The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1859-02-17
VIII . Steamboat on Red River Psyl
what the Hads"n Boy Company think
Of %.

putting boat upon Red River, which was
entrusted by the Chamber Of Commerce to
the energy Of Captain AssoS NoRrHur, has
been promptly put in process Of execution.
Capt. NoRTHur il performing his part Of
the contract with wonderful punctuality.
We hope that the citizens Of st. Paul
will perform theirs with equal promptitude
and zeal
At the outset OF this, as Of every other
undertaking which deals with large second.
airy consequences, the men Of little soul can
not for the life Of them see what good is to
come of it. Indeed the leading question in
popcorn circles is, What is there on Red
River for asteamboat. to do:" We might re-
ply to the pop corn gentry that when in 1850
the Yankee" opened the era Of navigationon
the Minnesota, that the same question came
from the same source that the introduction
ofsteamboat navigation opened the Valley
Of the Minnesota to settlement as it will
open the Red River Valley to settlement
next Spring that it is recognized law Of
western growth, that the extension Of facil-
tiles Of transportation, creates commerce.
But the particular steamboat project on
hand does not depend for lis only success rs
a pecuniary adventure Of the parties imme.
diately concerned in its profits, on the results
TO US as community, which are soon to
flow from it,
There is already established on the banks
Of the Red River a compact community Of
seven or eight thousand souls, whose imports
and exports, which now principally take
the direction OF Nelson's River and Hnd-
sons Bay, to England, are awaiting the
opening Of steamboat navigation on Red
River, to take the more advantageous route
for transhipment which st. Paul offers.
The goods imported by the Hudson Bay
Company into the Red River settlement,
including their supplies for the posts on the
Saskatchewan, amount TO some four or FIVE
hundred THOUSAND dollars annually, and the
yearly return D furs is estimated at about
81 100000 iron this district--all OF which
will freight the first steamboats, placed upon
the Red River Indeed il is well known
that whether he navigation Of that river is
opened or not the route r,a st Paul has
been found upossess such obvious advants-
J ges over theold channels Of transportation,
that the B,dson Bay Company have al
ready determined to forward their goods by
this avenv, overland if necessary. Last
fall, some ixty packages Of the goods Of
this company. from New York, were for
warded By Red River carts from 81. Paul,
so satisfactorily, az, in connection with
other olrious advantages, TO induce the
adop,on)fthis route entirely and the aban-
doument,i the difficult channel Of Nelson
River
II wi be recolected that with this view
dcputtion OF prominent English gentle.
men connected with the lIudsons Bay Com
pany pid visit to 81. Paul last SPRING
which ,sul'ed in the determination already
noted.
In roof that that Company are acting
upon ais decision-and 10 answer to the
popcorn query Of what there will be
on I'D River for steamboat TO do we
pres,s the following extract from letter
addrtsed by one Of these gentlemen, and one
Of tn most prominent members Of the Hud-
son sI'ay Company, to BuBASH K CO., of
thus ,ty. Ii will be seen from this that the
first instsmeut OF the Compaoy's annual
iDpts will ensure the Arson Northrup "
iull sgoes for several trips:
he 20 inform you that we are now prepar
in1 tlorward supplies to Red River settlement
ia Sfu, Paul this coming season, and that We
shlltsll on your good orfces again To attend
tethfr reception and transmission. There will
b, about 100 tons OF goods from England. and
polsby about 80 OF tobacco, sugar, &C., from
Nv York. The English goods will be sent
ri tAnadian line OF Steamers and Grand Trunk
hilVay in three consignments OF about 20
snSs ach the first to be dispatched from Liv.
spGi about the end Of April. (should reach
<. faul early in June the second about the
nidlle and the third about the end OF MAY.
The good. from New York will be dispatched
u he opening q navigation.
We propose to employ about 100 OK carts Of
,urou IN the transport from Saint Paul. equal
20 ey 90 tons 100 pieces Of 100 lbs esch) each
lriT. 10 make three trips II they have TO so all
thsvsy TO For, Garry. hope, however, VA
ter conveyance may be arranged from say
Br- kinridge d1xuwards, In which case pre-
suee the carts eoald perform at lea., double
tbs number OF trips.
With the assurance above given from so
die lnguished in authority. there can be lit
tls doubt tina, during the coming seascn-
tSing all collateral sources Of trade into
tn accoun,--,her will not only be enough
ID oue boat on the Red River, but that a.
II whole trade Of that region takes. as i;
nest. this direction, there will be an imper.