The Portage County Democrat. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1863-08-19
TIE MINNEsoTA ROUTE.

into the new route hItberward."
THE MINNESOTA ROUTE.
The first recorded trading journey from
the Red River to the Mssissipp was in 1920,
exigencies of the Red sRiyersSettle=st /
menti obliged them to procure seed from Pra- 4
irie du Chen, then the most northerly settless4
ment on the Mississippi The voyage. was
accomplished allthe way by water, Except a. 8
narrow portage between Big Stone Lake and
Lake Traverse All a later day, 1xhenBithe.
settlements began to growrich, ldreves of thesa
Red River cattle were sometimes brought oy-5a
er this route to Mendoza" sfsss1
sit was in 1874, two tothree years before
the settlement of St. Paul, that the first trad 2
ing trip was made between these points. IT,
was undertaken by our fellow townsman,i
Norman w, Kittson, ESQ.,, who established a
trading post at Pembina, on the edge of the Z
company's jurisdiction -butswithia tie interna-
tional boundary line. a. e he first three or four
annual trips were made at positive loss, but
attention was thereby called TO the advafita-
ges of the new route and it soon drew quite
a large travel over it. From this time. which
was about the date of the organization of the
Territory, the trade annually increased, and
soon became one of great importance to the
growing young city Of St Paul. ''i' iaeiH' q :
3 a'o.21' THE pEMB1NA CARTS. ,',' '''.'5 =
t. "The transportation soon began to be made,
by the peculiar two-wheeled vehicle still in
use, called a Pembina cart-beipg constructed
by the enterprising colonists, entirely of wood
| at cost of about SIS each. Into. this cart,
by rude harness of hide, is shitched an OK or.
pony, and load varying from 500 to 700 lbs.
drawn steadily for 10 and Is miles, per, day,
during this four weeks annual journey over
the smooth prairie roads road between here, and
Pembina .....s,,;,. ~, ,s.,,,,,.--s,5s,4ss se
:, From five to six hundred of these rude
carts, drawn by the swarthy half lf-breeds of the
Red River colonies, have visited our city each
summer for the past twelve or fifteen years.
4 During 1853 and the TIVE subsequent seasons,
the number was reduced, somewhat, as the
steamboat running on Red River took a part
OF thestrade usually done by theeearts. This
4 season the boat is not running owing to low
water, but the Indian troubles on the frontier
and the high prices of goods hageJ Jeduced the
number of carts this year to 275.,,o13 s1s ~
GA large mum Der of these carts came from
q the British side In 1867, 800 came from be-
yond the line. Theirre loads were esti-
!, mated at $50 each or $45,o00 in all.lh The
4 following ayea- 400 came from thst side. This
: is in spite of the duties levied on both sides of
! the line." 49,
.noT THE ARTICLES OF TRADE = 5ssnii'
5 "The carts generally bring down furs. and
t in such quantities that 100000 worth have
: been received here in a single year. They
r take back loads Of such merchandise as they
4 most need in their settlement. Among these
: we note groceries, such as teas. Coffee sugar
: spices, liquors. and tobacco. Dry goods
S mostly cloths, blankets, and ready. made
clothing, hats, boots, and Shoes Tin, wooden
and hollow ware, stoves and other household
: articles are largely purchased. Powder and
: lead guns. and tools are also staples with
/. them, while drugs to some extent, leather
6 nails and glass complete the list. In farm
:. and garden implements, the trade is large
~ Ploughs, hoes, spades, forks, scythes, and sv
= cry other agricultural tool is bought. Sine
: about 1856 number of reaping and thresh
# ing machines have been taken to Red rive
v and, more latterly, se,oing machines are oh
IS served to figure. If the average of pas
,r years, holds good this year, over $4,000
ir worth Of goods have been bought by sthes
$ swarthy northmen. One house alone, report
" having sold them $4,000 worth of tobacco.
ofI7 fs THE FUTURE OF THE, TRADE. ioI .
y " For several years-indeed since soon al
d ter the settlement of Minnesota-the4 projet
Of of arailroad through our : tate to this regio
10 has been necessity evident toall The ad
o, Yantages of this route for northern branch
n. the Pacific Railroad has long been urged, an
a. acknowledged, too by those who will have
ct controlling influence in the location Of th
il, road when built. We say awhen built, q f
Fl it is only a5matserI of time. That the ric
u areas toaour northwest will at very futul
m day have railroad communication to bot
the Pacific and5Atlantic seaboards, no on
who reflects on the rapid devefopemento tof til
a. northwest can doubt Already the rails al
an stretching from our city Red -River-ward, an
ad 1--we look forward with bright hopes, soon t
l.. be realized, when the trains of ereaking PEN
he bina carts willgive way to trains of cars, cal
a. rying to the Red River valley our 'manufa,
- lures and darnerchandise, and bringing thene
rr the products ofithat region to swelltou trad
and enrich our city.n lI sI 5eHTo1AA p1sis2
of + tElS--------------.. II --2----iit 'sE
or DEATH OF JUDaE CoRwIN.-Hon. John
Il Corwin, well known throug nout. the Ohio
" an able lawyer, and formerly Judge of Il
he Supreme Court of this State, died at Urban
y, on the 18th inst. Judge Corwih volunteers
. in the three months service, was elected Cal
! tainsof accompany raised by him in Urban
!, but i'll health untitled him for service. '7
IL 1ea -4-ss7-ta s2sIslEs asstSssT f5a4zsa
a i In Canada, 50 great is the plethora
- American silver, that half dollars go, for fo
st ty-e eight cents, quarters for twenty-four, t.
a cent pieces for nine and Eve cent pieces +
iss four.