St. Cloud Democrat. [volume] (Saint Cloud, Stearns County, Minn.) 1858-1866, 1862-04-03
A railroad TO Lake superior. q
MILITARY N eoessity.$ -t =

AaaYAHCtAVt I1AuOeOtutt1y cSocutlSa " OuT
psrc5sspesity;; and thstsi,s early constrnstior4
would ensure the building Of our present
land grant railroads.
II appears chat the late decision Of the
United States Supreme Court is adverse
TO the Old Northwest Company, and that
the grant ,otlS54 is noT,a pulity. =, As long
as this WAS an open| question, mhny!hupg
their hopes on it and until q decision was
made no new grant could be had
Nov that it is thus settled, ndrhe country
is aide a,qa1as to tho, importance of pro-.
tecting our government [the only true dem
ocratie one in existence] FROM all external
as well as internal toes, it seems to me the
time is very suspicious for inaagurating a
prompt and State vide appeal to Congress
TO make such an opprpria,ion Of the will
derness lands lying between, the Mississip.
pi and Lak e Superior as will ensure the
speedy construction of railroad that will
serve our purpose in peace, ana that Of
our government III war. '.#I''''s 1"ta
~ Rightly viewed, such a road is truly a
great Military Necessity--if not now, it
soon may be. Late events have demon,
strated how easily England and this coun-;
try could be embroiled in war. In such a
contingency how important it might be to
have the vast region southwest, Of Lake
Superior connected with it by, q railroad !!
The reasons are so obvious that they need
not here be enlarged on
Without a. very liberal grant Of landsno
such road can bo made (unless Govern
ment would appropriate money, and this is
not feasible) and so long as such a commu,
nication is wanting the country will remain,
as now, wilderness; for the prairie dis
tricts offer greatly superior inducements TO-
emigrants. -..... . s%
The public lands never will again be a
source of revenue to government, aud the
best use it can make Of them is to promote
the early settlement, develop commerce and
create detences to the country. 81.
Urge our people to stir the matter and
let every one who has friend in Congress
write to him, urging the making Of grant
Of at least fifteen miles in alternate sections
on each side of such ! line A vigorous
effort may do much good sit cannot do
Fellow citizens, let no thought of former
dissapointments or present di6icultie sdeter
you from doing your duty to yourselves or
your State; while the memory Of late
events is fresh in the minds Of: those in
power, let US press this subject home. on
them. Now or never-who responds
~ .'.t RH1H 3CuJITEt
Na1ch 2Sth, 1862. -
That there ought to be Railroad con-
Meeting the Mississippi with Lake Superb
or is fact so selt-evident that no one dis
putes it, At what point the road should
reach the Mississippi is an open and dis
puted question. On this point Mr.. Chute
is silent, but those making efforts 70 inAu-
ence members of Congress should giveethe
matter serious attention. The Bill which
passed our State Legislature in the'winter
of'61 giving a State grant Of swamp lands
tc this road left the point of connection to
be settled by the company that should
build the road, and this is where it ought
to be left. People generally professed to:
be contented with this arrangement, but
last winter a set Of resolutions passed our
Legislature asking Congress to make an
appropriation Of lands for road, not from
Superior to the Mississippi, but from su-:
perior to St. Paul. This would appear to
show consciousness on the part of the
people of, St, Paul that that is not the
point to which a company Of capitalists
would carry the road. That such a road
should be built in great measure with a
view TO- the Hudson Bay Country Mr..
Chute admits, and by what rule Of right
or reason should the already immense and
rapidly growing trade of chat region, be
carried dopn to St. Paul and up again to
Superior and vice ,versa.?' The Miuneso-
ia and Pacific Road will he. completad
from St. Paul9p st. Cloud as early if nnot
earlier thanny other road in the State
for the simple reason that it is more
needed than any .other'. road and IS already
further advanced. # is graded all but
twelve miles Of very light work,sfT The
greater part Of the ties:are on the ground
"a portion Of the rails are also herr -
Some Of them are laid and locomotives
and cars on: thems The reason this road is
thus in advance Of others is that road ma
kers can see the large trade awaiting it be-
tween the Mississippi. ana the Red River
of the North, but the Mississippi is in re-
atty out Of the line Of communication be-
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