The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1859-04-28

and Pacific slopes towards the beds Of
those mighty streams.
This vast interior basin trimmed by the
mountain chains of the ocean coasts, with
. transverse diameter Of 5000 miles, and
an area of 100000 square miles, with
q population of $4,000, 900 and q capacity
for two thousand millions more, culmi-
mates in Minnesota as the apex from
which its great divergent valleys slope to
their ocean outlets, the common source
and centre from which as from the hsb
Of vast wheel, the great ship-bearing
rivers radiate to the ocean rim.
Minnesota" said Lieut.. Maury in
speech delivered before the State llistor-
ical Society, is the water shed Of tho
continent"
Thus by q sublime coincidence Of ma
turs, the geographical centre of the con-
tinent is also its photographed centre.
1t is the economical value Of this posi-
ton, Is the distributing centre Of the in
land navigation Of the continent, which
will have most interest for the general
reader.
The st. Lawrence, the SUBMITS Of whose
sources intsrlap with those Of the Missis-
sippi in this State, and whose Mediterra-
mean expansion washes our northwestern
boundary, At the utmost western limit Of
its navigation, flows with the volume Of
an inland ses, with channel wide and
deep enough to nost the navies Of the
world, for 2,4OO miles through Maury's
upper thermal band, washing the shores
of ten States and Provinces, with an ag-
gregate population Of fifteen millions, and
reeling off an aggregate coast line Of 5000
miles before it empties into the Atlantic
ocean.
The Mississippi twin in origin with the
St. Lawrence among the lakes Of the wa
tersbsd, feeding from almost the same
maternal fountain, courses for 900 miles
across tho State, 400 miles Of which, is
navigable with only two Interruptions,
before it reaches tho head Of continuous
navigation At st. Paul, whence starting on
more majestic pace, and gathering on its
bosom the commerce Of fifteen States, it
empies into the Gulf Of Mexico, at dis
tance through its winding channel Of
2,lS7 miles from st. Paul, and 1896 from
its source, in Lake Itasca, with an aggre-
gate coast line, including its tributaries,
OF | / 900 miles and embracing in its afIlu-
ents population Of 100000.
Scarcely six miles from the extreme
source Of the Mississippi, sprlngs the Red
River of the North, which, washing our
western boundary with deep and widen
ing channel for 400 miles, and travcr.ing
us miles Of British Territory, interlocks
in Lake Wnnepeg with the waters Of the
Saskatchewan, whose mighty volume rolls
for 400 miles from the base OF the
Rocky Mountains and discharge them
selves through Nelson's River into Hud-
sons Bay Such are the Titanic offspring
Of Minnesota. What other mother can
boast such a progeny Thus the three
great channels Of internal communication
converge from every ocean and from every
zone upon Minnesota, a. their common
link OF interconnection. We have thus a
southern outlet upon the Gulf Of Mexico,
lining the sugar and cotton States, and
looking towards the tropical markets Of
the West Indies and South America We
have an eastern outlet upon the Atlantic,
looking towards the markets Of Europe.
And We have western outlet upon the
Pacific by the nAvigAbls waters Of the
eastern and western slopes Of the Rocky
Mountains, opposite the rich Emporia Of
Asiatic Commerce The aggregate coast
line Of these converging avenues Of ms-
rine intsr-communicatIon il 10000 miles
more than oil the coast line Of the Allan
tic and Pacific together.
THE GRI.r sosTHwg,rgss BASIN ~ THy
wissIpyG.
Within few year. the Physical Ge.
osr.phy Of the interior h North America
ha. made immense strides, but in no case
ha. the acquisition TO the development Of
civilization been ~ splendid a' in the i'm
men-e secluded area. northwest Of Min
ne.ota in the British Possessions, from
which the jealou. veil of fur trading
monopoly has recently bsen withdraw.
We quote from AZ addrea. by Hon y