The weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1852-1858, 1853-08-27
Railroad Meeting at St. Paul.

large and enthusiastic meeting of the citi
Zens OF st. Paul was held at the Court House
on Wednesday afternoon, (Aug. 24,) to take
into consideration the propriety of co-operat
ing with the people of Wisconsin in construct
ing railroad from Madison to st. Paul.
The meeting was called to order by NJ. S
Wilkinson, Esq, and on motion Gov. Alex
Ramsey was appointed Chairman C. j. Hen
Miss and &. L. Willcs, Vice Presidents and
Wakefield and A. Bryant, Secretaries.
The President then stated the object of the
meeting, and urged the great importance Of
connecting ourselves with the East by means Of
railroad from ST. Paul to Madison, and closed
by introducing to the audience
DR.. Otis Hoyt, of Hudson Wis who addressed
the meeting, giving brief history of railroads
and railroad projects in the United States. The
railroad spirit had commenced in Massachusetts,
and rapidly spread in every direction, carrying
with 1t wealth and prosperity. New York
looking with jealous eye to the increasing
wealth of Massachusetts,. had, in the face of all
the derslon and contempt heaped upon the
- Erie Canal, which was called 'Clinton's Fol-
ly," "ClintOns Ditch" &C., caught the spirit.
and thereby had herself become immensely
wealthy. The cost of the various railroads in
New England and New York ranged from forty
three to siXty-three thousand dollars per mile.
but are all paying large dividends, and the i'm
mensc profits of many of the roads in New York
was truly wonderful. In the old States experi-
ence shows that if the business along the route
of proposed railroad will pay three-fifths of
the expense of constructing and operating it.,
the increase OF business before the road could
be completed, would be equal to the remaining
twO-llfths. The speaker had become well ac-
qualnted with the route Of the proposed rail-
road from Madison to St. Paul, and from its
feasibility believed the cost of construction
could not be more than fifteen, or at most
eighteen thousand dollars per mile. lie had
statistics (Which he readD showing the business
now done on the route would pay more than fit.
teen per cent. on the cost Ofbuilding and COM
pleting the road.
The audience listened with the utmost attcn-
ton to the remarks of DR.. Hoyt, which evinced
his complete knowledge of the subject and his
untlrlng energy in the prosecution of the work.
On motion, }. z. Owens, Joseph X. Brown,
NJ. s. Wilkinson y. Wilkn, and b. w. Lott
were appointed Committee to draft resolu-
tlons, expressive of the sense of the meeting,
and reported the following, which were
adopted -
We, the people of St. Paul and its vicinity.
looking to the ultimate prosperity of our Ter
ritory, and regarding the great enterprise of
connecting our Territory with the East by the
erection OF the Wisconsin North Western Rail
road as the most feasible plan which has yet
been proposed. do resolve as follows -
1st That we, as citizens of Minnesota. will
extend the right hand of fellowship to the en-
terprise of Wisconsin in her attempts to reach
our borders on the Lake st. Croix, by railroad.
thus forming another link in the line of Atlantic
and Pacific communication.
I'd That in selfprescrvation every every cit
izen ofthe Territory of Minnesota (wlo can do
so in justice to himself ought to aid, both by
subscription to the capital stock of the Wiscon-
sin Northwestern Railroad Company and by
his influence in the construction Of said road as
speedily as possible.
The meeting then adjourned
ALIEN. RAMSEY, President.
G. j. J: I MINIS: }v.rrcsidents.
' Hs1aS b hissn!E''' seeretarics.