The Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. Territory) 1849-1855, 1850-04-10

! tide that now flows will ebb, and leave her
, naked as The ocean wave leaves the shore.
Where then on the Pacific is the seat of en-
pire 10 be? Like causes produce like eff
5 fects. The vigor Of climate and other con-
; ditions that have stimulated the energies of
2 the settlers on the northern coast Of this
continent and given the people of the north
their superiority, exist and will operate in
: Oregon, producing like results. The Co.
lumha river is destined to he to the western
. coast what the Hudson is to the eastern, and
then the remaining link in the commercial
, chain, of which have spoken, connecting
the two oceans, will he supplied. cannot
5 regard this, but as the certain result of es-
tablished and existing causes, however chi
'nericai to some it may appear.
/, The country generally south Of the forti-
eth parallel and east of the mountains, is n
! sterile waste of sand, produced by the de-
: graduation and washing Of the Rocky Noun
tains. The enigrant or voyageur keeps
along the water courses and travels over all
the land that is susceptible of settlement
The country from Lake Superior to the
mountains opposite the sources of the, CO.
umbia, is good and will not he many years
in being settled. We of Minnesota are al
ready westward of Missouri, although the
latter has been State of The Union these
thirty years, and Minnesota sprang into ex-
istence but year ago. We are not weigh
ell down with the incubus Of slavery-not
dragging a dead body to retard our progress,
but buoyant and elastic, breathing the free
air Of liberty, and treading free soil, have
nothing to impede our onward march,
When settlements extend to the Pacific, and
n railroad unites Lake Superior with the
Columbia valley, Minnesota ,ciU be half
,cay on the great highucay Of nations. Her
commerce will he that Of the world. Ii
may be said, that the events which ] have
anticipated will not be witnessed by this gen
GRAFTON. have to say that the world is
moving with a constantly acceieratinS We
locity that to Judge of what will he accom-
plished in the future, in given time, we
must not measure by the past, but by the
present compared with the past
| have perhaps wandered TOO far into The
future to interest you. u should, however,
be borne in mind. that a country cannot
have commerce without population, and
that the settlement of the whole of Mime
sofa will bring with it the realization of my
: expectations, compared with which any in
internal trade, importan, though it may be,
is insignificant.
The annexation Of the British Provinces
and Possessions is looked forward to by
many as an event not far distant. 1t will
greatly quicken the settlement of the north
!. west, for which commercial emporiums will
, spring up in Minnesota. Large commercial
towns must necessarily arise here at the
head Of navigation on the Mississippi, tat
, the head of Lake Superior, and at sorpe
, point on the Missouri river within Miune-
sofa.
We have at present to sustain COM
merce, an extensive fur trade giving en-
ployment to q large amount of capital, and
8 several hundred thousand dollars are dis.
, bursed annually to the Indians by the gene
raj government in payment for hands,
The entire trade Of the settlements on Red
river of the north, is being directed to Min
neso,a-no inconsiderabIe item eff trade.
OF the mineral resources of Minnesota,
little can certainly be known until there Is
actual exploration hy digging. Geology
points US to several formations that are min
, eral-bearins rocks. The Amysdaloid Trap,
, the copper-bearing rock Of Lake Superior,
. prevails in the northeastern part uf the
territory; probably combinations of the same
, ranges that lie parallel to the south shore Of
J Lake Superior, aud in which the richest
, copper mines of the world are now worked.
The Cliff Mine last season produced up
. wards Of half q million of dollars worth of
: ore. That deposits equally rich will yet be
discovered IN Minnesota, Is very pOSSible
The superficial indications Of copper are
o abundant. Fine specimens of native cop
per and the various forms of the ores, have
= been found within the Territory. upon To-
. calties Of this outbnr>t oftrap. DR.. Owens
:, United States Geologist, who has been en-
: gagged during the last three years, III making
n survey Of the northwest, in a preliminary
81 report (his final report tot ye, being pub
o lished) says, that the lower inagnesian lime
n stone, lead-bearing rock, extends from the
;, St.Peter's river to the southern limits of The
- Territory. DR.. Macy, Assistant Geologst
dicovered in this formation a vein of lead
. ore three inches in thickness, which he trac
= :, ed three-fourths of mile Numerou,
, specimens Of lead ore have been brought b,
the Indians, from that region. and there i,
every reason to believe that Minnesota will
. yet compete with Wisconsin and Iowa, it
the heavy metal. The jealousy of the In
: diaus, whose title to the land has not beer
;, extingu'shed, has prevented any discoverie:
). being made.
DR.. Owens does not favor the opinion
- that there is coal in the Territory. Nicol
:, let, however, reports coal in a tributary o
:. The ST. Peters, and certain it is, that the cur
= rent Of that river has washed pieces down
n DR.. Owens did not reach in his examinatio,
:, the region in which Nicollet found il, an,
tleTttOiC bItIit'Of NEiSh
- the observed fact for we cannot suppose tha
- the French Savan was mistaken.
"a There is every indication of beds Of iror
+. ore; indeed. it is found in the immediate vi
% ciuity of the Falls of ST. Anthony, and mag
= netir disturbance in many localities Indicate
I, the presence Of large deposits.
> have thus glanced at the natural resour
Ie ces of this country--the elements o
ne wealth possessed by it. Are we not au
- thorized TO believe that Minnesota in adj
ID aptaton Of climate and soil, to agriculture
,e m the abundance and variety of her natura
,e products--commercial advantages, and i;
If commercial resources, will compare favor
of ably with any state of the Union? But
b. is NOT to these physical conditions. favor
ne able as they are, to which look alone fo
he the future greatness and prosperity of Min
he nesota; there are moral causes more pc
he tent than these in determining the tru
~. weaIth--lhe permanent happiness Of he
a. people. Climate and other physical cor
n. diiions exercise powerful influence upo
l.