The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1859-01-20
NEW SERlES-NO. l6S.

lnct, thnt the average cold al Cadottc's t'nas,
in the forty.seventh degree OF latitude. il
not M great in winter, owing perhaps TO tho
Pacific winds. as at st. Paul, in Minnesota;
aud the depth of suow at the same place,
even in mid winter. ia never known 10 exceed
two ieet and this. like the snow in all
northern latitu1es, il 80 dry and light that
il can bc brushed away like dust or chaif
before the wheels Of locomotive. Who
does not know tha, the quantity Of snow
that falls or lies upon the ground in any par.
ticular region depends not 80 much upon lat
itudc ~ upon altitude, ~ we'll nv upon the
moisture ani dampnes Of the atmosphere 7
This objection on the score ot climate
cannot he a very formidable one In q coun-
try that possesses 81 much practical expert
cnce on iha subject Why. the best con.
sltuetod, beat managed, aud greatest num-
ber OF railroads arc 10 he found at tho
present day, In northern climates. The en-
gineers OF Canada aud New England are
not IL little amused nj ouch objections.
They point TO the Grand Trunk, in Canada,
and the railroads of New England. as their
best reIutation, The hest railroads Of tho
world are TO be found in northern climates
and nortbofu countries.
In shortncss and cbea pncss in ,ha gcne-
raj habitabla character VI tho country
through which II runs in the abundance of
the wood. water aud coal along tho line Of
the road. tho northern route has Nh incon.
tcsinbIe superiority over all other contem-
plated or possibe routes from the Missis.
sippi 10 the Pacific In addition to this.
the depression IN the Rocky Mountains,
about the forty. seventh parallel Of latitude.
is 40 great that the head waters Of the
Missouri aud Columbia rivers almost inter
lock, The Miasouri Ia navigable by steam.
era 10 Fort benton. The Columbia, by
one Of its branches, (the Snake riyer) Ia
bavigablo 10 the mouth of the Palouse
From Fort Benton 10 the mouth Of the l,a.
louise is only four hundred and iif,y miles
Therefore. a railroad four hundred and ilfty
miles IN length will connec, the navigabIe
waters Of the Atlanto with the nAvigable
waters Of the Pacific This fact alone, II
thoroughly appreciated, ought 10 induce tho
| Government. aa mere question OF economy
In the transportation ol troops aud military
stores. 10 coDstruc, this connecting link. ~
as to have an unbrokeu aud uninterrupted
| chain of communication acroas the CONT
ncu' In, this fact, which has been 40
CLEARLY presented by Govcrnor Stevens, has
M, sacecods'i in inpr,~sing Itself with due
weight upon the attention vi the Govern
ment
There are other facts of striking import.
ance which can barely touch upon in this
connection, which renders this one o' the
most remark able lines oi communication in
the world Nature, ns II to make North
A mcricn The cradle ol mighty race. has
opened aud penetrated the eontinen, 10 the
very centre by Chain Of immense lakes or
inland seas. There is nothing comparable
to this remarkable geographical fact, to be
toupd IN any Other division u the globe. A
vessel laden IN the London docks will be
able without breaking bulk, 10 land her
cargo on the shore oi Lake superior, In tho
State oi Minnesota. The future commerce
Of those lakes will some day equal, and more
than equal the commerce of the Mcditerra-
mean ea~a sea that washed the shores of
the greatest empires u the ancient world,
and which contributed more than any other
natural cause to the development Of their
civ iza'ion and power. These lakes are
p'Nifh'it w Hiptffs W kifI's =" 's'f'iS''
propOrtioDa,e influence in the development
oi the New World. On the Pacific we find
Puget Sound 10 be one of the most BagnIG.
cent barbors on the globe. Here Is what
Governor s,cvcns says IN relation 10 i,
Puget sosud In admitted, by all naval and
military gentlemen who ever visited i's waters.
10 be the most remarkable road stead on the
shores ~ any ocesb II has sixteen hundred
mile. ~ shore line, any great number Of land.
lIcked. e1tnin11ons, aud dsfehaibie hsybofH.
IL can ba entered by any Winds. " scarcely
ever obstfscted By fog, aud Is tbs nssrest poiut
- the gfsst ports of Asia Of any hsfbor on
our Western coast,
When wc take into consideration tbs oil
vaD,ages Of ,hese lakes aud Of Puget Sound,
the mineral and lumber wealth of Lake sn-
pefior, the mineral wealth of Washington
Territory. and the region II Frazer river,
and the ysst agricultural r,sources Of the
intervening country, IL II not evident that u
railroad connecting Lake Superior with Pu-
~, Sound would be- the most important in.
land communication 10 the world
Mr. President, ia sndssyoring 10 do jus.
ticc 10 the northern route, have been care.
ful uoi 20 disparage any of the Others. Why
should !; am prepared to support any
proposition which will give equal assistance
TO all these roads; and, although the amount
mny be considerable, II is my firm consic-
ton that boiofe the lapse Of ten y'ars, the
augmentation in business and general pros
perl,y would indemnity the nation for the
expenditure.
A IoSDoS letter dated Dec 2tth, informs
us that tho gentleman who assaulted Now.
T.. a l.
manager Of the London ID,cs, and blacked
bis eyes, alleging tha, Aosais Was intimate
where he should only have BEN respectful,