The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1864-07-29
LOCAL AFFAIRS.
Mississippi and Lake Superior
Ell. Railroad. sgsaq.
Twenty-one Miles Under Contract.
The Grading Being Done
Rapidly. ..taev 3;
The Route from the City Out---Pros-
poets of the Road, &c.

poets of the Road, &c.
Through the politeness of Messrs. Banning
and Branch, we enjoyed yesterday a pleasant
ride into the country, with an opportunity to
view the rapid progress of the work of grad
ing on the Mississippi and Lake Superior Rail.
road, from this city out
The grading of the road to Wyoming, a dis
lance of about twenty-one miles, has been con-
tracted by Mr.. Branch, who commenced work
about three weeks ago, at first with but few
men, but increasing his force as fast as laborers
could be obtained, until he has now between
seventy-fve and one hundred men at work,
with numerous teams for blowing or hauling
dirt, and expects soon to have a force, which,
united with those employed by sub-contractors,
will number two hundred or more
In going out of the city the road follows the
valley of Phalen's Creek to Phalens Lake. be.
ing at Seventh street crossing about fifty feet
above the bed of the creek, and reaching the
highest point on the prairie near Phalen's
Lake by generally easy grade, which does not
exceed at any point, a rise of eighty feet to
the mile. The present contract for grading
commences at the turn out switch of the Pa
cific road, near Third street crossing, the loca-
ton of depot and depot side tracks being not
yet decided, on account of a disposition to ar
range for union depot and connection with
the other roads leading from the city.
Between Sixth and Seventh streets common.
ces the first of the heavy cuttings and filings
which last until beyond the city limits. The
force of laborers is divided into convenient
parties, working OF several different points, and
have made such progress already as to justify
the belief that all the heavy grading at this end
of the road will be completed by four weeks
fir IN now, except, perhaps, o long deep cut in
the neigh borhood of Dr. Pattersons residence,
where, from the nature of the work only a
small force can be employed. The contractor
confidently expects to have the road entirely
graded and ready for the ties, to Wyoming, be-
fore the close of the present season, and we
have no doubt he will accomplish it.
Beyond Phalen's lake. on the prairie, Mr..
Branch intends to put in operation digging
machine which, drawn by eight yoke of exen
and attended by three men, will perform as
much work as one hundred men with picks
and spades could do. The machine has already
been tested, so that it is known exactly what
can be done with it.
We can heartily congratulate our citizens
and the people of Minnesota generally that the
ground is at last broke in earnest on this most
important outlet and inlet for our State, and
that so much actual progress is being made,
with good reason for the hope that before an
other summer has passed away, the cars will be
running regularly OF our Lake Superior road.
We find that those who are familiar with the
country through which the Lake Superior road
will pass anticipate for the Comyanya remu-
nerative business from the day the cars COM
mence running to Wyoming, White Bear and
Forest Lakes, they say, will draw larger crowds
of pleasure-seeking travellers The country is
productive and already well farmed, and a
brisk trade will spring up in the exchange of
country produce for city merchandise and man.
ufactures. When beyond White Bear. the
road strikes timbered country and as the
Company can have no fear of ever finding a
scarcity of fuel along its line, it will do
a profitable and large business in bring
ing firewood to the city. We all know
that the lumber of the st. Croix and Lake Su-
perior, and the mineral and agricultural re-
sources along the line, to be developed through
the building of this road, will give it an i'm
mense way trade, and we can reasonably anti
cipate that the exchange of farm products and
other commodities for the metals and other
products of the Lake Superior region will give
the road large business, aside from the i'm
ports and exports of our growing trade with
the seaboard. In view of the great importance
of this road to the future Of our city and State,
we can cordially unite in congratulations and
wishes for success to any through whose in
strumentality the work is actually being done
as now. ' tf0- fssr'
BIT BY RATTLEsNAKR One of the
male attendants upon little show that is now
exhibiting on Third strest In this city. yester.
day undertook to stir up the rattlesrakes to
show o doubling visitor that they were alive,
when one of the snakes, in striking at him threw
itself from the box (the cover being raised) "a
THEREFOR. The man carelessly took hold Of
the snake to return 1t to the box when 1t struck
its poison fangs which 1t appears had not beer
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