The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1858-07-08
Emigrsss and Railroad Route from ~.
Paul 10 PaSee's H00nd.

IsSA W 1~2es = U~S"sss
The facts developed In the pending contest
Of the Canadian people with the Hudson's
bay Company, for the possession Of the splen
did territorial prize. which has been 10 long
locked up under the avaricious rule Of that
trading monopoly, has awakened On interest
In re.ation TO the part Of the British posses
sions, which lies contiguous to the north
west boundary Of our own State, scarcely
less than IL new Continent had been dis
covered.
Fifty years have passed since Lord Sci
KIRK, penetrating through the inhospitable
belt OF territory which cncloses the waters
Of Hudsons Bay, and passing along the
same parallels Of latitude from the climate
Of lApland, to the climate Of Crimea, from
the Arctic sterility Of northern Norway on
Nelson's river to the generous soil and lux.
uriant vegetation OF Southern Russia on
Red river, declared that be had found In
the basin Of the Winnepeg, and islanded by
arctic SHOWS on the north and east, and by
barren plains in the south, country with
oil the characteristics Of the temperate zone
embracing 100000 square miles, and capa-
bic OF supporting population Of 10000, 900.
The effort Of the Iiudsona BAY and North
west Companies to crush the infant colo
ny planted by him on the Rcd River, and
the final assertion by these corporations un-
der the name and charter OF the latter OF an
unlimited monopoly over this whole region,
with objects adverse to projects Of COLOMBIA.
ton, explain the mystery in which the
physical geography Of this country has been
inlustriously involved; and the facts which
the recen, contest has developed. often ex
torted from the unwilling witnesses of the com
pauy itself, have all the novelty and, in view
OF its economical bearings, oil the nblimity
Of u continental discovery. The agents
Of the Canadian government have done
for the hpa 'nagniia Of Ruper,s Land
more than Livingston has done for the in.
terror Of Africa, or than Perry did for Japan.
They have added new world to the domain
Of Colonial enterprise.
The discovery discovery We must call
il, since Il ceases to he the secret Of cor.
pora,ion--ot vast fertile plain stretching
uniuterruptedly from the valley OF the Red
River to the base Of the Rocky Mountains,
wa,crcd across the whole espanse by nav-
gable streams u nolle volume. and which
carries the iso,hermal zone Of ST. Paul to the
sources Of the Mackenzie river, opens new
theatre for the colonization Of the latter
half Of this century, and determines dehni.
lively and unalterably the path Of the first
Railway to the Pacific. The level valley OF
Saskatchewan, which is navigable for 400
miles from the Rocky Mountains to lake
Winnipeg, interlocking there with the wa
tiers Of the Red River, which forms our
northwestern boundary, aud adds 500 miles
more to this splendid chain Of inland navi.
cation, dxu across ther level steppcs the best
route in the world for Railroad, and the
Rocky Mountains which divide Thu i'm
mense plain from the slopes Of the Pacific
shore. afford along the gorges which connect
il with the valley Of Fnsers river the most
practicable passes in the whole chain. The
extraordinary detection Of the isothermal
lines which carry the eliua,e Of ST. Paul
aud Milwaukee along the whole route, the
absence Of the deep SHOWS which cucumber
the track 10 the mois,sr climates Of the
South. the immense coal fields which line
the course Of the Saskatchewan, oil confirm
the DEGREES OF physical geography. The
6not and most capacieus harbon on the
Pacific afforded by the inlets OF pugv,'s
Sound, add the las, link TO the chain Of geo
graphical sthni,as which connect the empo
nun OF Pacific commerce in British Oregon
through the magnificent valleys Of the Sas
ka,cbewan and Rcd River with the basin o
the Mississippi, a, ST. Paul On Que hand. anc
perhaps at some future day with the basin o
the 81 Lawrence al Superior 90 the other.
Al the recent investigation by the Hous
Of Commoas' COMMITTEES. to which MAS re
| krred the claims Of the Hudsous Hal
Company Ter an eAtension o, their Charter