Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1857-01-24
MINNESOTA and DecCtas,.

L LAsAAAkOSOtd DcIOtOz1.
Minnesota, when admitted, will be in
many respects, one of the most important
States in the Union. 1t will be the mos.
northerly of the national sisterhood, its
northerly sections being considerably be-
vond even the latitude of Maine. Other
States have waters tributary to the Allan
| tic, the Gulf of Mexico, and the Pacific, but
Minnesota will be the first in our circle
having river tributary to the frigid Hud-
sons Bay. And there are within Its linn
its people long ago settled in quiet homes,
who reached their present location by sail
ing through the great northern bay and
down that river, on whose banks they now
reside, Whether the same route shall ever
again be traversed by settlers or commerce.
is a problem which yet remains to be
solved.
The territory of Decotah would occupy
the valley of what is called the Upper Mis-
lsouri. The Lower Missouri is rargined
BY two States, Iowa and Missouri. Meth
er has, as yet, done much to stimulate the
mighty commerce destined to float upon
that great stream. Iowa has scarcely
planted her foot fairly upon its border
But the territory of Decotah will have the
Missouri for its principal avenue-nay, its
only means of communication with the rest
Of the world. It must use that, and as
the settlement of the wilderness progresses,
so the trade of the river will increase
| What Kansas and Nebraska are now do
ing for the lower part of the valley, Deco
tab must do for the upper. II it were to
be included in Minnesota, its progress
would be comparatively slow. But erect
| it into separate territory, and a great inn
Ipetus will be given to its settlement
Sioux city, in Iowa, at the junction Of Big
Sioux ahd Missouri ri+ers is right on the
verge of the inchoate territory. Hence
the capital would prabably be, in the COM
mencement, directly opposite to it. Set
Element would thus 60 on rapidly from the
proximity to thriving towns ong the Mis-
souri, river in Iowa and Nebraska, and in
all probability Sioux city and its neighbor
would together reach, in a few years,
a size equal to the present city of St.
Paul.
The great northern chain of lake navi-
cation has also its terminus in Minnesota,
where the river ST. Louis merges its wa
ters in Lake Superior, while, not far DIS
tant, in the same territory, are the sources
of the great Fathers Of Rivers, the mighty
Mississippi. Thus we have in Minnesota
the fountains of the three grand chains Of
navigation leading to the St. Lawrence,
Hudson's Bav and the Gulf of Mexico
Minnesota commands the whole length 81
both, so that at ST. Paul, Pembina and Su-
perior her agriculturists and traders have
the choice Of three of the greatest chan
nels of trade in the world. Any one who
studies these relations well, and carefully
observes the nnumerable rivers and lakes
scattered all over tho territory, and bears
in mind the salubrity Of the climate and
the fertility Of the soil, must be satisfied
that Minnesota is destined to become one
of the greatest States in the Union. Il
is regarded now as remote and difficult Of
access, and, were we to speak Of its central
ity of position, the reader would, perhaps
smile; yet it is located midway betweef
the Atlantic and the Pacific, and, should
we acquire British America, Minnesols
would be the geographical centre of the
Union! The British are talking now o.
planting colonies along Mackenzie's river
away up to the e5th degree Of latitude
and some day there will be large civil
zed population north Of Minnesota.