Minnesota weekly times. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1854-1859, 1855-08-28

recommendations Of the General Government to
Congress- respect to for the roads.
In my first annual report, 1851, the surveys not
having been completed, and therefore, the maps
and estimates not prepared, no further allusion
was made to them than that they would be for
warded as soon % they could be furnished. They
were furnished March l3, 1852. In the annual
report the Importance of the immediate construc-
ton of these roads, was urged with all ability
was capable of. Succeeding these reports the
appropriations obtained by the Department
through the cooperation of the then Delegate.
Hon. MIR. Siblcy, were,-
For Point Douglas and st. Louis
River Road, 500 600
Point Douglas and Fort Rip
wsbashax and Mendoza road 600
" Swan River and Long Prairie
road, 5 600
's Mendoza and Big Sioux road, 10 900
In my annual report of 1853, remnrked:-
''For each of these roads would recommend
the amounts which were made by Congress at its
last session, except the amount appropriated for
the road from Wabasha to Mendoza, and this
should not be less than sis, 000 on account of the
bridging which is absolutely required on the road
to make it passable." The appropriations fol-
lowing this report and obtained through the CO.
operation of the Hon. II. Nj. Rice, were precisely
those had recommended, namely =
For the Pt. Douglas and St. Louis
River Road, 500 600
Pt. Douglas and Fort Rip 49,
ley Road, 10 600
+" Wabasha and Mendoza, Is 900
&c Swan River and Long Prai-
RE, 600
" Mendoza and Big Sioux
Road, 25 600
(This last road was not under my charge at the
time but the appropriation was based on the re-
port of Capt. Reno of the Army, and the csti-
mates which he had furnished to the War De-
partment.)
Such had been the appropriations previous to
my Annual Report of the last year, 1854; and
they We're as great as probably could have been
obtained from Congress under any influence
which the writer of this article in his official ca
pacty or Delegate might have brought to bear
upon the matter But feeling that the War De-
partment was under the guidance Of a head which
infused energy and promptitude in all its branch
es. and spurred on by the Importance of having
the roads finished at the earliest possible mo-
ment, in that report urged the completion of the
and made an estimate of the amounts which would
be required to complete the roads, as follows:-
For the Pt. Douglas and st. Louis =
River Road, $50 $50
" " Fort Ripley road Is 100
" Wabashaw and Mendoza, 10 434
&c Swan River and Long
(See my report in doc. accompanying Sec.
Wars report, of 1854, and the Hon. Secretary s
allusion to it, PIP. 23.)
made no estimate for the completion Of the
Mendoza and Big Sioux River Road, for the reas
on that the Department had already been furnish
ed it by Capt. Reno.
I IL. 4.
of the Hon. Delegate, Mr.. Rice, in the discharge
of his duties, the following appropriations were
obtained from Congress at its last session -
For the completion of the PIT. Douglas and St.
Louis River Road, 1874 2l3 so
&c {" 1T. Douglas & FIT
Ripley Road, Is 494 %
Sc &c Wabashaw and
Mendoza Road, Ii ST. 76
Sc &C Swan River and
Long Prairie, $50 80
&c &c Mendoza and Big
Sioux River, 81 AIS IS
This last sum of $27 AIS 6S, with the So, 900
previously appropriated, makes the exact amount
of Capt. Reno's estimate for the Big Sioux road.
See Executive doc. No. 81, SD, Cong. LIST session.
The public can gather from the foregoing the
respective parts which Mr.. Sibley, Mr.. Rice Capt.
Reno and myself have each in official capaci-
ty been performing in the Obtainment from Con-
gress under the auspices of the War Department,
of the several appropriations which have been
made.
In regard to the appropriations for the follow
ing roads which Mr.. Rice appears to have Origi-
mated, and for which probably he is entitled to
more credit than any one else, if not the sole
credit namely, from St Anthony Falls to Fort
Ridgley; from Fort Ripley towards Pembna );
from Crow Wing to Leech Lake. and from Ano-
ka to Mile Lac, only the first two have been
placed under my charge. That from St. Anthony
Falls to Fort Rdgley the Department crn do
nothing with, for the reason that the appropria-
ton was granted to cut out the timber on the
Territorial road between the points mentioned
when no such road existed, and therefore the law
is inapplicable. And as it regards the Fort Rip
ley and Pembina road, the reconnaissance which
have had made of it, evolves the fact that to APP
ply the appropriation the law requires, merely
to the cutting out the timber, would be to throw
it away the present crooked road not being the
road which the public interests require, nor cut
ting down the timber, which the appropriation
alone can touch, the work needed. 1t has been
for this reason, and in order that the Government
may be enabled to take hold of the road in an
efficient way, and carry it on to completion by one
or a succession of appropriations, that have OBJ
tanned the sanction of the Department to suspend
operations upon it until the next session of Con-
gress when the phraseoogy of the law may be so
changed as to admit of the survey and construc-
ton of the best and most direct road between the
points mentioned. In this, | am happy to say,
have the concurrence of Gov. German, Hon. IL.
NJ. Rice, Hon. II. Ii. Sibley, Hon. Norman w.
Kittson, Hon. Joseph Rolette, and Mr.. Cavlere.
j. II. SIMPSON,
Capt. Corps Top. Eng.