The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1859-11-11

The Government surveys in this State
under the energetic administration of Sur
veyor General EMERSON, have rapidly pro-
gressed within the last two years. We have
before US his official report of 1858, which
contains deal of interesting information
which was not included in the synoptical
table which we published in the spring.
According to one computation from the
specifications given, the sectional subdivi'
sions of 22l townships had been surveyed
or were in course of survey at the date Of
the report, in November last. Of these, the
far greater portion lies west OF the Missis-
sippi. One solid block of 50 townships,
with length from north to south of sc
miles, and a breadth from east to west Of
from "a to AZ miles, stretches from the Iowa
line to the parallel of st. Paul, and from
the meridian of Fort Ridgely nearly half
way to the boundary Of the State. North
of this again, another compact mass of sub.
divisional surveys is exhibited upon the map
which accompanies the Report, with a
breadth of six or more townships upon the
western slope of the Mississippi, from Crow
Wing down to the mouth of the Clearwater.
Then there is little block of twelve town.
ships around the beautiful meanders of
Otter Tail Lake, on the east side of the
Mississippi. The Surveyor General has
put his stamp upon the townships which bOr-
der upon Mile Laos, as also upon some ten
townships at the head of Lake Superior,
and fringe of fractional townships along
the North Shore.
In addition to the sectional subdivisions
the standard parallels and guide meridians
were pushed immensely forward towards the
western and northeastern boundaries of the
State.
The surveys actually executed and accept
ed at the date of the Report comprised 1898
miles of guide meridians, standard parallels
and township lines, and 1886 miles of SUBJ
divisions, including 657 miles of meanders
of lakes and navigable streams. The area
of land embraced within such subdivisional
surveys is l,SO2.219 acres. The remaining
subdivisions, under contract at the time,
and we suppose completed before the first of
January, comprised about $500 miles of
surveying, and embraced an estimated area
of 2,l37 500 acres. The total completed
surveys of this year were, then, 3.939,719
acres-a pretty good years work:
To these must be added the survey and
establishment of the boundaries of the
Reservation on Pigeon River end Lake
Superior reserved by treaty with the
Chippewas of the Grand Portage band.
This reserve contains about Al ,O46 acres.
The survey of the Chippewa reservation
on st. Louis river-reserved 10 the Fond
du Lac band of Chippewas-was also
undertaken and was still incomplete at the
date of the Report.
The exterior boundaries of the Military
Reservation at Fort Ripley, was also snr-
veyed, and laid down ia the original town.
ship maps.
A list of sixty contracts covered the
entire operations of 1858.
The Surveyor Generals recommendations
for appropriations-to the amount of some
100000, for carrying on the surveys Of
the present year-were promptly responded
to by Congress.
The surveys west of the Mississippi, have
this year been pushed to the western
boundary of the State-as far north as
Wild Rice River, which is the boundary of
the Chippewa country.
The network of township lines now covers
the whole Of the upper portion of the Red
River Valley, south of Wild Rice River,
while the minor subdivisions have been
made at all points where settlements have
formed, or are likely to be formed for some
time to come.
On the north shore of Lake Superior
where the deputies report considerable tracts
of good agricultural country, and rich
mineral deposits-the surveys have been
this year carried up to the mouth of Pigeon
River.
The Surveyor General deserves much
praise for the regard he has always shown
to the interests of the frontier settlers, in
his prosecution of the surveys.
A COLLISION took place on the Baltimore
and Ohio Railroad, on Thursday, the 9th
of October, between an accommodation and