The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1864-02-26
IDAHO.
THE ROUTE THROUGH MIN
NESOTA.
MEMORIAL OF THE ST. PAUL
chan BIER OF com ME n CE.

To lis Erceiiency, tile President Of the United
States:
Your memorialists, the Chamber of Com
merce OF the city of st. Paul, would respect
fully represent that a line of military posts
from the western boundary of Minnesota to
the gold fields of Idaho, is imperatively de-
manded by combination of interests to which
we beg leave very briefly to call your atten-
tiOn a.
Firstly, The information obtained by the
recent expedition of Captain Fisk, and from
other sources, makes it certain that feasible
route can be opened direct to Idaho-shorten-
ing the distance usually travelled about 800
miles.
In these days Of air lines and direct routes,
the simple statement of this fact will suggest
its importance to the Government, in opening
up easy communication between the distant
and remote sections of our country, aff0rding
safe facilities for emigration, encouragement to
the settlement and development of the resour-
ces of our unsettled territories, saving millions
of dollars (presently and prospectively) in the
transportation of mails, and establishing social
and commercial relations with the Pacific
States, by bringing them into nearer neighbor-
hood, and annihilating the distance which is
calculated to ALLEVIATE and estrange
Secondly, The route proposed is through a
good agricultural country, well supplied with
wood, water and grass, and for these reasons
is destined at once to be settled and occupied
by population which, in a very few years,
will supersede the necessity of military posts,
and form the nucleus of new. States and Terri
tories. All other routes travelled have been
found deficient in these important advantages
Thirdly, The establishment of such posts,
in the estimation of military men is demanded
by the exigencies Of the Indian war; If this
war is ever to be ended, it is believed that it
must be done by transferring the base of ope-
rations from this State to the territory OF the
enemy. We can never afford to fold our arms
and wait the time and pleasure of these In
dams to attack us. The base of operations
should be in their own country, and while
the presence of troops at these posts will
serve the purpose Of protecting emigrants and
opening up by actual settlement great high
way to the Pacific, giving the government an
ample return for its outlay, in the advantages
just above recited; it will, at the same time,
greatly facilitate the solution of our Indian
difficulties, and prove in the end the most eff
icient and the most economical means of
holding these savages in check, and compell-
ing them to sue for treaties advantageous to
the Government.
With Saint Paul as base Of operations, the
war will be long and expensive. The summer
is consumed in fitting out and marching to the
enemy's country, and the fall in returning to
the base, to lie idle during the winter.
For these reasons and that the great incubus
of an Indian war on our States prosperity may
be removed, that our State may receive that
protection to which it is entitled at the hands
of the general Government, and that toe other
interests already alluded to may be subserved,
we ask for the establishment of line of mill
tary posts, commencing at or near Big Stone
Lake and extending to the gold fields of Idaho
upon the most direct and practicable route
j. c. BURBANK, President.
J. w. McCLuNe, Secretary.