The Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. Territory) 1849-1855, 1852-10-07
Contemplated in the Retrospect and
pTOSDrct,

LIT Us, residents Of Minnesota for a moment aInuse
ourselves. By ookin. back upon the road we have
travelled ia coming to this fair land. Indeed it may
is useful to us to draw Inference from obscrva-
ton Of IN. past, which VIII illustrate the future open
ing Of these Western willis, still beyond us. We
will suppose that whi!e We were piod'ling at our tasks
in an Eastern school-hous some thirty years ago,
teacher, inspired by the prophetic suggestions OF
Jefferson, had marked upon the wall a map of
the North-West Territory including as an interesting
scene, the Falls Of st. Anthony. Suppose he had
assured that, in thirty years or so, that land where
roams the Buffalo and the painted Savage, shalt con-
tain civilized and elegant population. That not
only steamboats, shall transport YOU through these
thousand miles Of lakes in four days, but that
tinuous line of railroajl thing you have scarcely
heard about railroad shall extend from the At
iantic ocean TO the Mississippi river Aud upon this
railroad you shall b, transported by the power Of
steam, nearly swift the flight of bird. You
shall pass the intervening space in about three
days, and not be deprived Of food or sleep. Ii you
please to visit this scene here on the map, where
Lewis and Clark struggling in the rapids of St.
Anthony, you will there find probably thousand per-
sons, unless You have already became part Of their
Numbers, who living in II enjoyment Of al the
co at,rt. and circu:n taaces peculiar to eught-
ened people.
This wild torrent, whose sources IN IN, far, far
North, yet scarcely explored, i'll, at the epoch
we anticipating, be controlled, by dam, and be
turned TO the service of thai people, like smaller
streams. The lands still further up this stream,
where have depicted hand Of Indians pursuing ii
herd Of buffalo toward the setting sun-hose lands,
whose limits we yet scarcely know, shall be popu-
lated too aa contribute their untold treasures to the
wealth OF st. Anthony.
On this ox-bow Of the river few miles below, YOU
shall find town, whose commercial enterprises ex-
tend directly into the East, and reach far INTO
the West and North boyonl, 10 a central
pou, the earth. IL will b. visitedby floating pal
moved by steam, every day in summer, which
paace. called steamboats,, will be occupied By an en-
frightened and refined class of persons. At that point
you will fad elegant churches, good schools great
variety of the practical arts, and good society Of
people. In the country around, you will see wide
fci. opened on soil as rich Egypt herds of do
nestle flocks, everything denotin, prosperity and
plenty. But let the reader finish the picture to suit
his own fancy, if worthy of his attention. Should
no; have yipcd with wonder, at such predictions
oi our Iclabod!
Sail the half has not been told. Our progress
westward has been tardy compared with the progress
of those who to follow Us hther. 1t has taken
weeks to accomplish journey, which in less than
year from now, will be accomplished in as many
days.
We have often said To ourself If the Mississippi
had its flow East instead Of South, how soon would
these western lands be occupied but there now be-
Ing completed medium vi communication as much
s"ter than that afforded by the Mississippi, the lat
Ter is swifter than that by wagons following the marks
oil trees. AT iioboken AM Boston will be railroad
stations, roads that will BE- CONTINUOUS TO the Mis-
sissippi- "Car. ready f,r Gacnl-ail aboard,' will
be only the connOn announcement To- the crowd IL
Is cas-. to ioresee something Of the future effects of
these improved facilities of transpotaon upon these
new lands. la the eastern communities are ALWAYS
a multitude of people who are anxious to improve
fher condition, by emf grafton but dread the abors
q the undertaking. When they can be transported
in ivy sr four days to a virgin soil, at Government,
Pise, how ions will Tint class hesitate at the expert
,nent!
But es'rsate as We may, we shall find in three
sears from now. that largest calculations of the
increase OF our country, will be far too small