The daily Minnesota pioneer., 1855-08-17
For the Pioneer
TO THE PUBIC.
The General GOvcs nment Roads OF ths
Territory.

The General GOves snment Roads OF the
i Territory.
4 "Render therefore, to all their dues: tribute
to whom tribute is due: custom to whom Gus
tom: fear to whom fear honor to whom
honor
Such are the injunctions of Holy Writ and
in the article which follows, the undersigned
will endeavor to obey them. H5s
A great deal has been said and written with
regard to the appropriations which have been
made by Congress for the roads in the Terri
tory; and as great deal Of injustice has been
done to parties, doubtless unwittingly, in the
matter, have thought it but just and right
as an officer and citizen, that the public who
have the facts laid before them lust as they
exist.
The first appropriations which were obtain
ed for the roads, were got through the agency
of Hon. H. H. Sibley, July ls, 1850, during
the second year of his delegateship. The law
granting these appropriations, provided as
follows:
"FOr the construction of q road from Point
Douglas, on the Miss. river. via Cottage Grove,
Saltwater, Marine Mills, and Falls Of Saint
Crox, to the Falls or Rapids of the St. Louis
River, $4,000"
} "For the construction of a road from Point
Douglas, via Cottage Grove, Red Rock, ST.
Paul, and Falls of st. Anthony, to Fort
J Gaines (now Fort Ripley $4,000"
"For the construction of a road from the
mouth of Swan River, or the most available
point between it and the Sauk Rapids, to the
Winnebago agency at Long Prairie, $5OOO."
'For the construction of road from Waba
shaw to Mendoza, $4,000"
For the survey and laying out military
road from Mendoza to the mouth of the Big
Sioux river on the Missouri, $4,000"
Such is the exact phraseology Of the law
granting the appropriations of l85O,and have
thus given it in order to do justice to the Hon.
Delegate, Mr.. Sibley, who with wise forecast
so wOrded the law, as to cOnstrain the general
, Government by its action under the law, to
virtually take under its care and supervision
the construction of all these roads. The con-
struction, it will be noticed, was for road,
and not for the road, existing between given
points; thus requiring of the General Govern
ment surveys and estimates of the roads be-
fore they could be built; and enabling it to
possess itself of facts from disinterested quar-
ter (the War Department;) which facts the
: Government could furnish to Congress as a
reliable and strong basis upon which Congress
: would be called upon from year to year to do
its coordinate duty:-furnish the necessary ap-
preparations.
Such is the history of the incipiency and
germ of the roads in the Territory under the
supervision of the War Department, for which
at the present time Congress has appropriated
in the aggregate the munifcient sum of 1921 ;
500: and which constitute all the roads for
which Congress hos made provision, except
the road from Falls of st. Anthony, to Fort
Ridgely; that from Fort Ripley to the main
road leading to the Red River of the North !;
that from Crow Wing to Leech Lake and
that from Anoka to Mile Lac for the
projection OF which due credit must be
given to Mr.. Rice, and for which he
obtained appropriations, respectively amount
ing to $4,000, 10000, $4,000, and $4,000; in
all, $4,000.
So much for the roads in their incipisncy
and germ, and for the credit which is to be
attached to individuals for the share they have
had in putting IN motion the stream of General
Government bounty. ] shall now present
some further facts which will show the public
how such generous appropriations have been
continued; and will leave it to your readers
to determine the credit that is to be attached
to parties who have been instrumental in this
object.
On the lst of September of every year,
am required by the Typographical Department
to make an annual report of all the operations
which have occurred on the roads under my
charge during the year previous; and to pre-
sent estimates of the amounts that would be
required during the succeeding year.
These reports are the basis Of the action and
recommendation of the General Government to
Congress, in respect to appropriations for the
roads. In my first annual report, 1851, the
surveys not having been completed, and there
fore, the maps and estimates not prepared, no
further allusion was made to them than that
they would be forwarded as soon as they could
be furnished. They were furnished March 13,
1852. In the annual report the Importance Of
the immediate construction of these roads, was
urged with all ability was capable Of. Sue
ceeding these reports the appropriations OBJ
tanned by the Department through the cooper
. alton of the then Delegate, Hon. Mr.. Sibley,