The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1865-10-27
THE SUPERIOR RAILROAD.
Twenty-Five Miles Graded Ready
for the Ties and Iron.
RAPID PROGRESS OF HE
ROAD.
Its Value and Importance to
Our City.
The SUPERIOR RAILROAD.


On Thursday last, tour of inspection was
made by the Board of Directors of the Superior
and Mississippi Railroad, along the graded
track of said road. Several invited guests &C
eompanied the party, consisting of members
of the City Council, representatives of the
press, and others, making about dozen in all.
The trip demonstrated that the reports we
have mentioned from time to time about the
rapid progress Of the road, are facts and not
fiction. We found nearly twenty-five miles of
the road graded in very thorough and dur.
able manner-one creditable to the Engineer,
Contractors and Directors and fully equal or
superior to any other road in the State. We,
in common with the other visitors, were sur
prised at the rapid and energetic manner in
which the work had been pushed this season.
As but little was done in the summer of 1864.
Should the remainder of the work be prosecut-
ed as vigorously as this season, the road will
be in operation from st. Paul to Superior long
before its friends, even, now expect it. VIM.
Branch, ESQ.,, is experimenting the construc
ton and pushing it forward with his well
known energy.
THE LINE IN THE CITY.
After leaving the starting place in this city,
the party first visited and inspected the track
of the Road from the depot grounds to the
Paterson villa, on the Saltwater road. On this
section of the line some of the heaviest grad
ing of the whole route is done, yet the Engi.
neer, Gates A. johnson, ESQ, has succeeded in
l0cQtfnO n droot or6 ooc Orfo ,f oxif ant
of the city to the summit Of the high lands
beyond Phalons Lake. The Road starts, re-
ally, from the st. Paul & Pacific Railroad de-
pot on the Levee, as it. is the intention next
season, or as soon as practicable, for the two
Roads. in connection with the Winona & Saint
Paul Road, to erect q grand Union Depot at or
near the site OF the present unacceptable of
accommodating the passenger and freight bus.
iness of the three Roads.
THE CURVES AND GRADES
The Superior Road leaves the track of the
Pacific Road near the crossing of Third street,
and DIVORCES to the west bank of Phalon's
Greek, up which 1t proceeds a. far as Pater.
sons wills, where 1t crosses the Creek, and runs
up the valley of the same for couple of miles
farther, to the foot of the Lake. The grade on
this section Is only eighty feet to the mile, or
ten less than that on the Pacific Road, while
the curve Is very easy one. This. we learn,
the amount of work per mile to construct the
track Il also as great or greater than - any
other section. There are but two curves (and
those slight) on the whole line we went over
on Tnursday, the Road being practically an air
line.
After passing tho foot Of Phalon's Lake, the
Road proceeds IN almost straight line to the
left bank Of White Bear Lake. This route is
mostly over an open rolling prairie, and the
grade is quite an easy one. Meesrs. Cummings
and James Bell have the contract for grading q
two mile section nearly opposite the residence
Of the latter gentleman. This section is yet
unfinished, as they have been unable hitherto
have now gang competent to I'LL the gap be-
fore winter.
WHITE BEAR LAKE.
We need not give any description of this
Lake or surrounding scenery, as 1t Is too well
known to all to require it. The lake is the re-
sort of thousands of pleasure seekers and pic
nie-ers annually. The difficulty and expense
of reaching 1t by carriage has been great OBJ
stacle in the way of its becoming immensely
more popular as pleasure retreat than 1t now
Is. When the railroad is completed to this
are aseured-the rush tOit will be tenfold great
or than hitherto, while many of our merchants
will erect summer villas on its shores, and
those Of Bald Eagle Lake, near by. Much of
the travel to Saltwater will pass this way also,
as from the proposed depot site at White Bear
to Saltwater, the distance IS only nine miles,
against eighteen miles by the present stage
road from st. Paul to that city.
The region about White Bear and Bald Eagle
Lakes, Is quite well settled, and needs only the
railroad to swell it into o rich and populous
neighborhood. The soil Ia good, and the tim
Der abundant and thrifty.
BALD EAGLE LAKE.
The track runs very near the east shore of
Bald Eagle Lake, just at the inlet of the creek
flowing into it from White Bear Lake. Here,
as Is well known, is wide meadow, requiring
I'LL of some eight feet. We found gang of
Swedes numbering some fifty men, at work
almost up to their knees in water, but as this
KIND OF construction is necessarily slow, the
track Is not yet completed, but will be before
| frost comes.
Beyond Bald Eagle Lake, to Rice Greek,
| which, by the line Is twenty-five miles from
| st. Paul, the road passes over q sparsely tim.
bered prairie. nearly level and for six miles
! Offering no impediments to easy construction.
This section is all completed unbrcken to the
| swamp above mentioned at Bald Eagle Lake.
When the slight break there is filled, and
Messrs. Cummings & Bells section completed.
which will be in o month more, there will be-
| an unbroken track from the city limits to For
est Lake, some twenty-five miles.
THE FOREST REGION
Beyond Rice Creek, (Which is a rapid and
| deep stream, about o rod wide), Commences
the magnificent hardwood forest which
stretches all along the remainder of the road
| to the st. Louis River. The timber is of large
size and abundant, principally white oak and
maple. This Is one of the most valuable tim
bered districts of our State.
| BRICK CLAY.
We noticed just beyond Rice Creek, a cut
through q knoll of clay, which Is said to be q