The true Democrat., 1857-04-28
From the St. Paul Pioneer and Democrat

The Great NOrthwest-Red River Valley
 am much gratifed, MT. Editor, to find the attention of the energetic capitalists of Mime. sota turned to this magnificent valley, where certainly the greatest body of very rich soil in our Territory and un interrupted steam boat navigation of 500 miles within our own borders, and including Lake Winnipeg and the Sas. katchewan River, no less than 1900 miles ol continuous navigation, lies like rich booty, to De seized and occupied by the boldest and most epterprlslng From Bos de Sioux to the foot of Wlnlpeg Is about 900 miles, From Bois de SIOUX to the head of Saskatchewan, through Lake Wlnpeg, Is at least 1900 miles, This splendid prlze lies open as grand reserve for the Ahglo-SaXon race Congress has given us magnificent dowry, and two of the railroads gwen us are directed to this great valley. and all see that one Of them at least must be direct ed.to the head of navigation of Red River Val ley This fact will powerfully stimulate its settlement, and in far less time than the idle dreamer can now anticipate, boats will run from the head of Red River to the head of Saskat. chewan.
 This noble valley is now surrendered to the buffalo, who finds grass beneath the snow du- ring the winter, and in summer ranges through its whole extent. The head of Read River is formed by the confluence of the Bois de Sioux and Otter Tail and from that point to Winnipeg, there Is always during the summer at least, five feet of water.
 During the last winter two companies from Minnesota have been organized, and are now laying oil towns at convenient sites. The names of the presidents of these companies, are guarantee, to all who know them, that the noble enterprise will be pushed forward with an energy and capital that will surely aoin!- Brott of St. Cloud Is President of one, and our fellow cltzen, Hollinshead of the other. Sue cess to them both. Brott's company has aIrea- dy actually occupied the head of Red River, (where the Bois Sioux and Otter Tail form a junction) and Hollinshead has fixed upon at least one other site, which no doubt is now, or soon will be occupied. There is room enough for both and adozen more. Go on, gentlemen! win fortunes for yourselves, and merit the thanks Of your country for opening this fine valley to the emigrant. What will the next ten years exhibit upon the Red River? Ten years ago Dubuque and Galena were the ne plus ultra ot nearly all steamboats on the Msssspp- he Falls of St. Anthony were supposed to be somewhere in the neghborhood of the North Pole, while St. Paul and her younger sisters were not in being In June, 1846 large con- pany left St. Louis in the War Eagle, on party of pleasure to St. Anthony, and from Dubuque to Fort Smelling all was wilderness.
 Now Dubuque is the southern terminus of nearly one thousand arrivals, and St. Paul and St. Anthony are themselves. ..southern termini of hundreds of arrivals still above us Rich as the valley of the Mississippi certainly is, from Dubuque to St. Paul, it cannot be compared in fertility to that of the Red River, from the month of Bois de Sioux to Winipeg and I verily believe that the near prospect of our two rail- roads 10 Red River Valley will stimulate set clement 50 rapidly that the next ten years will transform the solitudes of Red River into the present condition of the Upper Mississippi and Minnesota valleys. The head of Red River and its city will be to the valley below what SC. Paul notc IS to the valley above Dubuque A very intelligent and well written editorial in the Chicago Democratic Press estimates the emlgrants to the Whoie Nortlt,0est during the last year at 7500oO souls, of whom he thinks 1l5,OOO settled in Illinois, 225, ,0OO in Iowa, and 10000 in Minnesota. The same writer esti- mates the arrivals in Minnesota in 1857 at about l56 GOO to l15,OOOi Let them come, and even double the number We have room enough for all. Our Red River Valley is still untouched. and lies like ripe plum, ready to de devoured.