Minnesota weekly times., 1857-05-02

land along the Mississippi can be secured to Saint
Cloud, and the two roads from Minneapolis and
Grow Wing, west, and the road from Saint Cloud
to Grow Wing, will be amply sufficient for the
west sido Of the river. The east side can very
justly claim that they be the recipients Of some
thing moro than the twenty-five miles OF road
from Saltwater via st. Paul to st. Anthony.
Give all sides fair show, and do not sacrifice
the interests of any portion, for the benefit of the
balance.
We now call your attention to the great road
of the grant, +" from St. Paul, and from St. An
thony, via Minneapolis, to q convenient point Of
junction west of the Mississippi, to the southern
boundary of the Territory, in the direction of the
mouth of the Big Sioux River. with branch vi
Faribault to the north line of the State of Iowa,
west of range sixteen" This is the great trunk
road Of the State, connecting it does, from St.
Paul, via Saltwater and the Wisconsin road to
Lake Superior on the one side of the Mississippi,
and from st. Paul, st. Anthony and Minneapolis
to the Missouri river on the other. Two ques-
tions arise-' How shall the road run and where
shall the junction be placed?" The proper
course would be up the Minnesota river, but as
no land can be secured as far up as the Blue
Earth, and the distance along the crooked river
is twice as great, we have looked for another
route. An air line from St. Paul to the mouth of
the Big Sioux passes through Mankato at the
great bend of the Minnesota, running equi dis
tant between the river and the branch to Fari-
bault, where lands can be secured, and the back
country developed. An'air line from Minneapo-
lis to Mankato strikes the Minnesota short dis
tance below Shakopee, but effects no junction
east of Mankato with the st. Paul road. Wilt
not be better for the companies constructing these
roads, and will not the Big Sioux road be COM
pletsd more speedily, as no lands can be had till
they get west of Mankato, if the point of juno
tion is placed as near possible to the places of
beginning? Fourteen miles Of road will connect
the branches little above Fort Smelling, thence
run your big trunk road by either of the routes
proposed above, and it is just as well for every
body as if you run two parallel roads to Shake
pee, Henderson or LIE Sueur, and there effect a
junction. By an air line road, you pass through
the counties of Hennepin, Dakota, Scott, Le
Sueur, Blue Earth and Brown. If carried too
far west before the junction is effected, the branch
to Faribault and the Iowa line will then have to
be brought backwards, or south easterly, while
it should run from the junction in south or
south westerly direction. Having passed Fari-
bault, its proper and only course will be up the
Owatonia or Straight river via Owatonia and
Somerset thence down the Cedar River Valley
via Austin, to the Iowa line where it will connect
with the Cedar Valley road to Dubuque. This
road will pass through the counties of Dakota,
Rice, Steele, Freeborn and Mower. By this
branch and the main trunk road, we have con-
nection with the Iowa roads, with the Missouri
river and through the Wisconsin grants, with
Lake Superior. The Iron and copper of the Lake
and the coal from the rich fields of Iowa, will
pass over this road, forming an immense business
at once.
The M. and N. W. R. R., we may yet secure
from the Iowa line, via st. Paul and st. Anthony
to Lake Superior. If We do not, we are thrice
blessed already. Look upon the map now, at the
railroad system We have sketched out. Then to
complete the picture, look at the lines of rail-
way approaching us from Chicago via Madison,
from Green Bay, and from Milwaukee and other
points, and thank God you are Minnesotian.
Act well and wisely and take courage. Discard
all prejudice, all Jealousy, and go in for the
whole of Minnesota. Let US have no north, no
south, no east, no west, but an eye singly to
the interests Of all.