Saint Paul weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1858-1859, 1859-01-29
STEAMBOAT NAVIGATION.
49, o.uros THE - 90 s., -,
Procsaings OF the Chamber .. -
moro Of the city OF saint Fa"l'

66U hv6n VI: III A>SAs =
Prooeaipss OF the Chamber OF Co"
meres Of the City OF SAINT
An adjourned meeting Of the Chamber q
Commerce. numerously attended by citizens :.
Saint Paul and vicinity, was held in Co aS,
Hall, ON Saturday evening, January I
Hon. WV. R. MARSHALL presiding anu . w.
McCIuNe, Esq, acting as Secretary Q: .
Mr.. JAMES w. TAYLOR, from the commit
tee appointed at a previous meeting upon the
subject of Navigation and Commercial reia-
t;ons If the Red River of the North, and the
measures requisite to place steamboat upon
that stream, presented the following ~, 80 y
GEOGRAPHICAL REPORT. lie.
The committee appointed by the Chamber
of Commerce of the City Of Saint Paul upon
the subject of Steamboat Navigation on the
Red River of the North, have considered that
the occasion will justify them in presenting to
the citizens of Minnesota and to all interested
in the progress Of the Territory North West
of Minnesota, q summary of facts now fully
ascertained in regard to the River system,
Win WHICH Tue SOuTC6S Ol lllc xulSSioSiPPi oAA
the Saint Lawrence interlock.
As incidental to such design, especially
in connection with the subject of steamboat
navigation, some description of the areas
which are watered by the rivers henceforth
proposed to be included within the internal
commerce of the continent, viii also be at
tempted.
The committee are impressed with the be-
lief, that no interest hitherto expressed in our
community upon this subject, is commensu-
rate with its importance. We have spoken
with reserve, while intelligent writers in Eng
land and in Eastern cities, have cast bril-
liant horoscope for our City and State, in re-
gard to these North Western communications.
Take an instance, partly to inspire confidence
among ourselves, and also to justify any
manifestations Of enthusiasm in the progress
of the present discussion. In December 1858,
a document appeared from the Chamber of
Commerce of the City of New York, on Ca
nal Navigation by steam, containing, with
report, an address by Hon. F. A. Conkling of
the New York Legislature, in which occurs
the following paragraph:
"With the valley of the Mississippi and
ST. Lawrence rivers, we have been aecustom-
ed to regard the area of the Northern and
Central portions of our Continent available
for agriculture as exhausted. We limited our
vision to the ground we stood upon. But no
sooner have we filed up one grand division,
than another opens before us. There is, in
the heart of North America, distinct subdi-
vision, of which Lake Winnipeg may be re-
garded as the center. This subdivision, like
the valley of the Mississippi, is distinguished
for the fertility of its soil and for the extent
and gentle slope of its great plains, watered
nv yiv Of
adapted for steam navigation. 1t has eli
mate not exceeding in severity that of many
portions of Canada and the Eastern States.
1t will, in all respects, compare favorably with
some of the most densely peopled portions OF
the continent of Europe. In other words, it
is admirable fitted to become the seat of
numerous, hardy and prosperous community.
1t has an area equal to eight or ten of our first
class States. Its great river, the Saskatcha-
wan, carries navigable water line to the very
base of the Rocky Mountains. 1t is not at
all improbable that the valley of this river
may yet offer the best route for q railroad to
the Pacific The navigable waters of this
great subdivision interlock with those of the
Mississippi The Red River of the North, in
connection with Lake Winnipeg, into which
it falls, forms navigable water line extend
ing directly North and South nearly 800
miles. The Red River is one of the best
adapted to the use of steam in the world,
having from twelve to fifteen feet of water for
nearly its entire course, some $50 miles. 1t
waters one Of the finest prairie regions on the
continent. Between the highest point at
which it is navigable and st. Paul, the head
of navigation on the Mississippi, a railroad is
in process of construction, sixty miles of
which will be completed the coming year.
The entire distance to be built is only 200
miles. When this road shall be completed,
another grand division of the continent, CON-
prising half million square miles, will, as
before stated, be open to settlement, in which
communities will spring up with the rapidity
which has marked the marvellous growth of
our own country, possessing all the elements
of prosperity, and of an extensive commerce.
"No continent can show parallel, as none
can show such stupendous works for the faci-
itation of commerce by people in the gristle,
and not yet ripened into the bone of man.
hood"
Sustained by testimony so impressive as
to the future commercial importance of the
basin of Lake Winnipeg, the committee pro-
coed to particular description of the navi-
gable rivers, which diversity the map of North
America over the area in question.
THE RED RIVER OF THE NORTH.
We have the authority of Capt John Pope,
who assembled the Red River of the North
from Pembina to Otter Tail Lake in 1919 !;
that there is depth of five feet at the mouth
of Sioux Wood River and of six feet twenty
miles north, at the site of a military post pro-
posed by Maj. S. Woods of 9th Infantry, in
1S49, and occupied in 1858 as Fort Aber-
crombie; thence to Shayenne, the river is six
feet deep; from Shayenne to Goose river,
nine feet, but with an intervening rapid one
mile long with a depth Of five feet; from
Goose river to Red Lake river, twelve feet,
and from Red Lake river to Pembina and
Lake Winnipeg, sixteen feet. At the head
of steamboat navigation in about 46 deg. %
min sof north latitude, the stream cuts deeply
into the clay, which forms its channel, render
ing the waters turbid. The current of the
river is moderate, not more than two miles
an hour, with numerous bends.
The Shayenne, tributary from the. west,
has the same characteristics; andis probably
navigable hundred miles of its course-nar-
row, deep and circuitous. The Assiniboin,
another tributary within the British Territory,
has greater volume Of water than the Shay
enne, and can doubtless be assembled by
steamers for distance of two hundred miles.
The Red Lake river is Minnesota stream. 4
flowing from the prominent lake so called. and
falling into the Red River near latitude 49. |
Its volume of water is considerable, exceed
ing that of the Shayenne, but its navigation
is said to be INSTRUCTED by rapids.
Mr.. Ellis Smith, an intelligent engineer and
a member of an overland party from St. Paul
to Frazer River Gold Mines, has reported that
the Red River is navigable above (south of
Pembina 400 miles, while the distance from
the international line, by the river, to Lake
Winnepeg is IT'S miles; total distance navi-
gable by. steamers 575 miles. To this add
$50 miles for the navigation of tributaries