The weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1852-1858, 1855-12-01
TUESDAY MORNING, NOVEMBER 81, 1855.
Northern Pacific Railroad---Minncsoia and the
Lake Superior Country---Division of the Ter

Northern Pacific Railroad---Minnc ne sofa and the
Lake superior Country---Division of the Ter
ri,ory. ''4 '<''s-is 20
| In the Superior Chronicle Of the 18th inst,
we find two letters published under the sig
nature of " L. B. Crocker,n Mr.. Crockcr, is
we believe, distinguished Railroad and
commercial gentleman, residing at Oswego,
N. Y, whom we have met once in our life.
We think we once passed an agreeable half
hour in his company, conversing enthusiastic
cally (both of us) in regard to the future
prospects of St. Paul and Minnesota gener-
ally in the way of Railroads.
Be this fact of Identification as it may, the
S. B. Crocker whose two letters are before
us in the Chronicle, acri,es so like our slight
halEhour acquaintance talked, that we shall
regard the two-if there be two-as one and
the same person. 9f7 a1a4
Mr.. Croker, as we have said, halls from
Oswego, New York; and during the. past
summer has made an extended tour through
Minnesota and the North West-embracing
in his journey the whole Lake Superior and
Lake Michigan country. His letters are ad-
dressed to" A. S. Mitchell, Esq., who we
take it is citizen of Superior, and has
handed over the epistles for publication in
the Chronicle. There are a great many
correct and great many false ideas-a con-
siderable number of grains of intelligence,
and good deal of chafy ignorance much
enthusiastic and egotistical bombast mixed
in with about as much practical good sense
in these letters. Being too long for, and for
reasons just stated not worthy OF, place IN
full in our columns, we proceed to give such
extracts below as we think will interest our
readers and fill what space we have to spare
upon the subject.
In approaching the matter of the con-
| struction of Railroad from Lake Superior
to the waters of Puget's Sound, Mr.. Crocker
sets out with these practical and well estab-
lished facts: TA " '
"The cities growing upon or beyond the
Mississippi, south Of Minnesota, may divide
their trade between ST. Louis and the South,
and Chicago and the East, but all that fertile
and vast country lying between the forty
third and forty-ninth degrees Of latitude,
extending back to the Rocky Mountains,
comprising country five, hundred miles
north and south, and more than one thousand
miles east and west, must seek an outlet and
i inlet for commerce through Lake Superior
nor must it be forgotten that the country
1 lying west of Minnesota, and back to the
/. Rocky Mountains, is vastly more fertile,
better watered, and better timbered, than
that part of Nebraska lying west of Iowa. g:
a" The height of the Rocky Mountains falls
off mere than two thousand feet as you GO
north, insomuch as to admit the more genial
atmosphere of the Pacific through from
Puget's Sound, SO freely as greatly to shorten
} the duration of winter as you pass west from
! Lake Superior. near to the mountains. When
. had the pleasure of meeting you on Lake
. Michigan YOU know was returning from q
, tour Of great interest into the interior o
? Minnesota. during which had become com
| paratiyely familiar with the merits OF that
| country as a farming and agricultural 'codn
: try; and from Information gained from IN
dian agents. who had beenslong there, ane
! from eertlenerg who had resided at Penn
: binai IN latitade ofoTts-nine, and the Selkirl
t Settlement tifpthe British Domini6ns, ,on TIL
Red RIVER and also from my own 'observa
: tsofs sfsthes soil and climate SO far as ?
: tia4eledTl became convinced that there ism
t section of tie United States, aeast of th
8 Rocky Mountains, lying stogether, Of tn