Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1869-05-14
THE ST. cRoIx VALLEY.
Prospects Of Cheap transportation.

too familiarly known to need from US a
single word of commentator. It's rep
utation is established rs one of the 'gar-
den spots" Of the Northwest. The fact
that hundreds Of strangers come to make
their homes with us, each succeeding
year, is the best of evidence that people
rely on what has been laid descriptive Of
ifs agricultural and manufacturing re-
sources and the wealth Of the adjoining
lumber regions. We shall not. theref re.
repeat the old story of inducements"
but consider briefly the advantageous
position the valley will occupy for easy
communication with the world, and the
cheap transportation of our produce to
market, when the various routes of travel
become developed. Let us horoscope
the future and build on paper the lines
of railroad which will be built in fact
within another decade With these
| before us, and the routes we now have,
we cannot fail to note our central posi-
ton, and the opportunity we shall then
have TO send our grain to foreign mar,
kets at greatly reduced rates.
In the first place, Nature has given
us water route by leading the ST..
Croix river through the valley and bring
ing the mighty Mississippi, the great
inland thoroughfare of the nation, to
our door Down the "Father of Wa
ters' our produce should 90. for, with
fair competition, it is the cheapest route
from the northwest to the seahoard.
Again. we shall. ere long, have
Northern Pacific Railway, with its cas-
tern terminus at st. Paul. which will
give us direct communication with the
Pacific coast by a r. ad equal, in com
mercial value. TO the one just 'mpleted.
Should our land grant be extended at
the next session of Congress, we shall
have a railroad from Prescott to Lake
Superior which will pass through the
heart of the valley and connect us with
the great lakes. affording US one of The
cheapest routes for the transportati Of
wheat and merchandise to and from the
East during the months Of navigation.
If we should lose the grant, the road
now being pushed forward from St.
Paul to Duluth will render US almost an
equal service in the eastern trade.
The Green Bay and Lake Pepin road,
already commenced, will give us another
line TO compete with others in freights,
and one which we predict will be of
moro service to the st. Croix Valley
than its present route would seem to
indicate. 1t cannot be denied that the
mos; natural aud really most practicable
point on the Mississippi for its western
terminus is at Prescott. II can here
cross the river at a small expense, COM
pared with crossing at Lake Pepin,
besides connecting with the Hastings d.
dakota road that penetrates one of the
most fertile regions of Minnesota. For
these and other reasons we believe the
Green Bay road will eventually come to
Prescott.
The West Wisconsin railway. from
Tomah, will soon give us ali outlet to
the south and east, and add still another
competitive route for the transportion of
our produce. This road is sure tocomp,
and whether terminating at Prescott or
Hudson, it will aid materially in the de-
:eIopment of the portion of the valley
through which it is built.
Thus briefly are enumerated the sew
eral lines which IN few years will be in
active competition. Located at point
whence these routes radiate-routes too
opposite in direction for the giant Monop
ely to gather them 10 his hand to scourge
the people--we shall be able to secure
the lowest freights in transporting our
grain to market. No country is more
fortunately situated for the people to re
ceive the benefit whi:h just competition
is sure to bring forth.
The cost of getting our wheat to mar
ket has been, and is enormous. While
prices ruled high, this was not so keenly
felt. and mammoth companies were or
ganized and the pockets Of the stock
holders filed without the farmer reali-
ziug the crushing burden they were lay
ing upon him. But high prices for
wheat are among the things that were.
and as the market stands at present, the
exhorbitant freight charges fail not to at
tract the attention of producers, buyers
and shippers. We must find a rem
edy for this evil. Every penny We re
duce the cost of carrying our grain to