The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1863-06-12
Minnesota Railway and other Mat
tiers.

Mr. BRoss, one of the prOprietors Of the
Chicago Tribune was in st. Paul last week,
and on his way down the river dates let
ter to the journal with which he is con
nected, giving some of the incidents ofhis
trip, and observations on what he saw and
heard. We make few extracts
In order to appreciate the astonishing
growth of the West it is necessary to contrast
ap;'fticular section the country with its con-
ui1ion NJ some former period. Thirteen years
40 INC writer hereof made his first trip to st.
Iaul. only at few points atove Dubuque
inc green slopes and the beautiful valleys cut
ucMh VGtWccn the towering cliffs on either side
vi .lic MISSISSIPPI, were dotted with the cabin
Oh inc settler At La Crosse we took on board
lne Est remnant of the WinncbaUOes then
ABOUT 10 DC removed from Wisconsin to their
reservation ON the Crow Wing. and the bean.
tlui Guy oi ol. raul now the centre Of a large
and lucrative commerce, was a small coIIec1
ton OF slantics. The growth of tho country
bordering on the Mississippi since 1850 is trnly
amazing. To attempt to specify all the thriy.
ing towns along the river and the f,cts indi
eating the general progress Of the cnnntrv
were indeed hopeless task. Some faint idea
may be formed of the improvements, made bv
what is hereafter detailed in this letter.
The amount OF business the La Crosse Road
Is DONG VIII be q matter Of much interest to
our CONNIE, clal readers. 1t has eighteen steam
crs running i'll connection with il on the Ni.
slssIppi, Minnesota, st. CroiX and Chippewa
reaching Mankato, Chippewa Falls and all i'm
pOrtant points above Lit Crosse Ofcoursc the
larger portion of the business roc, to Nilwai
kec, but the day We arrived twenty-five thou
SAND bushels OF Whc3t-cqual to some seventy
car loads had arrived from Chicago, and from
sixty to hundred car loads OF freight are sent
from the Ia Crosse Depot to Chicago Via the
Northwestern Railway every week The
freight on bushcl OF wheat from any point on
Mississippi to Milwaukee or Chicago is ci9h-
teen cents. From the above facts it will be
seen that while this road belongs to \Iwau-
kce, what we have always claimed is true that
1t i OF immense advantage to Chicago Our
merchants should take more pains 10 avail
themselves OF 1t, advantages to secure much
larger share OF the vast aud rapidly increasing
trade OF the Upper Mississippi.
lime has now abundamtly proved that Min
ncaota Is not only rich in all the clements that
make great and prosperous State. but it IS
one OF the most healthy and inviting portions
OF the continent. The climate is delightful.
steadily but not too severely cold in the winter
warm and lnyi@orating in The summer and not
subject to those tittul changes, 80 dangerous in
more southern latitudes. With little atten-
ton, i'll training and protecting The trees in
winter, nearly all the fruits can be raised in
tpUll'liiiCC. w Z e'tN III me fc>lUC1cc OF Judge
Simond> and +. II. NasterSOn ESQ attorney
for the ST. Paul and Pacific Railway TO whom
we are deeply indebted for many polite atten-
tons, pear and peach trees. filled with young
1rllt, and they raise an abundance Of grapes
Minnesota still offers the most controlling adj
Nanta%cS TO the settler. The soil in large
portion Of the State. is exceedingly rich and
productive, and. for hcathtulncss OF climate. il
! probably has not an equal upon the American
continent.
We must not forget 10 mention that the St.
ItlIl and Pacific railroad i finished from st
Paul to several miles beyond ST. Anthony. and
some seventy miles more are to be completed
mp the Mississippi during the present year Mr.
lice, the President. and Mr.. Ltchticd the
contractor. are now in Europe making arrange
ments to have it extended to the head of nayi-
CATION on the Red River OF the North at an
early day. BY the courtesy of Mr. Litchfield
superintendent, and Mr.. Mastcrson. attorney
Tor thc road, and III company with Captain
Hendricks. Of the Chicago and Northwestern
railway, we had our first ride on a railroad in
Minnesota. 1t is part Of the line OF the great
North Pacific railroad, on which we hope to
live to ride 10 the western shore, of the CON.
tInent.