Minnesota weekly times., 1857-05-09
s.where Shall our Railroad. Run -


This question is asked daily, on the corners of
the streets and in the hotels and if we can judge
from the apparent interest manifested by the in
terrogations, we have reasons for the belief that
its solution will relieve considerable anxiety and
allay much perturbation on the part of the own
of town sites. Other questions recur-the
6rst,-"Will the Legislature grant charters to
companies ?" The second-"Will the members
of those companies be composed of our own cti-
zens r" The thrd-sWil the charters of the
companies so granted, secure to Minnesota SIRE
sulting interest'-say, so much of the gross re.
.ceipts of the roads, for educational and other
purposes? The fourth-sWill the Legislature
designate the towns ON the lines of the roads
through which the roads ought to pass or touch ?"
Inanswer to the first question, it is quite likely
the Legislature will grant charters to companies,
unless there should be a disposition on the part of
gentlemen interested, to prevent the organization
of amy company, and in such an event, COM
promise can be made by establishing Board of
Public Works, which will give to the new State
entire control over the roads, We think every
Minnesotian will answer the second question in
the affirmative, and we think also the Legislature
will feel in duty bound to give the charters to
Minnesotians in preference to all others. We do
not object to gentlemen from the East becoming
interested in our Railroad movements; we want
their money and their influence, but we do OBJ
ject to placing our interests in their hands to be
dallied with to suit their pleasure. Let Minne-
sotians control the great public thoroughfares
which are to either bless or curse them.
The third question comes directly home to ssthe
people," They are probably more interested in
this than in any other, and they have good rea-
sons for such an interest. The lands were given
to the Territory and future State of Minnesota,
to you and l, reader, as well as. to MIR. Nabob,
yonder ;--hencs we desire to know if the Legsla-
ture intend to givs away these lands without a
guid pro quo from those who receive them P
Minnesota should receive at least, annually, $500,
900 from the avails of these roads, which could
be applied towards the expenses of the State,
leaving nominal tax to be borne by the citizens.
The inevitable result would be, great influx Of
emigration, and our State would move onward
and upward to grand and glorious career. We
urge upon the Legislature great care in the con-
sideration of this subject. ls ~ sys. sis9 80
We carnot answer with any degree of assurance
the fourth question, for it is one involving con-
8icting interests. For instance, the people Of Sha
kopee or st. Cloud or Monticello, desire that the
roads destined for given point on a line with
them, should strike their places, and thereby af-
ford them railroad facilities to which they con-
slider they are justly entitled; but the companies
who get the charters for the roads, prefer to carry
them some twenty miles from these places, in or
der to procure the lands not yet caimed as is the
case with most of the towns mentioned. Here in
terest conflicts with interest. The owner of .
town-site, who has expended thousands of dollars
to build up his town, says "we must have the
road strike our place sure = while the company
respond-"you have no lands through which we
can run our road, and unless you make US a hand
some bonus, We shall be obliged to take another
direction and create a neU town." which, as a
matter of course will be owned by the company.
Should the Legislature restrict the companies to
run their roads to given points, serious difficulty
would occur, because few men can be found who
would accept charter to build road up the
Minnesota Valley where land cannot be procured
within thirty miles of the route, while they could
procure land all along the line in another direc-
tion. Should the Legislature not restrict the
companies, We may rest assured of soon greeting
many rival points, owned and controlled BY the
companies of the roads. But" says an inter-
ested party, sour commerce, our trade, our in
fuence, should be motive for you to run te
our place." sTrue,' says member of the com.
pany, " but the lands pay us better" ,..lis,. Il,
1t seems to US that the railroads should stouct
our large towns but whether it would be judiciou,
for the Legislature to make it imperative on th,
companies who may accept the charters, to. rur
their roads to given points on the lines of tn,
roads, is aquestion of no little importance Il
parties interested. The Legislature is the prope
body to consider this matter, and wo trust th,
members will, in disposing of this question, seel
to do justice to both town-site propristors AMI
railroad companies. ,aoile7gs, p 7'gdl ~ sa
CV Yesterday the members of both House
were busily engaged packing up their sduds' il
order to move to st. Peter. The Capital va
sent through the Post ofkce in letter, bearin
the frank Of Willis A. Gorman.. A large com
pany of frightened emigrants, caused by on
'e1tra') accompanied the boass that bore ave
ON our shores the precious burden. 20 1sI'
.lba iiangoJ eai sslsi9n -lna :" "'i'''"