144 
ESTIMATE OF COST OF ROAD. 
ESTIMATE. 
240 miles, at $25,000 per mile....... $6,000,000 
From the Bois des Sioux to the crossing of Milk river, a prairie region, the Coteau du 
Missouri having to be surmounted, and some care in the Milk River valley to guard against 
freshets, and in providing for culverts and bridges: 
712 miles, at $40,000 per mile. $28,480,000 
From the crossing of Milk river to the Snake, (point where the roads down the Columbia and 
to the Snoqualme Pass fork,) a distance of five hundred and fourteen miles, about one hundred 
and fifty miles will involve heavy side-cutting, much of it in rock. The remainder will pass 
over an essentially prairie region, though at times a rolling prairie. This estimate is for the 
line of Lewis and Clark’s Pass, the Jocko and Clark’s Fork rivers. Even in the mountain 
and wooded region, from the entrance to the Mountain Pass to the crossing of the Spokane, a 
distance of three hundred and fifty miles, more than two hundred and fifty miles is along prairie 
or regular river intervale, and less than one hundred miles is on side-hills. 
For the difficult work, 1 estimate 150 miles, at $100,000 per mile. $15,000,000 
Remaining work, 364 miles, at $45,000 per mile. 16,380,000 
Tunnel at Lewis and Clark’s Pass, (round numbers,) 13,675 feet, at $120 per 
lineal foot. 1,650,000 
Total...... 33,035,000 
From the point of forking of the two roads, to Seattle and Snoqualme Pass, the distance is two 
hundred and forty miles, which may be subdivided as follows: 
Work comparatively light from the Snake to the vicinity of Lake Kitchelus, and from the 
Snoqualme Falls to Seattle. 
193 miles, at $45,000 per mile. $8,685,000 
Intermediate work, excepting line of tunnel, 40 miles, at $100,000 per mile. 4,000,000 
Short tunnel, 4,000 yards, at $375 per yard (round numbers). 1,500,000 
Long tunnel, 11,840 yards, about $420 per yard.. 5,000,000 
St. Paul to Bois des Sioux, 240 miles. 6,000,000 
Bois des Sioux to crossing of Milk river, 712 miles. 28,480,000 
Crossing of Milk river to crossing of Columbia, 706 miles. 41,661,000 
Crossing of Columbia to Seattle, on Puget sound, 240 miles. 17,685,000 
COST OF SPUR-ROADS, RESERVOIRS, AND STEAMERS ON THE COLUMBIA AND MISSOURI RIVERS. 
Spur-road to St. Paul. 
Spur-road to Fort Union, and depots. 
Reservoirs, aqueducts, and growth of wood 
Spur-road to Fort Benton. 
Reservoir and aqueducts, Grizzly Bear lake 
Steamers and depots on the Missouri.. 
Steamers and depots on the Columbia. 
DEPOTS AND PERMANENT FIXTURES. 
Depot at St. Paul...... 
Depot at Little Falls and connexion with Lake Superior. 
Depot at general plateau of the Bois des Sioux. 
Depot in the vicinity of Fort Union.. 
$250,000 
1,000,000 
2,000,000 
1,000,000 
1,000,000 
2,000,000 
1,000,000 
8,250,000 
$ 200,000 
150,000 
150,000 
200,000 
