Reports of explorations and surveys, to ascertain the most practicable and economical route for a railroad from the Mississippi River to the Pacific Ocean: Vol. 1, Pt. 2

LETTER TO THE SECRETARY OF WAR.
-NORTHERIN PACIFIC RAILROAD EXPLORATION AND SIJRVEY,
Fort Benton, Upper Missourt, September 8, 1853.
Sr: Dr. Evans, the geologist of the expedition, will precede me through the mountains! and
going with a light pack train, will reach the mails a fortnight before me. I have made every
exertion to prepare my accounts in season for estimates for Congress, at the commencement of
its session; but having not yet even met or communicated with the parties west of the mountains, I can only make a conjectural estimate. With great exertion on my part to reduce
expense and to push through my operations, I am obliged to report that the allotment made of
$40,000 from the appropriation for the survey will be entirely exhausted by the close and perhaps by the middle of next month. I do not feel justified to suspend operations. We are on
the eve of complete success. My parties are now exploring the passes of the mountains. My
intercourse with the Indians has been of the most satisfactory character. The Blackfeet Indians have sent their chiefs and braves to invite me to their camps; not a horse has been stolen,
not a man touched; no private article has been missed. They have brought our disabled animals into camp, and acted as guides and guards. These Indians sent their war parties to the
California trail, and horses believed to be stolen from our emigrants by the Crows are actually
taken to the camps of the formidable Blackfeet, under the 49th parallel. To-day I set out with
a small party, with Mr. Culbertson, the special agent, to visit a large Piegan camp at their
most favorite resort, the Cypress mountains, one hundred and twenty miles north of this point.
My object is twofold: to secure guides for the examination of the Marias Pass; and to bring
about a general pacification of all the tribes north of the Missouri, and those immediately west
of the mountains, on the basis of the treaty of Laramie. I shall, in a letter of this date to the
Commissioner of the Indian Bureau, recommend a council to be held next year at some suitable
point, say Fort Benton, and shall urge the passage of an appropriation of money to defray the
expenses. I do not doubt that complete success will attend it, and that hereafter a single man
will be able to go unmolested through these vast plains.
In view of the great results which I am of opinion this expedition is on the eve of accomplishing, I do not feel that I would fulfil the reasonable expectations of the department by suspending operations. It seems to me my highest obligation is to continue vigorously the work
placed in my charge, and to get results which will justify the expenditure of means. Believing
that the department and Congress will sanction this course, I shall vigorously pursue the work,
reducing the force on the approach of winter to the smallest amount compatible with an efficient
winter organization, and one which in the spring can at a moment be increased for a full resumption of the work. This I will earnestly recommend. An instrumental survey should be
made of the best mountain passess, both of the Rocky mountain and Cascade range. The intermediate lines should be reviewed. The astronomical, magnetic, and meteorological observations
should be continued. A large expenditure has been made; trained men are in the field, and all
the appliances are at hand. I shall not suspend the work till I receive the instructions of the
department to this effect.
Estimate for continuing the work to the close of the present fiscal year is, monthly, as follows:
October 15 to 30, 1853......................................$................ 2,500
November, 1853.................................................... 5,000
December, 1853...................................................... 3,000
January, 1854...................................................... 3,000
February, 1854...................................................... 3,000
March, 1854............................................... 3,000
April, 1854................................................ 3,000
May, 1854................................................. 3,500
June, 18.54................................................ 4,000
30,000
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