The Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. Territory) 1849-1855, 1852-06-17
Thirty-SecOnd Congress.
First SESSION.
HOUSE OF RESENTATIVFI
FRIDAY, May 81. 1852.
Continuation Of Proceedings. !
ROADS IN MINNEsor.

continuation OF Proceedings
ROADS IN MINNEsorA.
The nest bill on the Calendar was House hill
NO. 2oo, "making further appropriation. for the
construction OF roads in The Territory Of Mime
| sofa" "
Mr.. FAULKNER. There are some amend
| ments which the Committee on Roads and Ca.
nails have in, tructed me 10 offer 10 this hill
move TO amend the bill in the tenth line, by add
ing after the words "iake Superior" the words
ny The most direct and convenient route be-
tween those points" SO az to make it read "(or
the construction Of a road from Point Douglass.
on the Mississippi river to the falls or rapids of
the ~. Louis river, ofLake Superior, 6y the most
direct and conrenient rouie 6st.ceen those points
S2O, 900"
Ihe amendment was agreed 10
MIR. FAULKNER. move further TO amend
The bill by sinking out The word "Nississippi. :"
IN the nineteenth line, and inserting in lieu thereof
"Mi'souri, SO as 10 make it read "a military
ROAD from sendota To the mouth of Big Sioux
river, on The Missouri" pre- ume it is IA tv
biographical error.
The amendment was agreed TO-
Mr.. FAULKNER. | now move to strike on,
the words "Governor and Legislative Assembly
OF SAID Territory" from the end of The bill and
TO insert IN Leu thereof. "Secretarv of War. pur-
make !, read, ''the said roads TO be constructed
under The direction Of the Secretarv of War.
pursuant to contrGotS 10 be made bp him"
Mr.. SibLEl. | wish TO make brief e1pla-
nation OF ih.S bill. The Items embraced IN il
arc N accordance with estimates submitted by
the War Department. The only chunge contem-
plated has been made BY myself: have taken
the responsibility OF reducing The amount specified
IN The estimate more than one half, because !
MINK that ~ quite as much as we ought to ask
from Congress II; thus session, under existing cir
cunisiances. trust tha, with this shor, state
ment, the committee will consent TO Ia, the bin
aside. 10 be reported to The House llh recon-
mendaiion thai it do pass.
Mr.. FOWLER. wish to inquire Of the gem
'leman from MInnssota whether any of these
routes have been surveyed,
MIR. SiBLEf. They have all been surveyed
except ihe last. and the bill provides fo1 the sur
vey of that.
Mr.. FOWLER. Have there been estimates
rom the Department Of the probable expense of
executing the wort,
Mr.. S'BLEi. Estimates have been laid be-
fore the Department by The engineer. lie ha.
estimated for the construction Of what are called
good country roads, and he has based his calcu-
ilii'ns upon those that have been mnde in WIS
cousin. IN which there is probably more tin,bered
country than in ours, aud consequently the cost
OF the construction of roads IS rropcrtionably
greaier.
Mr.. Fowler Are those mere comparative
estimates, or are they based upon some other
data?
Mir. SIBLEY. They are based upon actual
surveys.
Mc. FOWLER Have we those estimates
where we can get al them? Have they been
printed,
Mr.. FAULKNER They have.
Mr. SiBlEY. They are regular estimates
from the War Department, and are accessible to
every member Of tue House They are to be
found IN the document room. ! have IL COPY be-
fore now.
Mr.. HOUSTON. want 10 ask the gentle
man who reported this bill or the Delegate from
Minnesota. i thev have any information how
much has been appropriated 10 these roads here
;ofcre:
"r. SIBLEI. I will Stale TO the gentleman,
that $40 900 Is lhc whole amount that has here
tofors been appropriated 10 these roads
Mr. HOUSTON. then ark the gentleman
how much Is the balance ihat will be rcquired for
these roads, according 10 The estimates: con-
ceive that II viii do no good to reduce the appro-
pria, this ear, if We shall have 10 make an
other appropriation next year Let us know the
estimate of the entire amount that will be re-
quired.
Mr. SlBIEY. In reply to The chairman Of
the Comntlae on Ways and Means, | beg leave
10 state iha, hat n: H. reason WHY haye dseme. i
10 state that the reason why have deemed Il
expedieni 10 reduce these estimates Is, that do
not think the amount originally asked for can be
expended beneficiAly during the curren. year. for
the construction Of these roads. | do not pretend
10 say here vii be suiticiencv to complete the
road-, but The amount whlc, | have asked for
Will, n my opinion, and IN the opinion Of praoi-
cal men IN the Territory, complete the roads so
'aF IA 10 make 'nem passable, at least between
the points where they are now most needed. !
VIII state further 10 the gentleman, that some Of
these roads lead directly 10 military posts and TO
Indian agencies. and ,ha, The Government would
be saved j great deal Of expense in the transpor-
tation Of supplies # they were constructed so Us
TO be rendered passab!e with loaded teams.
Mr.. FOWLER. wish to make Il further IN
qury of the gentleman. Are these roads de-
signed for general, public use, or are they for
military purppsesi
Mr.. SlBLtY. They are Cor both.
Mr.. FOWLER II they are exclusively for
general use, It is 4 system Of internal improve
mens. Ifthey are for war purposes. then let us
understand iha, they for those purposes,
Mr. SiBLEY. reply tnat they are FOR gen.
eral use, and 10 accommodate The Government,
while, incidentally, they Will be vastly beneti-
cia and indeed Indispensable, 10 the people OF
the Territory.
! Mr. FAuI KNER In reply to the in'erroga-
tory propounded by the gentleman from Alabama.
MIR Houston will say. that If this had been
an original appropriation altogether, not
aware that could have sanctioned it, ever at the
time that did do SO, TO the extent iha, il has
gone. But found that the policy of constructing
these four roads had been sanctioned by Congress
in 1850. There was an appropriation made al
iha, time Of S35 900 for the construction ofthese
four roads, and SIS GOO for the survey Of mill
tary road from Mendoza to the mouth Of the Big
Sioux River, on the Missouri. ] find that OF that
amount not one dollar has yet been applied to-
wards the construction Of any Of these roads.
There ha, been expended Of that appropriation
sI2.sso in preliminary surveys, and there re-
'nains une1pended Of the original appropriation Of
1850, S22.llO.
Mr.. SlBLEY. The gentleman from Virginia
will permi, me 10 say. that since that .aten,en,
was submitted, there has been some expenditure
in the construction Of the roads, and that the bal
ance has been therefore. much reduced VIVA,
is The date Of the communication You hold in your
| handi
/ Mr.. FAULKNER. The date CT this commu-
nica,ion from which ! derive the information, Is
the 23d December, 1851, and it is from the Col
onel Of the Toposraphica Engineers That is