The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1860-02-03
RAILROAD CONNECTION
Between the Navigable Waters Of the
Mississippi and Lake Superior.
REPORT OF THE SPECIAL SENATE COMMITTEE

Between the Navigalble Waters Of the
Mississippi and Lake Superior.
REPORT OF THE SPECIAL SENATE COMMITTEE
To the Honorable Senate of the State of Min
neSOtG:
The select Committee to whom was re-
ferred the subjects of his Excellency, the
Governors Message, embraced in the follow.
ing paragraphs, viz:
lst. The question of providing an outlet
to market for this and future greater
surplus, will hereafter demand consideration.
1t is apparent at a glance with what relief
we should be sensibly affected, if what we
have to sell could find cheap and speedy
transit to those who have to buy. 4
2. At present, the people about Lake
Superior buy in Cleveland, and other ports
of the more Eastern States, and while not
hundred and fifty miles from two million
bushels of surplus wheat in Minnesota, they
send four times that distance to purchase
wheat at higher price than the commodity
bears in st. Paul. On the other hand, our
wheat, in order to find its natural and near
est market at Superior, must enter into
competition at Cleveland, Chicago aud Mil
waukee, with the crops of Wisconsin. Iowa,
Illinois and Ohio, otter paying the expenses
of transportation to those cities, points four
times further from its destination than the
fields on which it grew.
"If we had a direct railroad communion
ton with the Lake, the entire trade of that
region in everything we should have to fur
nish, would be ours We should In nearness
to that market have the advantage of all
other competitors by at least five hundred
miles. Moreover, for Others to send supplies
to Superior or OntonagOn, is in some degree
to reverse the usual and natural direction
of carriage while to us, that country lies
upon our most direct rou e of cheapest trans
pOrtation to the Atlantic markets. The
advantages of a railroad connection with
Lake Superior, would doubtless be very
great to the Minnesota counties upon the
North Shore, but not to be compared with
the benefits to the agricultural interests of
the entire State" and with the following in
structiOns, viz, to report:
1st. LAS near as may be, the cost per
average mile, amount and cost of bridging,
superstructure, and rolling stock, for a first
class single track railroad from the Missis.
sippi to Lake Superior, in this State, togeth.
er with station houses, and shops, dispensing
with surperfuous and ornamental buildings.
I'd. "l'he present elements of traffic for
such road, the annual cost of managing, and
the net profits, if any.
| Sd. "The annual consumption of agricul-
tural products by the miners and towns on
Lake Superior, the products of the mines
and forests, and their value.
4th. 1.-The present value of agricultural
products in this State, at the market towns
the railway direct and Lake freights to
the mines, and the same via Chicago or
Milwaukee," have had the same under
consideration, and respectfully present the
following the result of their labors:
The first subject is an outlet. Nature
has given US two, the Mississippi river and
the Northern Lakes. The former leads to
agricultural regions, and hence is abandoned
in part by the neighboring States as an out
let and must ultimately be our own, for the
better facilities afforded by railways, as a
means for the expectation of produce. Wis.
cOnsin having constructed railway to our
border, and Iowa being actively engaged in
the construction of another, Minnesota has
only to construct about One hundred and
fifty miles Gn correction with those of
Wisconsin and Iowa. penetrating her grain
growing region, and giving an outlet to all
our surplus products. This done, and the
surplus of 1859 given by bis Excellency, the
Governor, (2,7l2,867 bushels of grain, can
be taken over one hundred miles of our own
road, this being the mean distance,) at an
average cost of Elk cents per bushel, amount
ing to $l62,72O thence taking the nearest
routes by rail to cheaper mode of transit,
2l2 miles at twelve cents, making 1926 ,44O.
At this point (Milwaukee,) of transit, the
grain is ready for market in competition
with Cleveland, Chicago and Milwaukee.
Lake Superior is in connection with the
same outlet that Lake Michigan is, and on
equal terms. The committee quote from
letter received by one OF their members, from
Messrs. Hanna, Garretson & Co., vessel,
boat owners, and shippers of the first repu-
tation:
| NC uiotouCC IOm OlCNcl0uu W OQIC8
go, and Superior, being equal, or nearly so,
treights, if sufficient quantities can be had
could and would be delivered at the same
rates."
Take the surplus OF 1859 over railway
to Lake Superior mean distance from
the agricultural districts, 200 miles at
twelve cents. $325,44O. BY the Lake
Michigan route the amount of railway char
ges, $685. 60. Annual saving to farmers in
favor of the Lake Superior route, $l627 2O.
The demand for agricultural products
by the Lake Superior mines and
towns, is shown by the attached ia.
bular statement A, copied from the
annual report of the Sault St. Marie
Canal, the value of which, in the mar.
ket towns of the State, is shown by
annexed statement B, at. ........ $2O8, 1926
Add railway and lake freight direct 32,748
Amount at the mines and towns on
Lake Superior. .................... Al,574
Take the same by way of Lake Michi.
gan. and the freights as shown by
statement.... NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. 944,4l
Amount at Superior towns via, Lake
Michigan. ........ sos, 2e7
difference in favor of Lake Superior