The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1864-01-15
SAINT PAUL. FRIDAY. JANUARY Is. 1864
,higan. This large reduction Of land

Michigan. This large reduction Of land
transit would unquestionably divert con-
siderable portion of this trans-continental
traffic from the great central routes
through Minnesota and enrich our State
with the commerce of two worlds. Thus
by connection with Lake Superior, an
other powerful inducement is given to the
construction of the Minnesota Valley line,
not only as an avenue Of local trade, but
as an intermediate link in the great chain
of Pacific and Atlantic communication.
The aid of Congress, and the counte-
nance of the Legislature, will undoubtedly
be required to complete the work assigned
to Minnesota in this continental pro-
gramme, and am confident that whatever
safe and prudent legislation or moral sup
port in Congress may be required to pro-
mote these important objects, will be
cheerfully granted. 1t will be wonder
full witness to the world abroad and to fu-
ture ages, of the prodigious energies fos-
tered by the free institutions of this great
American Republic, if while engaged with
one hand in suppressing the migbtiset re-
bellion that ever convulsed nation, or
menaced civilization, it shall push forward
this stupendous project of a Pacific Rail-
way to completion, and erect the grandest
monument of peaceful industry upon earth,
amid the clangor and havoc of the worlds
greatest civil war. Let US hope that Min
nesota, which has sustained 80 glorious
share in the victories of the battlefield,
may bear no ignoble part in this enduring
and more benefcent conquest of peace.
Within two years new gold fields of sur
passing richness have been developed on
the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains
in the latitude of Minnesota, which may be
reached within six hundred miles of our
western boundary. Recent explorations
by citizens of this State, under the COM
mand of Capt. James L. Fisk, by authority
of government, have demonstrated the great
superiority Of this Minnesota route to the
new Ell Dorado, in other respects scarcely
less important than distance; and if it
could be made safe from hostile Indians,
much of the immense emigration to those
mines, with the business it creates, would
undoubtedly flow through this State. /
would, therefore, recommend that Con-
gress be memorialized to establish chain
of military posts, and provide escorts for
grant of lands to extend the Winona and
St. Peter Railroad, and the St. Paul and
Pacific main line to Idaho.
| The last Legislature passed an act in ac-
cordance with the authority of Congress,
empowering the St. Paul and Pacific Rail-
road Company to use certain portion of
their land grant in building railroad from
St. Cloud to Lake Superior. The Company
did not accept the transfer, and the hope
of opening direct communication between
the upper Mississippi Valley and Lake Su-
perior is thus postponed. Such an outlet
is of great Importance to the development
of that region, and as it is now the estab-
lished policy of Congress to use the public
lands to promote the settlement and i'm
| provement of the country, would call
your attention to the propriety Of asking
that body for grant of lands for a rail-
road from the Upper Mississippi to Lake
| Superior.
1 have dwelt thus at length upon these
topics because am deeply impressed with
the conviction that the future expansion of
the population and wealth of this State de-
| pends upon the extension of railroads into
our rich interior districts. The speedy de-
velopment of our railroad system will be
our strongest and most cordial invitation
to the thousands of emigrants who are
f1ocking to our shores from the old world,
and if, when peace shall be restored and
our armies disbanded, these avenues to
market shall be opened from our wild and
0, hor,
that tens of thousands of the brave men
whose heroic devotion shall have secured
the final triumph of freedom, will sit down
to enjoy its fruits with their families in the
Free Homesteads which the munifcence of
our government offers to all who will ac-
| cept the boon, throughout more than forty
millions of acres of our wide and fertile
| domain.
The extent to which, in spite of the
drawbacks of the times, settlements have
already been made in our State, under the
| Free Homestead Law, is an encouraging
augury of the henefts that will be realized
from it under more auspicious circum-
stances. In response to inquiries upon
this subject, the Register, of the Land Of
fees in five of the districts, have furnished
me with the following statistics:
Acres.
liz the Minneapolis land district, $40
entries have been made under the
Homestead Law, covering. ....... 1921
In the Winnebago City land district,
| 1870 entries have been made, cover
ing g;...;:.;....;...;.;:..:........ ;...;:. 1870. 900
In the st. Peter land district. 1921
entries have been made covering, 145 800
| In the Taylor's Falls land district. loo
entries have been made, covering. 1896
In the st. Cloud land district 465 en-
tries have been made. covering. "a 400
Total number of entries, 1876, cover.
ing....: ............. 46s, ,2e6
More than half of the entries are esti.
mated to have been made by new corners.
The reports of the various departments
afford a gratifying evidence of the industry,