The weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1852-1858, 1852-12-04
The Minnesota Trade.

Quite commotion is now taking place among
capitalists and business men in some of our
Southern and Eastern cities as to who shall
have the Minnesota trade. They no longer re-
gard us as situated near Hudson's Bay, subsist-
ing on nothing but pemmcan; but have seen
that our trade is already worth something
to them, and that it is increasing at an exceed
ingly rapid rate. The people of New Orleans
and st. Louis seeing the efforts that are being
made by Boston and New York capitalists to
grasp the trade of the Upper Mississippi coun-
try by means of a system of railroads, nearly
completed, are beginning to awake to the i'm
portance of this subject. They now realize the
fact that if they do not bestr themselves they
are likely to have diverted from them the trade
which nature has apparently given them. 1t
was not until go-ahead Boston had reached the
shores of Lake Erie with her railroad that
sleepy New York could be induced to take hold
of any railroad extending west, and then it was
carrying off the trade which she had hitherto
monopolized. New Orleans and St. Louis are
now in the position that New York was few
years since. They have crested supinely upon
their backs'' till railroads. whose termini are
upon the Atlantic coast, have reached ILL
nois, and in few months will strike the
great Father of Waters at several points 1t
is not yet too late to remedy it, and we think
the right steps are being taken. Already have
numerous large and enthusiastic meetings been
held to take this matter into consideration.
They have started a project, as we have be-
fore told our readers, for building railroad
from New Orleans to Minnesota, on the west
side of the Mississippi. We hope it will not end
in talk. But whether it does or not it has al
ready had the effect of exciting considerable
attention from other quarters. The Chicago
Dem. Press, one of whose editors has visited
Minnesota, and has therefore formed some idea
of the immense value of our trade, takes a
warm interest in all that pertains to the well
fare of our Territory. In that paper of re-
cent date we find the following:
Minnesota, since its first settlement by
whites. has been dependent upon St. Louis for
its merchandise and a market for its products.
But st. Louis procures its goods from New
York and Boston, and freights and insures them
over our northern lakess and canals at a large
expense, which of course comes, in the end out
of the consumer. A Chicago merchant can get
goods on his shelves at smaller cost than the
St. Louis dealer, and hence he can afford to un.
dersell him. If facilities of access on the part
of the Minnesota people were equal to the two
places, under these circumstances, it would be
their interest to buy in Chicago. 1t is vel
known that jobbing merchants at the distribu
ting cities, who buy their goods by the case OF
bale, can supply the retail dealer to better ad
vantage, than the latter could purchase at wer,
he to go to New York for his stock.
.We are glad to find that our ncighbors o
Minnesota are attracting attention from til,
South as we'll as from the East We hope tn,
South may drive their magnificent railroot
project through. The East will certainly d.
so. The true policy of Minnesota is to hole
out the hand of welcome to each, and give t.
each an opportunity for fair competition will
the other. This is all ,re ask For the rest w,
are willing to bide the result