The daily Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1854-1855, 1854-07-26


Lake, where there is some of the best timber
I have seen in the Territory.
| Fort Ridgley is beautiful location, and the
country between Swan Lake and the Fort is
/ destined to be filled by dense agricultural
| population. The Fort is located on the east
end of the Sioux Reserve, and is intended for
the protection Of both whites and Indians
The Sioux Agency. understand is located
! some twelve or fifteen miles from this Fort,
and some twenty miles beyond the Agency, is
! the missionary establishment of DIR. WILLIAM
son, gentleman who has been some sixteen
or eighteen years resident missionary in the
Sioux country.
The Sioux annuitics of different kinds, to-
gcther with the grain and provision for the
garrison at Fort Ridgley, and the supplies
necessary for the missionaries and LADDERS
among the Indians, afford large business f; r
teams this year, as the water has not been high
enough to permit steamer to get to the For
The greater part of these supplies are brought
to this place, and hauled from here by land.
At Fort Ridgley l met Mr.. BLAIR, who
came across with train of teams from Hen
derson. lie speaks very highly of the coun-
try between that point and the Fort. He in
sists that supplies can be taken from st. Paul
to Fort Ridgley, or the Agency, much cheap
er than by the Traverse, the freight by water
being twenty cents, and by land thirty cents
less on the hundred pounds. l. however, can
not see how there can be so great difference
There may be a difference in the price chars
ed by the boats, as Henderson is some 80 OF
- miles below this place but admitting Il G
distance to be the same from Henderson thai
it is from the Traverse, how can the hauling
be done cheaper from Henderson, when thu
road is much better from the Traverse? Blu
| suppose Mr. BLAIR speaks with partalit..
'or Henderson. lie however called my atten
ton to the fact that while four OX-teans from
| the Traverse were hauling through to th
| Fort seven barrels Of flour at $500 per bar
| rel. the four OX-tcams from Henderson were
loaded with from twenty to twenty eight hun
'lrcd of corn, at siNty-two and half cents pei
hundred.
| But aimpoH. few cents in the cost
| transportation will not take the business from
Traverse dcs Sioux. 1t is bound to keep TIL
hauling and storage for the Indian and Milita
~ Departments of the Government. The flu
companies, and many Of the officers of the H.
! liam department, as we'll as some of the mill
tary officers. are too deeply interested in an
about the Traverse to permit the business
be taken to any point below, merely for TIE
sake Of saving Uncle Sam a few dollars in tn
| price of the transportation.
Our town has presented quite business as
poet the last few days Me.srs. kiTTsoN &
| RiLETTE arrived from Pemlina accompanic
by about $50 carts loaded with furs. skins
pcmlcan, dc. Mr.. kITrsoN intends going t.
st Paul with his carts, and will return to tn,
north by the way Of Sank Rapids. lie is in
luccd to take that route by a fear that he wi
not be able to get his supplies up the Mime
sofa in the present low stage Of water Tn;
fear. however is GrOnndIcSS as there are tw,
steamers, the lbAhc}Yo and the Lln running
regularly between the Rapids and this place
in connection with the G'0te and HumJolM
that run from st. Paul to the rapids.
1t is a crying shame that something is no
lone to improve the rapids on the Mnncso
ia, as they form the only impeachment to tn,
navigation of this river by light draugh
boats at the lowest stage of water. 1t is t.
be hoped that this important subject will l.,
urged upon Congress by cur delegate. cor
stantly, until our appr' pr.ation is granted.
If I am correctly informed the expense nee
cssary to the Improvement of those rapid.
would be comparatively triling. say from tcl
to fifteen thousand dollars. What is that t.
the government? The amount would be SAVE d
in very few years in the item of transporta
ton alone and the additional facilities
would afford for the settlement of the rich 40
ricultural lands in the Minnesota Valley woult
cause the expenditure to be returned to the ma
tional treasury thousand fold. The Lc@sla-
ture the Press. and every individual Of the Ter
ritory should back our delegate on this impOr-
tant subject Members of Congress should be
allowed no rest until they have granted means
for that improvement so necessary to the best
interests of our Territory,
The rapids improved, and few snags re-
moved from the river, and the Minnesota river
will be navigabe at all times when boats can
get up the Mississippi.
Respectfully yours, X.Y.Z.
GREEN CoRN.-A late exchange mentions
the fact as one worthy special notice, that thc