, containing a Final Report and Narrative, by Gov. J. J. Stevens; 

 and reports on Botany and Zoology, by Drs. Cooper, Gray, Suckley, and others. 

 The Botanical Report embraces pp. 7-76, and six plates; the Zoological Report 

 has 1-399 pages, and seventy -six plates. These Natural History papers, how- 

 ever, refer almost exclusively to the western portion of the route.f 



PERIOD OF STATE EXPLORATION AND SURVEY, 1858-1881. 



The first legislature that met after the admission of the State into 

 the Union, gave due consideration to the subject of a geological survey. 

 Although burdened with the legislation incident to the organization of the 

 various institutions of a new state, the evident importance of some scheme 

 for ascertaining the natural resources of the state, as the first step toward 



*Ei. Docs. 1855-6. First Hes. 34th Congress. Vol.1. Part II., p. 468. 



tTlie report and map of Capt. Sully, of a recounoissance from Fort Kidgely to Fort Pierre in 1856, have not bean 

 published. Capt. Sully determined the source of the Big Sioux river to be in lake Kampeska (Warren.) 



