The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1864-11-18

At the rate the trade was growing f,r q year
or two before the past two seasons of drought
and low water depressed it, the number of ar
rivals would have swelled to 500 this past
year. The freight business alone would have
supported trade of this magnitude. There
must have been fully half million of bushels
of grain awaiting shipment at the opening of
the season, from points along the Minnesota.
Not more than 1sO, COO of this has been de-
ported this year, leaving. with the harvest of
this year, the same amount to be brought out
next season. If the stage of water in the
Mississippi should be good next year. releas-
ing the large feet of low-water boats en-
ployed this summer In that trade, this vast
surplus of grain will, with few weeks of
good water in the Minnesota, all be deported.
Tho Mollie Mohler, neat stern-wheel
packet, Is the only boat built for the Mime
sofa River trade this year. She was built for
the Carver line, by the Houghton brothers.
THE ST. LOUIS TRADE
This year has been very light, there being
only twenty-three arrivals from that port. The
Rapids at Rock Island were the principal bar
to navigation, as well as the low water
The Northern Line Packet Company"
which plies between st. Louis and s.. Paul,
was organized in 1858, transient trips having
been made the season previous with great sue
cess. The arrivals from St. Louis in 1858 were
172, and the trade between the two ports has
annually increased. Last year the arrivals
were much decreased from the same cause as
this yea, but it is certain that it will hence
forth, and perhaps always, be Trade of much
importance.
THE N. W. PACKET COMPANY.
This Corporation was organized in the win.
ter Of 1864 as q successor to the Dunleith
and Prairie Du Chen Packet Co. The Com
pany was originally styled the Galena Packet
Company, and was organized In 1847. 1t was
composed Of Campbell s. Smith, Brisbois &
Rice, II L Douseman, H. H. Sibley, and NJ. w.
Lodwick. The boats touched St. Paul Chen
Pigs Eye SettlemenD on their way to Men
dota. A small steamboat named the largo"
was the first boat put into the trade by the new
company. The Argo ran till October, when it
was sunk by q snag near Wabashaw.
In the summer of 1913, the CDR. Franklin ,
succeeded the lost boat. In 1849 the Senator
was added to the line under Capt. Orrin Smith,
afterwards President of the Company. In the
fall of that year the Senator was replaced by the
Nominee, under Capt. Smith. The Ben Camp
bell was built in the winter of 1851, and ran
part of the summer of 1852. In 1849 80 and
81, the packet line ran twice week; In 1852,
three times week. In the summer of 1852
q great steamboat> contest followed the Har-
rises running the new st. Paul, against the
packet company. In the fall the boats consol-
dated, and so great was the increase of business,
owing to the rush of immigration, that in 1854
the packet company built three new steamers;
six trips week mere made. During this sea-
son the old DR.. Franklin and Nominee were
unfortunately sunk.
In June 1885, the opening of the Galena and
Chicago Union Railroad gave great impetus
to the trade. In 1856, the number of boats
was increased by the addition of the Northern
Belle (new) and Granite State. The Lady
franklin was lost during the summer. In the
winter of1S56, the Dubuque line of boats was
consolidated with the old packet company.
The Dunleith line of three splendid boats was
established. The Prairie du Chen and st.
Paul Company also put on three boats in that
trade opened in the spring of 1857, by the com.
pletion of the Milwaukee and Mississippi Rail-
road This season five new boats the North
ern Light Grey Eagle, Key City, Itasca and
Milwaukee were brought out, and the COM
pany remained substantially the same until it
changed into the |" North Western" which re-
tains most of its property.
THE LA CROSSE PACKET COMPANY
was organized in 1860 by Capt. w. F. David
son, who withdrew his packets Favorite and