The Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. Territory) 1849-1855, 1853-03-10
of the Legislature.

volumes ,r the industry and legal abilities OF the re-
vsius committee At the session Of 1851. When we
reflect that our entire code was complied and perfect
ed during that session, under many disadvantages.
arising from Of copies of many OF the statutes
Of other States and he difficulty of adapting the law
OF State densey populated, TO SUIT the wants of our
sparsely settled Territory have 10 be high
~ gratcd, yes proud of the talents Of the members
of that Legislature and Of the legal atiainmcn,s OF
the Committee more especially charged with the re-
vision.
The nos, important local measure Of the Session
ii 1888, is the organization Of counties west Of the
Mississippi There are eleven counties organic
ed in the Territory reccntly purchased from the Sioux
Ia lians.
When VIC consider that all those counties, now but
srr,rscly settled will during the coming Summer, be
6ll-i with population f.ofn The States East and
South Of us and hat without the organi cation Of
these counties no would have hcen attended for
the establishment of common schools. the location
and improvement Of the nig hways tn establishment
OF ferries OF the cnj,y'rent Of Judicial privileges
we are Iei 10 believe that tn: act organizing coun-
ties was one Of the mos. Important Of the session
j; Is well known fact, that an American, with 4
small family OF children, will ioreyo many pecunary
advantages. rather than locate where he cannot have
access to school. and firmly believe that the
characic. as well as the numerical strength of the
population west # the Mississippi within the next
year viii be very much affected by the passage Of the
law.
Immigrants may now locate in any portioc * the
Territory with knowledge that any settlement con
tanning frc families may be set off separate school
district and he entitled to receive from the county
treasury, pre- rata Of all the school tax collected in
the county County commissioners and other county
officers b. appointed by the executive mmed-
atey, that all the machinery Of county governments
may be nut in operation during the summer, prepara-
tor to the election oE county officers next fall.
Among the important acts Of the Legislature, may
very properly be chased the various Raiiroad char
tiers passed during the session. We that
they arc looked npon by many rs chm,ricll, bat
cannot recognize yh;ug chDer,ca in the settle
m.nt of the great valley Of the Mississippi. Our
lon, residence in the IVES; has enabled us to observe
the rapid progress OF civilization. The an,icpa,ons
Of The sanyunc have been far surpassed, that
at this time concede the power Of ma gina
ton to get beyond reality in western Improvement,
aud western progress.
We can look back few short years. when the
commerce of the Mississippi and Missouri was car
ricd by keel boats, and made quick trip
from ST. Louis to St. Peters in forty-one days. At
that time the idea Of igating the Upper Mississippi
p with steamboats,, above the foot of the Lower Rap
IDS, would have been considered much chimcr-
cal th,n wonsd a project for throwing suspension
bridge across Behring's straits al the present day.
We made trip horseback from the Mississippi
Chicago and could neither get eggs Or porh to eat
at any of the sqiatters' huts stopped at. Now
there IS produce enough raised between the Mississip-
pi and Illinois rivers feed half oil the Starving oop-
ulatipn Of Europe. We travelled in a stage Gar oren
waggon) from Galena to Chicago when the zip was
made in eight days and when the pssi5,i.fy OF sta
ging that route by means clear to the pro-
prctor, ard each passenger was obliged to walk and
carry raj! to assist the through the s,ovghs-
Now railroad is near completion which will .rav vel
over the same space in eight hours.
We were ut one time, of the only three white
residing within the limits Of The present state Of
iowa. which now has population of over 400 900
In our own beautiful Territory we have made many
trips between Prairie du Chem and ST Peters and
from st. Peters to Traverse DIES Sioux. when the
hotels we lodged at in the open air and our ia.
be furnished from the supply carried, or from the
game killed on the route. Yet, with the blessings
OF God, we hope yet to travel in a railroad car on a
continuous from the Minnesota river to New
Orleans, and yer, pro5adly to San Francisco.
Zach railroad charter s'anied at the late SEES. on,
with one exception is a connecting link in some great
chain Of road which is not only contemplated. b,
progressing south or east Of US. Does any one doubt
The completion at early day, Of the Louisiana and
Minnesota Railroad! Does any one for a ,oonen,
believe that the Illinois Central Railroad vii, n.b
up to the shore of the Mississippi opposite Dbuqne
survey tor moment the vast cxpanse of country
west Of the Father Of Waters, and then affryhted
turn and seek again the shores Of the Atlantic, No
such thing; there is nothing in those beautiful un
les, fertile fields, OF busy manufacturing towns west
OF the M'ssiss calculated TO deter the ron horse
Thousands are living who will sec him bound
ACROSS the bridge which will be thrown over and hioh
above the surface Of the stream, and rush forward to
the valley Of the Minnesota through the most lovely
healthy, and wealthy agricultural portions of the
soie. After n'omentary pause to select the route.
his progress is again Onward with caloric soced tn
the shore OF that copper bottomcd inland sea Spper
", where he will neigh in concert with his brothers
from the Atlantic in the east, and from Pugets sound
IN the great Northwest
Does any one doubt the early completion of rail.
road from the Mississippi to San Franciscor Tn
few years his doubts will be dispersed, and stern re-