Saint Paul weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1858-1859, 1859-05-07
From the Chicago Press and Tribune.
Canadian Efforts to Develop the North
west.

By the term "Northwest' we mean to des-
ignate in this article that extensive and fertile
region lying north of the United States be-
tween Lake Superior and the Pacific. The
world has been kept in comparative ignorance
of the topography and the resource of this
portion of the American continent by the per-
severing efforts of the Hudson's Bay Compa-
ny. That odious monopoly is soon to expire,
and there can be no doubt that the valleys of
the Red River of the North, the Saskatcha-
wan and the beautiful country surrounding
Lake Winnipeg, will be opened for settlement.
Taking advantage of the popular idea that the
climate becomes colder as the degrees of lati.
tude increase, the territory under considera-
ton has been studiously represented by the
Hudson's Bay Company as barren and inhos-
pitable, fit only for the residence Of Indians
and reproducing animals The fact that the
climatic lines bend rapidly northward, west
of Lake Superior, that the depressions of the
Rocky Mountains allow the winds from the
Pacific to modify the climate of this part of
the continent, and that the soil and resources
of the county invite to an early settlement Of
it, is now attracting great attention both in
Canada and the mother country. In antici
patton of the demise of the Hudson's Bay
Company, by the limitations of it's charter,
Company has been chartered by the Canadian
Parliament composed of the leading citizens
and capitalists of the Provinces to do the car
rying trade, and to assist IN developing the
resources of the central and the western por-
tons of the American territory belonging to
the British crown. Its name is the "North-
west Transportation, Navigation and Railway
Company" VIM. McDawson, Esq, NJ. P.
p, is President, and August d. mcdonnell,
.Secretary The Bank and Branches of Upper
Canada are the bankers of the Company
The powers granted by the charter are very
comprehensive and liberal, and, though they
may now be essential in order to secure the
capital necessary to carry out the plans of the
Company, future generations may find the ex-
ercises Of them by an overgrown wealthy cor
poraton scarcely less Objectionable than those
which have made the Hudson's Bay Compa-
ny an odious and oppressive monopoly. We
take condensed statement of them, from
page seven of an official pamphlet, issued by
the Company:
In addition to that of trading, they are au-
thorized to acquire and hold real estate, and
sell or otherwise dispose of the same; to con-
struct roads, tramways, railways, canals and
all other such works as they may deem nee
essary for carrying on their trade and also
to improve and render navigable channels of
water communication and upon all such
works and improvements to charge and levy
tolls upon all passengers, traffic and freight,
passing along or over the same. The Compa-
nv has likewise the right to own, charter, and
navigate boats, vessels and steamers, upon
Lakes Huron and Superior, and upon all the
waters, lakes and rivers lying to the north
ward and to the westward of the latter, there
by offering to their energy and their enter
prise, new and vast field for commercial adj
venture. 49,
The first object of the Company will be to
open a line of freight and passenger commu-
nication between Collingwood and the settle
ments along the Red River of the North,
and the posts around Lake Winnipeg and in
the valleys of the Saskatchewan and the Asst
niboin. A commencement was made during
the latter part of last summer. A steamer
was purchased and ran regularly three times
a month, carrying the mail between Colling-
wood and Fort William, at the mouth of the
Kamanistaquia, on the northwestern shore of
Lake Superior 1t will be run the present
season, and the line will probably be kept
open for all time to come. AS fast as circum-
stances will warrant, barges and boats will be
put on the Kamanistaquia, good wagon roads
stocked with teams made around the porta-
ges, and connection opened with Rainy Lake
or Lac la Pluie, as some of the maps have it.
The same improvements will be continued
down Rainy Lake river to the Lake of the
Woods, from the north end of which road
will be constructed for the present, nearly
due west to Fort Garry, at the mouth of the
Assiniboin, on the Red River of the North
Steamers will be put on all the lakes, and an