Saint Paul weekly Minnesotian., 1859-01-08
OVERLAND MAIL ROUTE TO
PUGET SOUND!
u.ss MEETING OF THE CITIZENS
n,.mor,.I to Congress In Regard 70 WV
Tmportauce Of tho Route

MASS nEE1lN0 Oc AA~H
m.u,or,.l to Congress in Regard 10 '"'
Importance OF the Route'
Full Report of the Prooeeoa
Resolutions. 60.
Pursuant to q call published IN Tue oAn'
p.pers of the city, one Of the largest assem-
blages of the citizens of st. fau' anu ne'e"'
boring towns met in Concert Hall on MONDAY
evening the Sd inst, that we recollect ever
having seen convened in our city. 1t was no
idle or curious motives that drew them thith-
er for all felt that the occasion was one Of
vast moment to every citizen Of the North
West. and such unanimous response to the
c,u and the tone Of conversation among all
nresent, showed that deep feeling of the
importance of the movement was prevalent
everywhere Among the audience that crowd
ed the spacious hall We noticed many of the
Oldest and most prominent citizens of Mime
sofa, long identified with her interests, the
pioneers of her greatness and promise, men
well acquainted with her resources, topogro-
ply and population.
Hon. Norman W. Kittson, Mayor Of the
city, was called to the chair. The following
gentlemen were elected
Vice Prss;dents Lieut.. Gov. VIM. Hol-
combe; Col D. A. Robertson; Hon. Vim. X.
Marshall; J. w. Bass, Esq; J. W. Seiby,
Esq. Jno R. Irvine, Esq.
Secretaries ~. Jay Knox, ESQ.,, and VIM.
F. Wheeler, Esq.
On motion, committee Of seven were ap-
pointed by the Chair to draft memorial to
Congress expressive of the views of the as
sembly in regard to the importance and ad-
vantages of the proposed overland route to
Puget Sound, ola. St. Paul, and Columbia
River.
The committee were, Messrs. Alex. Ram
sey, w. L. Banning, D. Woodbury., (of Ano-
ka,) E. F. Ely, of Lake Superior; J. c. Bur-
bank, James W. Taylor, and Gen. c. L. En-
erson.
When the committee had retired, the audi
ence called on Hon. Geo. L. Becker, who re-
sponded in few eloquent and well chosen
remarks. He Esaid the decade just closed by
the advent of this year, has been filed with
startling events. Immense resources and
wealth had been discovered on our once dis
tant Pacific coast, and our countrymen who
now peopled it, were looking across the broad
Pacifc'as if to invest Japan and China, with
their unnumbered millions of population and
incredible wealth. Events such as these had
sent corps Of Royal Engineers to the Red
River country, and sent squadrons from the
navies of France, England, and America to
the waters of Central America.
The subject of an overland railroad has be-
come almost National question. Mail routes
and wagon roads, through, are the forerunners
of railroads. But little is known yet, despite
of all that has been published, of the resour
ces Of the great scope of country lying be-
tween the settlementson the Pacific, and the
western portion Of this valley. To settle it,
will develope them, and they will become
known.
The proposed route lies through regions
peoped with Indians. We must acquire, by
purchase, the right of strip Of country, and
open it to pre-emption. 1t will soon thus be
settled.
The question we discuss is a national one.
1t is q common platform where men Of all
parties can stand. We have common wealth
in our soil, climate and resources, and We
can each do something towards developing
them, and aiding the common prosperity.
Hon. VIM R. Marshall being called out
said: That within eighteen months an over
land mail route had been established from In
dependence to California. Being East when
the contract was made, he was informed that
it would cost 100000 to stock the road,
build stations, &C., and 100000 per annum
to carry it on. Proposals have been advertised
for, for semi-monthly mail from Seattle, w.
T., to St. Paul But to stock the road in Of
der to have semi-monthly mail will cost as
much as to carry a ,oeekly mail, while the
compensation is only half as much. 1t had
been asserted that this was done to defeat the
route. But parties are ready to take the con-
tract on the same terms as the Butterield
contract, and guaranty to make the time in
eighteen days. The Hon. Speaker closed his
remarks by mentioning the importance of this
route to US, and of the duty of all citizens of
Minnesota to do oil in our power to aid such
an enterprise.
Lieut. Gov. Holcome made short speech,
enumerating some reasons showing the prac-
ticabIity and importance of the proposed
route. --r.. ...s... ..
The committe here appeared, and James
W. Taylor, Esq, read the following memorial: !:
Memorial to the Senate and House Of Rep
resentatiues Of the United States Of Amer
lea in Congress.
The undersigned, citizens of Minnesota, re-
present to the Congress of the United States,
that a semi-weekly mail service to the nav-
gable waters of the Columbia River and to
Puget Sound, from some point central to the
western limits of the Great Lakes, can be ac-
complished in eighteen days, provided the
same encouragement is given by the Govern
ment to the enterprise, which has been ex-
tended to the line from st. Louis and Men,
phis to San Francisco.
The object of this memorial is to ask from
Congress that the requisite encouragement
shall be extended to the Northwestern route
Of the vast extent of American territory
: between the Mississippi River and the Pacific
Ocean, the principal portion lies north of the
fortieth parallel Of latitude. As proprietor
of the public domain and the guardian of i'm
mature States, therefore, the General Govern
ment is interested in q postal connection,
which while Indispensable to the people of
Oregon and Washington, would encourage
speedy settlements in the valleys of the up-
per Missouri River and Of the Rocky Noun
tains, and the transmontane basin of the Co.
lumhia We look in vain ovar ,,,o,.-..l