The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1859-01-06

Paul, assembled on Monday evening AT
Concert Hall, to- shape the action of the
community in relation TO the proposed over
land United States mail route from st. Paul
to Seattle, on Puget Sound, and 10 take
measures TO Obtain from the Government
such substantial recognition OF its advan.
tages as would place IL on footing Of
equality in government favor. with the 9th
er routes which are sustained by its
subsidies.
At seven o'clock. P. N. the meeting
which by that time, embraced several hun
dreds OF the most prominent citizens, ard
leading business men OF the community, re-
presenting large proportion oil the wealth
and nearly all the enterprise OF the city, WINS
called to order by WIN. r. MARSHALL, Esq,
aoRMayor KIrTsoS was called To preside
over the meeting. Lieut. Gov lloLcoMpE,
Col. ID. \. RoBsgrsoN, Judge A. Coop.
RICH, Messrs. WM. II MARSHALL, j. w.
SELBy, J. w. Bass, JONI X, IRVINE, and
JNo. 5. PRINCE, were nominated Vice
Presidents and Messrs j. j. KNOX, and
WV. +. WHEELER, Secretaries.
Ga motion of ex Gov. ALEX. RAMSEY, n
committee Of seven was appointed by the
President to draft resolutions expressive
of the sense Of the meeting aud to memo
rialize Congress TO establish mail route
from st. Paul to Pugets Sound the
committee consisting Of exSioy. RAMSEY,
DwiGur WOODBURY.. Of Anoka, h. I. Ely,
OF Superior. WM, l.. BAsNISG, Gen. {. l..
EMERSON, j. =. BURBANK, and JAS. ".
TAYLOR, Of ST. Paul
Daring the absence of the Committee,
Gro l.. Becker, Esq responded 70 the
call OF the audience in AN eloquent speech.
He adverted 10 the rapid succession OF won.
derful events which have crowded the
decade which terminates in the coming year,
to the growing commerce and rising CON.
munites OF the Pacific, 10 the immense eX-
tension Of our ocean Marie, and the start
ling increase Of communication across the
isthmus. lie alluded TO the recent treaties
with japan and China aud the intimate
bearings Of these events upon the subject OF u
Pacific Railway. The commerce OF Asia has
always excited the cupdtty Of the world. The
shortest way to it was the grand problem Of
the age. He spoke OF the impulse which
had been given 10 that commerce in the re-
cent Developments on both coasts Of the
North Pacific. These were the events
which were filling the harbors on the west
ern side Of the continent with the rival
squadron. OF the principal nations OF the
world, which were pouring population upon
the valleys Of the Amoor aud British Co
lumbia, and deployng b3,talions o' engi'
neers and explorers through the country
north OF US, which ignorance had heretofore
surrendered to the rapacity OF lew Fur
Traders, and these events pointed to the
necessity Of more speedy communication
through the Northern part OF our country.
He urged the proposed wagon route less
for the immediate benefit 10 be expected
from such road, than as the pioneer Of the
Railroad. The popular ignorance Of the
resources Of the country through which the
road would pass could only be overcome
by developing them, as such road woald
deyelopc them. lie advocated the plan
proposed by Senator RicEs bill, os the
proper mode OF applying government aid. To
extinguish the Indian title 10 strips OF tenn
tory along the three great routes, to extend
tn. pre-emption avs over them, al nominal
prices 20 settlers, to place them then upon
an equal footing as regards the pocun'ary
patronage Of tng government. aud to !e.
Time aud Nature determine which vas the
best roate.
WM. r. MARSHALL, Esq., in deiernce to
TO "a general cali iron the audlcnce, then
gave clear ard pihy exposition Of the
objects o! the meciI & lie said That
genilcmeu nigh, more clearly understand
the occasion and objects OF the meeting. he
would state Ihat ihg mail route from StPau!
to the waters Of the Columbia river end
Puc Is Sound is contemplated TO be- 81 4
similar character to the Soathcrn overland
mail route rom st. Louis and Memphis to
San Francisco. Ia regard to the So9,hcrn
route, he woaN sag that be happened to b.
in the east eighteea months ago, when the
contract for service On that reu,e was being
made, aud from meeting the contractors La1
learned many particulars o! tire service. AS
was generally known litter mai! was trans
ported 81 mi weekly, Tie schedgie time tweu-
tyaye days: he beieyei the shortest time
made had BEEN twenty four days, bu, more
frequently the time had beea twenty SIX.
twenty seven, and even tweuty-cgh' days.
The price for this service was s.x huoGred
thousand dy.lars pr anrrm. The dsburse-
meus Of the contractors IN providing sta
iions, end stosk, consisting Of horses males.
wagons, &c, we're about Two hundred ln5ls
and dollars.
In regard 10 the rol'c from this city. tie
udyert ssInent Of the Postof'ice department
was for ssms monthly ssryice which voaA
require as large sa expenditure Tor stations.
ard very nea:ly as large Tor stock as would
be required tor weekly or semi weekly SER
vice. while tie department. would propose
probably bat about half the compensation
ior the ieruer tia, they would appropriate
Tor the latter service.
In this consists The Injustice done tie
Northern roetc. Taking tie ba..s Of the
Southern route the exP-tdtsre would b.
two hur Did thousand dollars Tor ociht, etd
compensation foe . s.mimon'hly service
but three hundred ,h0qssLd dlla. OF
eourse 10 one sogd undertake the service