New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-09-04
TIE ST. PAUL And PACIFIC RAILROAD

IMPORTANT LINK IN THE NORTHERN PACIFIC
g. ROUTE-FRoNTIER TOWNS IN 1HE NORTH
WEST-LOSr ON THE PRAIRIEs
SHAKOPEE CREEK, Mimi, Aug. 10.-0n reach
ing st. Paul. few days ago. took the first train the
St. Paul and Pacific Railroad, preparatory to q plunge
into the open wilderness Since my arrival here party
OF influential gentlemen under the auspices Of leading
clearinghouse OF New-York, have passed through for
Pugets Sound to determine definitely upon the easbl
ty OF this route TO the Pacific Though the
terminus Of this route to be Lake SUPERIOR its real
terminus will be st. Paul; and the st. Paul and Pacific
Railroad, beng the only link to connect 1t with gen.
line.
Viewed in this light, this latter road assumes an I'm.
p0rance which will Justify account OF It, The pres
ent objective point Of this line is Brecknrdge, the
the Red River PA miles west OF st. Paul The bonds OF
the Company all held in Holland the proxies being in
the hands Of Geo. j. Becher the President, Who like
Mnnesotians In general, is young man, and has the
Western men, The road has cost $4,000 mile Work is
Deg pushed along the whole ne and before the close
OF the the cars will be running to Breckenridge,
Wild uncuitivaed tract Of 1870 miles Already,
however, emigration setting In toward this region, the
arrivals OF Scandnayans at St. Paul being at the rate OF
Red Riverfur trade will be tapped at Breckinridge
This trade s carried on by the halfbreeds in wooden
cartsnO scrap OF iron about them-each drawn by q
single dog or and moving in trains Of 1900 and up
ward. These rude caravans OF the Wilderness will
within few months be met by the heavy trains OF the
St. Paul and Pachc-the one an index OF expiring bar
barism, the other Of advancing civilization.
After being smoothly bowled through the "Bg Woods
we set down by the construction train the
Here found the town OF Darwin, literally sprlnglng
into existence. Taking private carriage pushed on 10
miles TO Greenfield, beautiful thriving town on the
borders Of fine lake. and the seat Of land-Ofice.
gentleman perhaps 80 years OF who was travelling
with happened to give his name Greenfield care
you OF the proprietor Of the place." asked my
panlOn g. suppose am the proprietor myself" said
he, with goOdnatured smile. mention the incident
showing that the foundations Of this rising State
are being laid almost entirely by young men.
Taking buggy, 1 started west on a
pralre-trail along the line Of the railroad.
Toward evening came TO an engineers camp at Foot
LAKE. lGo niles west OF ~ raul ana louaa tIan tne
party whom hoped to meet had moved on fifteen miles
further to Shakopee Creek You'll find 1t difficult to
reach there tonight" said the engineer for five miles
beyond here will pass the last house, and the trail
grows fainter and fainter" Taking young frontiersman
TO guide me- started forward. How far said "does
this prairie exteBd" "TO Sund0Un" the character.
stc reply The air pure transparent and as bracng
seabreeze. We the watershed OF the CONT
nent, with nothing in sight but boundess sweep OF
prairie dotted with clumps OF trees, and Dlad with
beautiful lakes, so clear that they have impaired
tinted, water. Night set in after we had
passed the cabin OF the outermost settler.
III that mist up" said guide, pointing to a
white wreath In the distance, We gone up" About
rugged post suTm0unted by buifal0's head was de-
scrod but 10 q cipher without the key. Taking one
fork random discovered that were certainly
LOST and IN the vain hope that our camp might pc near
shouted till hoarse The cold night chilled US
through though wrapped in buffalo skin. At length
my guide got out at low knoll, examined carefully on
LIS knees, and then starting up exclaimed confidently,
." know where areI passed that knoll once and re-
member IL Welt" Yet there were thousand such all
around u.s. At o'clock in the morning deserted the
sadowy outlines OF tents and soon proving
but engineers blanket under him. Just as proved
few hours later when sat down 10 steaming cup OF
coffee with light biscuit and frcasseed game how well
one can fare IN camp pitched ten miles beyond the last
set