From the St. Louis Republican of April 6.
Later from Utah Territory.
By the Western mail we have news from Great Salt Lake City to the 26th of February. The papers fur-nish meagre news. On the 6th of January the mer-cury was one degree below zero at 6 o'clock A.M., and on the 10th 30 deg. above zero.
What may be termed a great railroad meeting was held in Great Salt Lake City on the 31st January. The citizens of the city and county (ladies and gentlemen) met by thousands in the tabernacle. Gov. Young pre-sided, and other officers were appointed, alter which, the chairman explained the object of the meeting. A committee, composed of Orson Hyde, Prof. Earring-ton, J. L. Hey wood, Orson Spencer, and Geo. A. Smith, were appointed to draft resolutions. During their ab-sence, a memorial adopted by the Utah Legislature, and addressed to Congress, was read, in which they give their views on the subject of a railroad from the Missouri river to the Pacific ocean. They say:—
Without further preface, and with all due defer-ence, in our judgment, the route in question should commence at Council Bluff city, keep up the main Platte to its South Fork, and up the South Fork to the proper point for diverging to the summit of the Black Hills, in the neighborhood of what is known as the Box Eider Pass ; or commencing near the mouth of the Kansas, and keeping up that stream to the Republican Fork, and up that to where you leave it to reach the same pass.
A glance at the map will show the difference of distance between the Missouri river and said pass by the two named routes to be very trifling, and the grade would be equally low, and the amount of tim-ber, grass, quality of soil, climate, and facilities for settlement are almost or entirely identical.
The Box Eider Pass is a wide, low depression in the Black Hills, with a very gentle ascent and descent; from this point the route is across the Southern por-tion of the level, well watered, and grassy Laramie's plains, to the Medicine Bow Bute, thence by gentle grade across the North Fork of the Platte to a low, beautiful pass on the summit of the Rocky Mountains called Bridjer's Pass. Here the route reaches the Eastern out crop of the rich and thick bituminous coal beds of the extensive region drained by the waters of Muddy and Bitter creeks, where strong indications of rich iron ore beds were also noticed, and pursues its easy grade across Green River near the mouth of Henry's Fork, an affluent from the West, whose out-let is just above Brown's Hole; thence up Henry's Fork, and across Bear river and Weber river by its lower Kanyon into Kamas Prairie, and down the Tim-panogos or Provo river into Utah valley.
From the mouth of the Kanyon of Provo river by the North end of Utah Lake to Walker's River Pass in the Sierra Nevada, the face of the country is nearly a dead level, with the exception of short isolated ranges of mountains which could easily be turned, if any where found on the line.
From all we can learn, Walker's River Pass is the most eligible in the Sierra Nevada, anywhere North of Walkers Pass, which is near latitude 35 degrees, and of course much too far South. Between Walker's Riv-er Pass, and San Francisco, on a direct line, there is no unusual obstacle.
The most casual inspection of any late map will demonstrate the route above indicated to be the short-est, most direct, and most central that can be located between the Missouri river and San Francisco, by way of any practicable mountain passes now known.
From the Box Eider Pass to the rich valleys skirt-ing the West base of the Wahsatch mountains, inde-pendent of the inexhaustible coal beds and strongly indicated iron ores of Bitter Creek, there are more fa-vorable localities for settlements on and near the line indicated, than on any other between the same paral-lels of longitude, unless a route is made extremely crooked, and solely with a view to accommodate such locations.
The mouth of the Timpanogos or Provo Kanyon opens immediately upon the Eastern edge of Utah val-ley, and near Provo city, which will, ere long, be rich and powerful, though skill and labor, well applied to its abundant rescources. This is the most eligible point for branching through a rich chain of fortu-nately located valleys to Oregon on the one hand, and San Diego on the other. From longitude 113 deg. 30 min, to the Sierra Nevada, there is but little chance for settlements, of much importance, on any route.
The resolutions reported by the committee endorse the views of the legislature, declaring that it combines the most advantages and is the most practicable and direct route that can be found. Some of these resolu-tions are annexed:—
11. Resolved, That whereas we have defended ourselves against the thieving and hostile Indians of this territory at our ex-pense and charges thus far ; we have succeeded in establishing civilization North and South, the distance of four hundred miles; and transported over the Plains by wagon, at an enormous expense and outlay, all the means for the same, that could not be procured here. Therefore,
12. Resolved, again, That in addition to the superior eligibility of the route for said railroad by Box Eider Pass, Medicine Bow Bute, Henry's Fork of Green River, Kamas Prairie, and Timpanogos Provo Kanyon; we view it an act of justice due from the General Government to the citizens of this great Interior Ba-sin, to establish said road upon this central route.
13. Resolved, That we possess in this territory mechanical ge-nius and ability no where surpassed; agricultural resources highly advantageous, and hardy operatives inured to mountain life and climate not a few; and upon all these sources liberal drafts may be successfully made to execute a work so much desired by every citizen of Utah.
14. Resolved, That our mineral waters, issuing from the base of our mountains, and boiling up on our plains with every tem-perature, from boiling heat to freezing point, will be profitably sought as a source of health, by thousands of invalids from other countries; provided they can come with the ease and speed of railroad conveyance.
15. Resolved, That, while we deplore the fate of the late lament-ed Capt. Gunnison and a portion of his men, who fell by the hands of merciless savages, while in the faithful discharge of their duties.; we congratulate his successor, Lieut. Beck with, upon his being able to continue the labors of the expedition, and to forward in due time to the Department at Washington, a full report of the same.
The News concludes the account of this meeting thus :—
"This meeting was got up on very short notice ; and although the weather was cold, and much snow on the ground, and no fire in the Tabernacle, yet that large place was filled, and so great was the interest felt upon this subject, that even the ladies would not remain at home. The first citizens of the place, both male and female, were present, and all voted with a spirit and resolution that said, they wanted the rail-road this way, and intended to have it, if possible."
The Independence Messenger says :—
"The conductor reports that the mail party which left Fort Laramie for Salt Lake City January last, have not been heard of. Fears are entertained that they have perished, as there is immense quantities of snow beyond Laramie. For the last six days the mail party coming in have experienced an unusual quantity of disagreeable weather."
19th Century Mormon Article Newspaper Index
