The Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. Territory) 1849-1855, 1850-05-16
rHE MINNESOTA PIONEER
Ct. paul, Hllnnesota,
Thursday Morning. May Is, 1850.
The Chicago and Gelsna Railroad.

The Chic ago and Geiena Railroad.
A highway of any kind, from the Mis-
sissippi river TO the Atlantic ocean, is
not thing that interests alone the cities
a, it, tcrmin;, or the inhabitants inter-
vening upon the route of its construc-
ton. Railroads are common carriers.
All who make use of Railroad, have
a sort Of property in II. Whereverth the
springs and sources Of its business may
be, from whatever region its freight and
passengers are drawn to it, and induced
TO use it as an agent Of locomotion, that
region, however remote, has an interest
to be considered and represented IN the
construction and management OF such
railroad; and may, although not repre-
sented IN tho board of road directors,
express its opinion and its preferences,
and represent its wishes through the
press, without being reasonably accused
of meddling in what is none of lis bust
ness. The trade Of the northwest with
the Atlantic, or great share of it, pas
ses down the Mississippi river, and will
be diverted eastward, by the nearest,
cheapest and best route, to and from
that river. II is yet unsettled, what
town on the Mississippi river, will De the
hinge, on which this immense and m
creasing business will turn; but which
ever town it may be, will be In the gate
way OF golden commerce. First, we
will consider the most indirect of these
routes 20 and from the Atlantic; that is,
the route through the Gulf of Mexico.
That route is too long, too expensive,
ard being partly within the tropics, en-
% = I'll freights of perishable nature,
oil Climate. a.. ioss nv the effects
Next, is the Ohio river, making Cairo,
n, the mouth Of that river, the point OF
departure, north and east. The sal.
objections, in kind, If not in degree, lie
against this route. 1t is an expensive
and uncertain route, and carries US too
far south before we can turn the angle
and approach the Atlantic seaboard.--
The same objection lies against the route
through the Wabash river, and the Wa
bash and Erie Canal TO lake Erie.
Pass up to St. Louis, and we find CITY
already the centre upon which the rlos'
of the trade of the northwest, turns, a
city full Of capital and enterprise. aer
business with the east, already gorging
the chanael of the Illinois river, and
crowding through the locks of the Nli-
hnois aud lake Michigan canal.
But then, St. Louis is too far south
for us, and our trade by the Illinois river,
canal and lakes, is too circuitous. Ha-
ting distances, risks and delays, corr
merce is now forcing a passage over
land by railway, from Chicago straight
TO lake Erie; and nothing will do, but
the connection of Chicago BY railroad /,
with the Atlantic cities. The same laws
Of trade which give existence to the
road east Of Chicago, require. nay, de-
nand, its extension west to the Missis-
sippi. That railroad completed, will
speedily concentrate upon it, all the ira
vel and freight to and from the eastern
cities, for the whole length of the Mis-
sissippi above its western terminus, and
for hundreds of miles below its western
terminus, and all the business Of the
north temperate zone, west Of the Mis-
sissippi river.
In this view of the subject, and look
ing especially at the immense stake
which Galena has, as the western ter
minus Of this road, ii seems amazing
that any jealousy or any apathy on the
part of her citizens, should delay the
immediate and vigorous prosecution Of
the work, upon the Chicago and Gaiena
railroad. The interest that Chicago
really has, in the construction Of that
road, does not weigh feather, compar-
cd with the interest which Galena has.
While Chicago, is the mere thoroughiare
for the business of the road to and from
the Atlantic, Galena viii be the termi-
nus, the place where all travellers must
change their mode Of conveyance, where
all freight must be stored, where every
thing must be stored, all produce, all ex-'
ports, from above and below and beyondg
The trade which Galena now draws Sro >,
a little radius on the east side Of the