The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1860-01-13

OIoGC III LuC OulOQ. I1cE luIUC ouUIoC0
the headwaters of the Mississippi, the great
artery of the United States; her tributaries
and proximity to Lake Superior, gives us q
continuous water communication with the
Northern States and the Atlantic; and
having on the Northwest the navigable
waters of the Red River, she has water
communication with no less than fifteen
States and three Territories, besides great
part of Canada and British Columbia.
Within the boundaries of few townships
in the northern part of this State, can be
found the headwaters of streams, some of
which find their exit among the swamps and
bayous of Louisiana-others among the
banks and fisheries of Newfo midland and
the icebergs of Bafin's Strait. 1t is our
central position with regard to these great
continental conduits which gives this State
commercial and maratime advantages which
cannot be excelled by any of the Western
States.
In order to avail ourselves of these great
natural facilities for transportation of our
surplus products, some few internal improve
ments are necessary to enable us to have
frequent, easy, and expeditions communica-
ton between these waters. These conside-
rations are as necessary to our wealth and
prosperity as State, as the fertility and
richness of our soil, and no measures can
we take for the benefit of our farmers who
in reality contribute most to the wealth of
our State, which will be more beneficial, or
are more truly practical than such as tend
directly to enhance the value of their crops.
No greater inducements can we hold out to
settlers and emigrants than that they can
find claims along some highways which
leads to an available market. During the
last two years, hundreds have settled along
the road from St. Cloud to Breckenridge,
while many of more than ordinary enter
prise have planted themselves on the banks
of the Red River. In spite of the hard
times and general stagnatiOn of business, the
writer knows, from personal observation,
that many OF our northern counties have
been steadily filling up with hardy and
industrious population.
The great distance of these counties from
any available market, is one important
ground why the State should render them
some aid or adopt some measures in their
behalf The Minnesota and the st. Croix
rivers, and the towns along the Mississippi
below St. Paul, afford abundant means of
transporting all the grain and produce
raised in the Southern part of the State to
the Southern and Eastern markets, while
the more recent settler, who has been
crowded farther North is obliged to con-
tend, not only with the probationary diff
Guilty which nature imposes upon him, but
the want of roads, and, consequently, of
purchasers. The necessity of some feasible
and certain communication with Lake Su
periOr, is now attracting the attention of the
people Of this State in good earnest, es-
pecialIy on the Upper Mississippi, and
meetings have already been held in Sank
Rapids and other places to advance this
project. No valid or insuperable reason
exists why the whole country, from Saint
Paul to Crow Wing, should not send its
supplies to the thousands of miners along
the Lake Shore, and the millions who pee-
pie the valley of the St. Lawrence to the
Atlantic.
Not only Superior, but the valley Of the
Red River has strong claims upon our at
tention. 1t is only about year since that
part of the State has come into notice and
only within the last season that its agricul-
tural and productive resources, and its
future commercial Importance, has been fully
recognized, not only by the people of this
State but by the public sentiment of Canada
and England. Through the enterprise and
liberality of few individuals, that river has
been successfully navigated during the last
summer, and bids fair to become one of the
most prominent thoroughfares of the North
west. During the summer of 1858, that
country was seldom visited except by some
adventurous trader, trapper, or wandering
Chippewa: no path more distinct than
buffalo trail marked the broad prairies be.
tween Graham's Point and Pembina, on the
Minnesota side; and the few settlers who
ventured into that wild and almost uninhab-
tied country, cut off from all associations of
civilized life by immense prairies and forests,
were regarded as having more than ordinary
faith in the future, or fortitude to contend
with the present. Within few months,
that country has been surveyed, and will
soon be open for presumption : vast guam
tity of goods, machinery, and agricultural
implements have been, and are still, during
this present winter, being transported thither,
and active preparations are now being made
to do large business Immediately upon the
opening of navigation.
Private enterprise has done much this
present season to aid in opening new roads
from St. Cloud to Red River, and from
Superior to Grow Wing; the winter has
seen many needy settler at work with his
team, several miles from his home, filing the
sloughs and repairing the road along the
new route from st. Cloud. The people Of
the last named city have, in spite of their
commercial difficulties, contributed literally
towards cutting a new road through the
woods and among the lakes, through a
country almost uninhabited, to the Red
River, in order to facilitate emigration and
transportation in that direction. The in
habitants of Superior have, with most COM
mendabe public spirit, cut road through
the wilderness as far as Mile Lac. with the
design Of ultimately reaching the Mississippi
at Grow Wing. In these instances, they
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