Saint Paul weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1858-1859, 1859-05-07

the line to the base of the Rocky Mountains.
OF course it will be ultimately, and, we might
add, rapidly extended to the Pacific. The
wagon roads, the portages and the barges, will
give place to railways, ship canals and steam
ers, as fast as the necessities of commerce
shall require. ~ ii.-!s--i 80 15.! 81 .
The distance between Lake Superior and
the Red River settlements is stated to be four
hundred and twenty miles, and when the
canals and railways are completed, by which
it is proposed to connect them, it can be made
in twenty-fOur hours. The whole distance
from Montreal to Edmonton House, at the
head of navigation on the Saskatchewan, is
stated at about twenty -four hundred miles,
and when this line of railway, canal and steam
er, is fully opened the report states that it can
be made in about nine days. We much mis-
take the ability and the energy Of the Compa-
ny, as well as "the signs of the times" if
within the next ten years the whole project is
not accomplished. : 80
The exports of the country to which the
Canadian Company propose to open this line
of communication, consist principally of furs
and peltries; the imports Of all kinds of man
ufactured goods, especially of the coarser va
rieties. Their value, so far as can be obtained
from the Hudson Bay Company's reports and
the statistics of the commerce between Penn
bina and st. Paul, for imports, is from three
to five hundred thousand dollars for exports,
from one and half to three millions. The
profits of the Hudson's Bay Company have
been enormous. But these figures showing
the commerce of the Northwest are mere
bagatelle, compared with what they will be
when this extensive, fertile region contains, as
it surely will within the next generation, mil
lions, of active, intelligent freemen. The
Northwest Company have therefore wide
and most productive field for the exercise of
their capital and enterprise. That they will
cultivate it assiduously and proftably there
cannot be doubt.
These movements on the part of our Cana
dian cousins are specially interesting and i'm
portant to the Northwestern States of the
American Union, and we can say in all sin
cerity that we wish them abundant success.
The relation which our city bears to all this
vast region will lead US to watch them care
fully and to keep our readers posted in refer
ence to their progress. .-..--
The settlement of the country around Lake
Winnipeg and the valleys of the Red River,
and the Saskatchewan, cannot fail to give o
healthy stimulus to the commerce of the city.
Our leading merchants in the fur trade now
make it point to meet the Red River trains
at st. Paul, and their agents have already,,ex-
plored the markets of Pembina. At present
st. Paul furnishes these trains with goods, but
whatever benefits st. Paul contributes to the
growth of Chicago. The reapers and other
agricultural implements of Chicago, her ma
chinery and merchandise are already doing
good service in the valley of the Red River.
The more our Canadian neighbors can do, by
establishing lines for commerce and emigration,
to develop their North Western possessions,
the more they will promote their own prosper
ity and open markets for the industry of the
American States west of Lake Michigan. The
day when commerce can be hedged in by ar,
bitrary national boundaries is clean gone for
ever -