Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1857-01-23
From the st. Louis Intelligencer.
CITY of Superior.

City OF superior
That which was rum0r and mere belief two years
ago is now looming up on the public eye and public
mind as great fact. A city of ofsurprsing advantages
and inevitable greatness must grow up at the head OF
Lake Superior. Two years ago the first trees were
feled and the first log huts built on the present site
of Superior. Now town of l,2QO inhabitants, busy
merchants and mechanics, exists there Two years
ago the land there had by squaters at 81 25 per
acre. N0lU the site of Superior, laid off into lots
and blocks, sells at prices that Indicate value of
over $4,000, 900 for the whole! Last summer squat.
ters' claims were made in sight OF Superior Now
no vacant land can be found in ten miles OF SUPERIOR
and lands in the vicinity of Superior command $50
to 500 per and will ere long bring $500 to
1000 per acre.
Two years ago the site of Superior was reached
only by the birch canoes of Indians Coasng along
the head waters OF the lake. The past summer spen-
did steamers as fine as float on Lake Erie, made
weekly trips, with large cargoes and hosts OF pas
sengers, landing at the dock OF Superior.
Two years ago trip from st Paul to Superior
was almost an inconceivable under rtaking-Indan
guides being required devious trains to he followed,
| and weeks of hardship to be endured. Now mag
nfcent wagon road, cut by government, costing over
500 900, unites St. Paul and SUPERIOR AMI mngles
| he commerce and travel of Lake Superior and the
! Upper Mississippi. And during the approaching
winter stages loaded with people, and wagons loaded
with stores, will daily be passing each other on the
road between Superior and st, Paul Nay, more
a municent grant of lands has been made by Con-
/
perior to Hudson, on the St CroX river, sixteen
miles east of ST. Paul and the road will be COM
menced this winter, and built through Hudson est.
PauD In two years from next June. The contract
for this road has just recently been signed, and its
effect has been to advance the pros poets of the city
of Superior incredibly. Real estate has beoI sold
one hundred per cent. advance since the railroad
contract made.
We assume to know something about the city of
Superior Eve no lots in il y and, opinion
IS lU q Skp1 E ufsW IN CIV I
We regard the city of Superior the greatest
developed point in North America We dc not doubt
that it will be city of the first magnitude. It will
be the second, if not ultimately the first, city in pop
ulation and commerce on the lakes. Real estate
there will increase 900 per cent. the next five
years. In five years the population OF he city of
Superior will be IL ,000 in ten years 1t will be 3d.,
600, and it will grow with amazing rapidity, and
reach 100000 in less time, from its beginning, than
Chicago did.
But is it not too cold there p Such is the almost
universal response 10 our saDguine predictions Of
! Superior's greatness We answer, No 1t is not so
cold at Superior it is at Boston and the climate
drer, more healthful, and every way delightful
Can city be built at Boston The question is al
ready answered. Then, much greater and much
pleasanter city be built at Superior. Lake Su-
perOr possesses more advantages than any other lake
in the United States for great city to be built on
1t has mineral wealth unrivalled in the world it has
Il fisheries unrivalIed the Union it has lumber un-
surpassed and, lastly, 1t has the west scope of
= agricultural country absolutely dependent on it, that
{ not Chicago nor st. Louis can boast of
~ Lake Superior projects into the interior of the
} American continent far beyond what men form any
! idea of. Let US Gn st. Louis) go west 12O miles 10
: Jefferson city; then take a line due norh and we
shall strike the city Of Superior the head of the
. great lake. Superior will some day have her nun er
Gus railroads. radatng westward and reaching to the
d base of the Rocky mountains and over TO the Pacific
ocean. Its far projection into The interior will give
y Lake Superior the advantage all other American
bodies Of water TO gather and float upon its bosom
. the future wealth of the almost llmitabe d" North.
west" And the city of Superior will be the queen
to control the commerce of the Northwest, and ulti-
mately Of Asia. Mark it!