Minnesota weekly times. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1854-1859, 1854-07-18
REPORT OF A COMMITTEE

1854, for the purpose Of promoting the con-
struction Of a RailUay from Green Bay, in
Pisconsia, to st. Paul, IN Minnesota.
The undersigned comrsittee, appointed by q
meeting of the citizens OF Toronto and others in
terested in the success of the Northern Railroad,
and in promoting the extension of the trade con-
nections of this city, having carefully examined
the statements and information submitted to them
by Judge O'Howe, of Green Bay, in relation to
the construction of a railway from the town of
Green Bay to st. Paul, the capital Of Minnesota,
report as follows:
When tho Ontario, Simcoc and Huron railway
was rejected for the purpose of connecting the
nayigable waters Of Lake Huron with Lake On
tario at Toronto, it was consistently urged by the
promoters OF that enterprize, as an important el-
ement in its prospects, that the trade of the north
western territory of the United States, AS well as
that connected with the mineral regions Of Lake
Superior, would certainly find its way to the At
lantic sea-board over that line, thus rendering
important tribute to the company, and comforting
great advantages on the city of Toronto. Its ad-
vantageous position in reference to the trade
claimed for !. was ably set forth by the late II.
G.. Seymour in his report to the Directors OF the
Railroad in 1852.
As the construction of the northern road now
advances rapidly to completion, we deem it for
tunate for the friends of that enterprze, and for
others interested in the prosperity of Toronto and
that presented by the deputation present is now
afforded of the fact that such trade as was antic-
ipated by the projectors of the northern road is
so rapidly springing into existence, and we deem
this fitting time to bring under the notice Of
those whose interests are identical with our own,
and under the notice of the public generally, the
desirableness Of advancing the progress of OPEN
ing up that trade which is SO important to US.
With that view we propose to point out and re-
commend the initiation by this meeting OF that
course of action which they deem bsst calculated
to promote the desired end, and to claim such
support for the course as the prospects of secu-
ring suitable return for the capital invested,
backed by the advantages likely to accrue to the
Interests indicated, n.ay seem to warrant.
The rapid settlement Of the territory OF Min
ncsota, which has increased from population of
5000 in 1850 to an estimated population at the
commencement of the present year OF 30,Uo0-
the immense tide of gration flowing up the
Mississippi, and which carried to st. Paul (the
capital of Minnesota) nearly 10000 immi grants
during the navigation Of lS53--the uniformly IA
vorable reports received of the territory as an
agricultural district-whe the mineral wealth of
it and the northern parts of Wisconsin have been
ascertaineI to be almost unbounded, have en-
tircly dispelied the impression once current here
that the line Of travel formed by the northern
railway, and the noble chain of lake navigation
which it connects, would be barren of results /;
and those who despaired of obtaining for 1t
share of that traffic between the eastern and wes-
tern portions ofthis continent, viii has enabled
the more southern railway companies to divide
semi-annual d vidends, varying from 4 to 10 per
cent. are now assured-as are all who estimate
correctly the progress Of settlement in northern
Wisconsin, and in the territory OF Minnesota
that the occupation of that vast reg ion will be as
rapid has ed in any OF the western States,
and sufficient to make the routes constructed for
,%,z
;ntinent. A full confidence i'll such q result is
fully justified by the greatly increased numbers
of migrants arriving at Quebec this season,
and by the fact that the bulk Of those settling
the north western territories are from the more
northern countries of Exrope, and will naturally
prefer northern route Of travel, if such an one
is provided for them.
The direction of the trade to which we refer
has hitherto passed through Chicago, its west
ward current pass ng through Buffalo and the
longer chain Of lake navigation to reach that
point. Bat, whom arrived at Chicago, to reach
St. Paul a ten hours railway trip and two days.
tedious navigation of the Mississippi still awaits
it. TO divert it from tho channel we have indi-
cated--to make Toronto its chief point Of con-
centration, whence it may be distributed on its
ultimate destinations, becomes OBJ ject Of the
utmost Importance to the proprictors Of the On
tario, Simcoc and Huron Railway, to the cti-
zcns Of Toronto, and to all Interested in the sew
eral lines Of travel converging on that point.
The railways already contracted to the mouth
of the Niagara river have placed Toronto within
sixteen hours travel of New York city; the con-
struction Of the grand trunk railway will place it
as near the European ports, whence immigration
and commerce chiefly proceed. as the last named
city is; while already the St. Lawrence naviga-
ton places it during the open seas within a
cheaper distance Of them. 1t is reasonable, there
fore, to suppose that properly directed effort
would secure for Toronto the position we have
named, and that if this city can be placed in
nearly the same position with regard to distance
from st. Paul as Chicago now is, the advantages
we have indicated must inevitably accrue.
Referring to the map, and following the course
of the northern road to its terminus on the Geor-
gian Bay, the commerce destined to Minnesota
Will be conveyed on its route through navi ga
ton (rendered by the Manitouln and other is
lands) as free from storms as the Hudson river,
to the straits of Ma kinaw; thence through
navigation equally secure to the waters of Green
Bay, and to a city Of that name forming thus
far a route unequalled in its picturcsqucness by
the Hudson or the st. Lawrence, and as free from
all the dangers and unpleasantness incident to
the navigation of Lakes Erie, Huron and Michigan
as either of those rivers.
Hitherto no communication westward from
Green Bay has been opened, and hence all COM
merce for the Upper Mississippi has been convey
ed through Lake Michigan to Chicago, some two
hundred and fifty miles south of Green Bay, and
thence via Prairie du Chen and the Mississippi to
st. Paul, a further distance of $50 miles, making
together y miles; while Green Bay is distant
from st. Paul only 270 miles. But, as above
mentioned, 10 direct line of communication at
present exists between Green Bay and St. Paul !:
and to fill up this gap by the construction of a
railway, is to accomplish the objects we have
presented by completing the route between To-
ronto and Green Bay to the boundless wealth Of
Minnesota and the far west, and even further to-
wards the Pacific ocean.
1t is not however, in its connection with the
Northern Road, and the avenues of trade connected
with it-however important that connection may
be--that the whole advantages of the Green Bay
and Minnesota Railway are to be found. Hwoud
have position calculated to give it-when con-
sidered from different point Of yiew-an impor-
tance equal to any route that has been projected,
and to secure for It profta. lie business. a fur
ther reference to the Map will make this apparent,
and will show it as direct link in the line Of
Road from Milwaukee to Green Bay (now being
chief point to which the trade of that Territory
now tends BY more circuitous route-nameiy,
Chicago. And this fact is important, inasmuch
as during the winter season the Georgian Bay
route will be closed, and the winter travel-limit-
ed, of course, to necessity-must take its way
eastward by passing around the southern extrem-
itv Of Lake Michigan. Nor are the advantages
Of the projected Road, as connected with the
present course Of travel to Detroit and Buffalo,
less evident; for avoiding, on the one hand, the