The Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. Territory) 1849-1855, 1854-04-20
MIN n ESOTA PION FER
vol. U.-NEW SERIES NO XII.
Thursday, April 20, 1854.
The Rail Road.

We have the pleasure this week Of announcing To
readers the fact that the corporaors Of the Min
nesota and North Western Railroad Company have
accepted the charter passed the last session Of the
Legislature, and books will be opened in ST. Paul
and in New York on the first day of May for sub
sription to the capital stock Of the company. The
charter has been accepted, independent of any land
granted by Congress, but still hope the grant will
be made.
We now have the prospect before of the
s,ruction Of line Of telegraph between this city and
Dubuque, within year and a half, and cars
ming from Lake Superior to this place within three
years from this time. We can also see fair pros
pect Of the settlement within the same period, Of
the country between st. Paul and Lake Superior,
which, without this OF similar enterprise would not
lie settled for years.
Previous to the construction of the Illinois Cen
trial Railroad, a large tract OF the Government land
along the line OF the road had been open to sale for
Years and could not have been sold for an average
of dollar per acre, because ii too far from
markct, being in the midst Of extensive prairies.
Now every railroad station is good market for all
the settlers can raise, and Mr.. David A. Nca! OF
Boston has recently undertaken the charge Of selling
the COMPANY lands, which scattered through
forty-seven counties of the State lie proposes to
select 80 900 from the highest valuations, anil
hold these Cor sale by special contract. not, of course
less than $50 per acre. The next in value, to the
extent Of $50 900 acres, will be held SIS then
300 900 at SO, and the balance ut IS until ii
shall be deemed expedient tie advance these rates.
Credit be given actual settlers, but cash to be
insisted on from spectators.
This demonstrates the rapid increase in the value
Of those lands, which are destitute Of TIMBER and
consequently less valuable Cor all purposes than the
lands between the Mississippi and the Lake, which
is mixture O. prairie aud timber for about one third
the distance. and heavily timbered country the re-
mainder of the distance. About half the land
is well adapted Tor agriculture, and the balance is
pine region. which win give employment 10 thou
snds of enerprising lulnlermen, who, in connec-
ton with the mining Interests of Lake Superior,
will form certain aud convenient market for the
produce of the agricultural portions Of our Territory
The road from Lake Superior will pass through
the most extensive and uxuriant grow tn Of pine
now known in the Northwest, and the great saving
in expense, in &me, and IN risk, by the transporon
Of manufactured lumber Ly railroad, over the pre-.
sent taborcls tardy and expensive mode which ne
ces<ity dictates, viii lead extensive operations in
that business along the line Of the road.
At the terminus of the road on the Lake, too, q
commercial city, connected with the ranspor,a,on
mining and numbering interests, viii Ike built up Nth
a rapidi,y that will surprise those who have
observed the unprecedented progress Of this city.
We have heretofore referred 81 the great advanta-
ges to the business of The Upper Mississippi which
viii attend the opening Of a communication between
Fond do Lac and the Mississippi. With the canal
around SAINT Ste Marie completed, the distance from
Buffalo 10 Fond du Lac is less than from Buffalo to
Chicago. The distance from Fond du Inc to this
city is less than from Chicago to Gaens This
will therefore control he entire carving trade
for the eastern supplies necessary for Minnesota,
Western Wisconsin, and Northern Iowa. The val.
lev of the Minnesota years hence will contain
larger population than the valley Of the Mississippi;
above Gaena does now, and the construction Of the
Northern Pacific railroad, which we consider fixed
fact and which is also destined terminate at Fond
du Lac, will populate the northern and western por-
tons Of Territory, ard will swell the business at
Fond du Lac, far beyond the present business done at
Chicago.
We do not consider that there can be doubt but
what in three years hence, a city as large as ST.
Paul now is, will be built the banks of the ST
Louis River, of Lake Superior.
While we conceive that the construction Of the
nd bvi, III
Territory, by no means believe that the Ter
ritorial improvement will be confined to that section
alone. The business that will build city at Fond
du Lac, will corresponding incresae in the bus
mess ofSt Paul. The freight that is landed from stea-
ers in the ST. Louis river, will be again shipped on
board Of steamers the Mississippi a. ST. Paul, to
be carried thence to different points in Terrific
~, Iowa and Wisconsin. The lumber manufactured
the line Of the road will find grand depot at THE
place. to be exchanged with the farmers along the
Minnesota river the Cannon river, and other asr-
cultural portions OF the Territory for the grain and
provisions necessary for northern market. While
point Foud do Lac will collect the nerchan-
die from the eastern cities to be transmitted to this
place. ST. Paul will distribute tina, merchandise
through the Territory, and collect and forward in
'ei"n. the products of the agricultural districts for
the supper, Of the non-producing population Of the
North.
Again, the markets created by the improvement
and business Of the north, in connection with our
already extensive and rapidly increasing markets for
produce in the Indian country west, together with
the fertility of the soil, the healihfuIness Of the cl-
mate, and the ease with which farms can bs OBJ !
tanned and brought under cultivation, presents in.
ducements Tor asricuturs,s TO locate in Terrific.
ny, that will by no means he overlooked, and we feel
satisfied that the fac, shall be generally
known that railroad is to be built through the
Territory, with northern, eastern, a southern,
and most probably western connection, the agr,-
cultural immigration TO this Territory will far OK.
coed any precedent in the settlement Of an agricu
tural section Of our Union.
We are among those who have looked upon
railroad through Territory being the only nl-