The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1865-08-04
81. Paul and Superior Railway ana
Commerce Of the Lakes.

The prospect of an early connection OF
the Mississippi River and Lake Superior
by the line of the above road, now being
constructed, justly excites the most san
guine expectations on the part of all classes
Of our people, and it is nearly impossible
to overestimate the grand results and adj
vantages that are sure to come to all
classes, all branches of trade, and every
species of property, when We are brought
IN close connection with the mighty COM
merce growing up on the lakes.
The following article from q late num-
Der of the Scientific american, strikingly
illustrates what this trade now is, but the
imagination can hardly reach the grand
result, when it shall be fully developed by
the settlement of the country, and the
completion of the lines Of transit from
year to year, to add to commerce
which, wonderful as it is, is still but
in its infancy. The Scientific american
says:
The commerce Of the great Lakes amounts
at present to at least twelve hundred millions
of dollars annually, and increases so rapidly
that all estimates Of its prospective value have
hitherto fallen short Of the truth. 1t employs
about two thousand vessels and twenty thou
sand sailors, besides four great lines OF railroad.
1t sends to the seaboard one hundred million
bushels of grain, two million hogs and half a
million of cattle; composing the principal part
of the food of the Atlantic States and afording
large surplus for expectation. It being well
known that the wheat crops of New York
would hardly feed her people for one-third Of
the year and that those Of New England is suf-
ton. The cereal wealth yearly foated on
these waters now exceeds one hundred million
bushels. 1t is difficult to present distinct
idea of q quantity 90 enormous. Suffice 1t to
say that the portion Of it (about two-thirds)
moving to market on the Erie and Oswego
canals, requires line of boats more than forty
miles long to carry 1t.
On the lakes it requires feet OF five thous-
and vessels, carrying twenty thousand bushels
each. If loaded in railroad cars of the usual
capacity, it would take two hundred and fifty
thousand miles in length. The four great
lines from the lake to the seaboard would each
have to run four hundred cars day for bali
grain trade is new fact in the history Of man
IN quantity it already much exceeds the whole
export of cereals from Russia, the great com
peer OF the United States, whose total export
Of cereals was in 1857 but forty.nine million
bushels, being less than half the amount car
RED in 1854 upon the American lakes. 1t wa
the constant aim of ancient Rome, even in the
zenith of its power, to provision the capita
and its adjacent provinces from the outlying
portions of its empire. The yearly crop con
tributed BY Egypt, was fifteen million bushels
Under the prudent administration Of Empero
severus, large store Of corn was accumulated
and kept on hand, sufficient to guard the EN-
pire from famine tor seven years. The pro
duct of 1860 in the five Lake States of Ohio
Michigan, Indiana, Illinois and Wisconsin, wa
three hundred and fifty-four million bushels.