St. Cloud Democrat. [volume] (Saint Cloud, Stearns County, Minn.) 1858-1866, 1858-11-25

Ags1sAeEg1s
The soil Of the valley or basin Of the
Red River Of the North and Saskatche-
wan is calcarco,ls and rich, extending over
an area several times as large as the State
ST Ohio, with.a climate as favorable for
crops as Minnesota; it is next in the line
of settlement after that State, which is
fast filing up with an industrious, moral
and intelligent class Of Inhabitants; and
judging from the history Of the settlement
Of Michigan Indiana, Illinois, iowa, Wis
consin and Minnesota, must havea popu-
lation of several hundred thousand within
ten years, if such facilities are furnished
as will enable enligrants to reachit.
The Hudson Bay Company's posts oc-
cupy nearly every commendable situation.
Their police over Indians is admirable, no
difficulty having occurred with them for
forty wears There is protection to the
traveller in all directions The whole
country west of long. 80 deg, and between
lat. As deg. and IS deg, may be properly
termed civilized, fol. every purpose Of set
Element and internal improvement
The rcpugnance Of the Hudson Bay
Company to organization into agricultural
communities no longer. exists; but, on the
contrary they will soon become able End
sagacious co-operators in the SPECIFY set
tlemcnt of the country, for it is their. in
tcrest TO do SO.
But beyond all this; we are confident
that, considering the immense interests of
the British Government upon the Pacific,
and in the settlement Of the basin Of the
Red River, and In tie country west Of it,
the Immediate construction Of railroad
from some point at Or near Pembina to the
Pacific is inevitable The route will be
On Or neac 50 degrees north, parallel
which more than any other traverses the
great centres Of population and power on
the globe. It will become the great
highway to the commerce Of the North
Pacific and China -
The first Governor Of British Columbia,
Colonel Noodle, is commissioner of roads.
and is aided bya corps Of sappers and mi
ners. For the last two years, common
cling before the gold discoveries, survey
Of the route from Lake Superior westward,
over the Saskatchewan plains, has been in
progress, and COL Noodle is now under
stood to be making similar observations
from the Pacific side. Surveys Of prac-
:ticable railroad route have been comnluni-
Gated to London.
1t the Colonial Office will take measures
to locate this line, make concession Of
lands extending twenty miles on each side,
and in addition, loan or guaranty credit
Tor five millions Of dollars whenever and |
as often rs ten millions shall have been
expended in the actual construction of the |
road By private enterprise, competent per-
sons can Immediately be found who will
undertake to construct such 4 road.
The Inauguration Of such work with |
such guarantees would transform Vancou-
yer Island, British Columbia, and the
larger era east, into populous territories.
HE most OBVIOUS westward connection
CT the New York Central Raiload is with
the Great Western Of Canada, while the
Grand Trunk Road looks to the lines of
Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota as
a1iorllny its best prospects for business.
With tElisview the Canadian Parliment
have authorized the latter Company to
bridge the St. Clair River atSarnja. The
Detroit and Milwaukee road just opened
to Grand Haven, is in the hands Of Eng
llshs parties, and a line still more direct to
st. Paul is projected by way Of Pore Mar
Quote in Michigan, and Manitowoc in
Wisconsin; the one through Michigan be-
ing based upon a Congressional la nd grant
and in progress Of construction, and in
the hands also Of English capitalists, while
thirty miles Of the road west of Mal1ito-
voc are ready for the superstructure.
The connection with St. Paul through
Michigan and Wisconsin already ex-
tended to La Crosse on the Mississipp-it !
IS thus seen Will soon be accomplished. $
The Minnesota section of the proposed I
: )ute-the Minnesota and Pacific railroad
is, as before mentioned, already com
Aenced, and has a material basis Of ST.
$4,000 OF State credit: and l,555,20o
acres Of eccel!cnt: land wherewit!l to COM t
plete it from the intersection Of the a
northern d;yision Of the La Crosse and /
Milwaukee Railroad, (also aided by !;
similar land grant) to Pembina, On the
British line: which is at least two-thirds {
Of the way from Portland on tho Atlantic 0
the Inc Of the Grand Trunk a
R:!lway-to the Pacific ocean. !
..< BJ owning the La Crosse and Milwau- !,
'iee and the Minnesota and Pacific roads, Z
therefore, British. capitalists may possess
an entire chain of railways, and control
the TIC immense transportation Of passengers
and goods eyer them frcm the Pacific to =
the 4Astlantie. And YET, all the northern y
and eastern Railroads Of the United States, a
= 0';eIi.as the mississippi river, will be E
connected with and tributaries Of the II