The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1863-01-09

Special Correspondence of the Philadelphia Press
aa WASHINGTON, Dec. 17.-One of the
most remarkable improvements ever con-
templated by statesman, for the benefit
of his country, in this or in any age, is now
under the consideration of one of the Com
mittees of the Senate of the United States,
on the motion of the experienced and sa-
gacious Senator from Minnesota, the Hon.
II. n. Rice. Jo5ariy Bro 5FEorV #oF
Mr.. Senator Rice has introduced bill
granting a million acres of land to aid in
the construction of a canal between the
headwaters of the Minnesota river and the
Red river of the North, and to improve
the channels of the uppor portions of said
rivers. .qs8 Sis as gsT 5e 985
+ The proposition is simple, and the grant
of lands in that remote region to the
amount asked not calculated to startle,
either from its amount or value. 1t is only
when We examine the maps, and discover
the magnitude ofkbe results which a con-
summation of the plan will work out, that
We are amazed at its commercial and mill
itary grandeur. -aoeqa fila esa 4sallanI91
i The. Minnesota River takes its rise in
Big Stone Lake, about three quarters of
a mile distant from Lake Traver, the
source of Sioux Wood River, which is The
main branch of the Red River of the
North, if not the Red River ITSELF So
level is the ground lying between Big
Stone Lake and Lake Traver, that in
rainy seasons batteaux have easily passed
from one to the other /. On both rivers
steamboats, now regularly ply. The Min
nesOta River Git is called St. Peters River
on the old maps) flows circuitously, en-
tirely across the State of Minnesota, from
west to east, and affords a fine outlet for
the rapidly increasing productions of q
large and populous region. The Red River
Of the North, after furnishing boundary
line to the State of Minnesota, and the
Territory of Dacotoh, flows north into Lake
Winnipeg. Both rivers, with but little
labor on their channels near their source,
are admirably calculated for steamboat
navigation. When connected by canal,
a steamboat from Lake Winnipeg can be
propelled directly to St, Louis and to New
Orleans! Not only could steamboat
be propelled from New Orleans some 8, 900
miles on the waters of the Mississippi, the
Minnesota, and the Red Riverof the North,
to Lake Winnipeg, but it could then pass
due aoest, up the waters of the Saskatcha-
wan River, seuen hundred miles, to Ed
monitor House, which is but one hundred
and fifty miles east from the gold diggings
on Fraziers River, in British Columbia! q
IAN improvement of the outlet Of Lake
Winnipeg (the Severn River), would fur
nish navigable channel from New Or
leans toiHudson's Bay. The Saskatcha-
wan is, it will be seen from thelmaps, the
natural commercial outlet of all those vast
regions which are watered by Mackenzie's
River and Lakes Athabasca, Slave and
Great Bear, and their numerous tributaries.
The immense region of country opened'up
totrade and commerce. by the construction
of canal of less than a mile in length, has
a Typographical area ts0ice as large as thai
Of al tie STATES Of this Union lging east
of he Mississippi Riuer True, it is now
thinly populated; and its trade, al this
time, would compare badly with that of
New York or OF. Philadelphia Construct
that, canal, and what would be the extent,
in one or tsco years after its completion, of
hepopulation and trade in the fertile val.
leys of the Minnesota. the Red River, Lake
Winnipeg. and the Saskatchewan River,