The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1858-08-19

iutSH sesN HsN vi toau' tuc VUtueut,
Hon. J. W. NoRrn, Gays;
The whole line OF road. from the Iowa
State Line to Minneapolis, was carefully
located, and the plats properly filed in the
several Land Offices in the month Of July
last. Plats have also been filed with the
Governor, and with the Land Department.
at Washington. in accordance with the ~
quirements Of the law. A Commissioner
was duly appointed by the Governor TO Sc
lcct the lands outside Of the six miles, and
this duty is being attended TO Us fast as the
circumstances oil the case will permit.
Tho right Of way, TO considerable cx.
cnt, has already been obtained, so far free
Of coat and the owners of property along
the route generally evince disposition to
put the Company to little expense for the
land required for this purpose,
Donations OF lands suitable for Depot
purposes have been made ut the principal
points along the road.
The expenses Of the first surveys and 10.
cation have been paid by the assessments on
stock the only Indebtedness Of the Com
pany at present being for the expenses
Of Engineer Corps now in the field, and for
the compensation OF the other officers and
employees OF the Company for the last two
months.
A large portion of the line has this sea.
sou been fdally located Tor construction,
aud the preparation Of tho entire road for
the supcrustrcture has been let on most ia
vorablc terms, Ia four responsible compa
mics. who will commence work Immediately
and are bound TO complete their contracts
in eighteen months rom this date.
Tho entire cost OF the Grading, Masonry,
and Bridging, with the exception of the
Bridge over the Minnesota river. will not
exceed $500 600, leaving $4,000 OF your
loan from the State 10 be applied to the
purchase OF iron, and to the other expenses
Of construction The cost ol the remainder
of the Supcrstruc,ure, and Of the equip
ments, etc, will be met by an issue of First
Mortgage Bonds Of the Company, secured
by the road itself. 80 far constructed. and
by your large and valuable Land Grant.
The Chief Engineer, LAwRxScE X ElI.Krr.
in his report, states that the surveying par
ties for the iiual location Of the road, com.
menced operations on the 9th Of May. 1857,
and by the 10Th Of July. had completed the
definite location OF the road, IN required by
the Ac, Of Congress, and Of the Territorial
Legislature OF Minnesota. The Enquirer
CONTINUES
Leaving Minneapolis by southeastcrly
L.. ~. .....s
level country with easy grades and little
esrsaturo, 10 Fort Smelling, where IL crosses
the Valley OF the Minnesota River near It's
junction with the Mississippi. The valley
IN 1850 feet wide, the grade line being l07
fret above the summer level of the water,
ailordng al all times ample room beneath
the bridge Tor the passage Of the largest
steamboats, that navigate the Minnesota
RIVER Passing thence west Of Pilot Knob
for u distance OF two miles. with Nh ascend
ing grade Of forty feet to thc mile, the line
proceeds over an undulaiiDg prairie for four
miks through oak openings. On this latter
portion Of the route there IL considerable
quantity Of heavy earth work, deep and usu
ally short cuts and fills attending. Thence,
after trayersing Vermillion Prairie IT passes
for above mile through Poplar Grove, sit.
uated on ridge elevated i02 feet above
the valley Of The Vermiion Greek. DE.
scending thence and crossing Cbubb Creek
Prairie, ii enters the Big Woods" two
miles north Of Mortified, and continues
through these for fourteen miles, passing
through Mortified, and crossing Cannon
River at FaribauIt. Thence ascending 10
the prairie. IL proceeds over undulating
ground, CROSSES Straight River ut Owat0nna.
and thence ascends 10 the table land, whence
flow in opposite directions, the /ambro, Ce-
iar IL Seucr and Straight Rivers. Con
timing in a course almost direct and chiefly
over gently undula,ing prairics, ii proceeds
to the southern boundary Of Minnesota, by
Austin, near which IL crosses Cedar River,
aud terminates on the south side Of section
SO. Township l0l north, Range ~ west Of
the 9th principal Meridian.
Southwark from OwatOnnn there IN no
expensive work The length Of the .ro,d IL
about ! 2 miles. The curves arr few and
easy. Inc maximum grade il forty fest per
mile.
Beside. the Minnesota River, the only
streams 0i any magnitude which The iiDf
cr0ssss, are Cannon, Straight, and Cedar
Rivers. These require bridges Of 100 feet
span. The smaller water courses, which II
cr,rses, are the Mime ha ha, Nermllion,
Chubb. W oil, Mud Crane, md Rose Creeks
requiring bridges from 40 ~ 70 feet span.
The following summary oi the costs Of
construction and equipment Is taken from
the detailed cstimat,s formerly submitted
with maps and wolleS to your Board.
Provision il intended 10 be- made for sub
stantialiy built and well equipped single
n ,ck road, furnished with frequent passing
places, and II telegraph line for its exclusive.
use. Such il Ia espsctnd will b. Dssicd for
the performance Of the legitimate business,
which the road ms, have Of Dec'r.ity, aud
which il economically and jadiciously man
sg,'i, must yied highly profitable return
for inyc.tmsBi, even though the through
trofe should hereafter b. shared by any RI
val rad which may BE- constructed