The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1861-01-11

therefrom, aiding and subscribing the pay
ment OF bonds. This mutual assistance you
should secure, by requiring of any company
receiving State lands, or general bonds in
lieu of special railroad bonds surrendered. to
pay into the State Treasury five per cent. of
the gross earnings of their road. t.
In this connection, the importance of a
railroad communication between the nayipa-
BILE waters of the Mississippi and the head of
Lake Superior, induces me again to recur to
it. There is an evident turning of attention
thither on the part of capitalists, and SO far
as favorable legislation without pecuniary
involvement on the part of the State, can
exist, the work should be aided.
The great capacity of the State for the
production of the cereals, and its remote in
land position, require the creation and i'm
provement Of every means Of exit. The easy
and comparatively cheap transportation
which the northern lakes afford to the i'm
mense crops soon to be the product of our
soil and industry, it is wise to endeavor to
secure. Unless all avenues are opened to
our trade, it is not difficult to see that occa-
siOnally glut must occur which will reduce
the market prices of grain to ruinous fig.
ure. Suppose that in three years the wheat
surplus of Northern Minnesota should amount
to three million bushels, would it not be bet
ter for the farmer of the Southern counties
that this grain should find an outlet by way
of the great lakes directly to New York, than
that it should come in competition with his
grain in the markets of Milwaukee, Chicago
and St. Louis. ......
The Importance of this lake connection
and the continuous navigation thence to the
Eastern sea coast is greatly increased in the
minds of thinking men, by the national
events now transpiring.
Should the precipitate madness of Sec
tional excitement lead to any attempt
to deny to the North Western States
the free navigation of the Mississippi
to its mouth, and the strife be long which
should retake that right, these lakes would
become our only means of water transport
to the ocean. While, as some suggest, the
State might donate the swamp lands along
the line OF road to that connection, in con-
sideration of the uncertainty and delay in
relation to any other land grant for such
construction, would be far from advising
it, if it might become precedent which
should divert the remainder of these lands
from other and more legitimate purposes.
BY muniticence of the Federal Congress,
the following grants OF public lands and
other property have been made to this state
in trust for special purposes:
l. Sections l6 and sc of every Town
ship OF the public lands, for the support of
common schools.
2. Seventy-two sections OF land for the
support OF a University.
3. Ten sections OF land for the compile
ton or erection Of public buildings at the
seat of government.
4. Twelve salt springs with six sections
OF land adjacent to each, or seventy-two
sections lie all, for the general use of the
state.
8. Five per centum of the proceeds of all
the public lands lying within the state,
which shall be sold by Congress after the
admission OF the state into the Union for the
purpose OF internal improvements.
6. BY the act OF Congress, of March Sd,
1857, for the purpose of aiding in the con-
struction of certain lines of Railroad there
in described-every alternate or odd num-
bered section within six miles on each side
of said railroad lines, amounting in all to
about 4.399, AL acres.
Z. By an act Of Congress of March II,
1860, all the swamp or overhowed lands
within the state are conferred upon the
state, for the purpose OF retaining and
draining the same.
The following is summary of these
grants of lands:
For Schools, about. ...,....2, 1856, 900 acres
g A University. ............. 46, $50
" Completing the public build
lngS... 6,400 "
6 The general (saline lands. 46, $50 /"
use of the swamp lands
State, ((estimated) 100000 6
I" Railroad purposes. .......4 1893, al "
Total. 1856, FOL
Subtracting from this total the railroad
lands which must pass in the ordinary course,