The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1869-07-15

moro. would say that this road ,oM
be built. With a land grant of forty
sections per mile the Northern Pacific
Railroad mustbc built wi hin ten years,
and believe tia. within Eve years wo
can go frem hereto. Puget Sound in q
railroad car. Flo referred to tho early
days Of Minnesota whom railroads were
built with land grants Of only six to
ten sections per mile. This was all
dono amid terrible financial crisis, the
Sioux war, and tho Rebellion. When
With these small grants Minnesota has
been literally gridlroncd with railroads,
tho forty sections TO the milo grant Of
tho Northern Pacific and tho character
Of tho men who have hold Of it assure
US that tho thing will DO done. I have
no more faith than they have, but ain
less backward in saying what l think.
l am glad VIC have met you here, and
feel happy over the prospects. live
have tho lands VIC believe We have,
tins road will be built, and within a
reasonable length Of time. The road
itself will pay. Montana has now o
population Of G0,000 people, gone there
in few years, making tho long jour
ney in wagons. When wo built rail-
roads il Minnesota wo started out for
no place in particular. When We build
the Northern Pacific We will strike for
Montana with its gold mines. The
business Of that Territory alone will
pay a god percentage on the construc-
ton Of the road. Tho speaker referred
to tho wealth Of Idaho, which would
be tributary, and to the commerce of
China, Japan and tho Indies, seeking a
transit by this, the shortest route
With such q country, such a land
grant and such men, the road must be
built. It is National matter which
the government must appreciate. There
can DO no such word as fail. + am
happy to be ablo to-day to take the
first dinner on the Northern Pacific
Railroad. And I will say, before clos.
ing, that St. Cloud has demonstrated
her capacity to be the base Of supplies
The speaker was interrupted by fire.
quent bursts Of applause, and as he
sat down was greeted with rounds o.
cheers.
Hon. E. 0. Hamlin said:
I Mr.. PRESIDENT AND, GENTLEMEN
|-There are some Of US here present, who
have spent many years on this frontier
feeding upon the unsubstantial diet o.
hope. I remember very we'll when the
weekly mail was our only regular meth
cd of communication with the outside
world. I shall never forget how thu
most urgent business was suspended
and all alike put aside for the presen
the most pressing engagements to rea:
the letters aud news which that mai
brought. 1t was glad day for u
when we exchanged the weekly for tn
daily mail, and the stage coach Of tn,
latter for the lumber wagon Of the 9th
er. There are few of our citizens her
present who do not remember the wear,
days ride from St. Cloud to st. Paul
from four in the morning until dark i,
the evening, with the breakfast a
Clearwater and the supper at Minneap
oils. But though poor in those day
in external surroundings, we were ricl
in hope. We fondly believed we shout,
have seen many railroads ere this, ant
each man was sure they svoulA run int
has toaon ! But that Time, which
sometimes slowly but always surel!
changes all things in this world 0
ours, has brought us the iron rails, ans
the little wires with their news from
over the sea. To those of you, Gen
tlemen, who arc our guests to-day, &C
customed to the re6nements of Eastern
life, it may seem that our present posi-
ton is merely favorable standpoint
for hope but never take my seat il
the cars upon tho other side Of the riv
er that my memory does not 60 bacl
to those old days Of privation and hard
ship aud isolation from the world, ant
that I do not feel my heart swell will
thankfulness at the change And her
to.day-although I:yield to nc man il
sympathy with tho grea: enterprise yo'
have in hand; although I yield to III
man in glad welcome to these honore'
gentlemen who represent this magnid
cent undertaking of binding tcgethe
with the iron highway Of commerce til
waters Of our own Superior With thos
Of tho broad Pacific although I yiel'
to no man in appreciation Of Its grand
eur and desire for its fulfllment-m,
memory yet turns to the first rea
brightness which illumincd the dark
ness Of our isolation, and I offer you
sentiment consonant with these feelings
and I believe acceptable to us all:
The ST.. PAUL AND PACIFIC RAILROAD
The first-born child of our hopes; it wi
ever have the elder child's place in GU
memory.
This and tho calls of the compan,
brought forth Hon. Geo. L. Becker
President of the Road, who said
Mr.. MAYoR.-I desire to return
thanks to Judge Hamlin for the hand
some manner in which he has referre
to the road with which am connected
I have long known him as an able Law
yer and jurist, but never supposed h
had so vivid an Imagination. I woul
} recommend him to the Ledger as
tirst-class romance writer. I endors
all that Mr.. Window has said on tn
North Pacific and the necessity for it
} early construction. The St. Paul an
Pacific R. r. is already pointed towar
the Pacific coast, and all that can sto
it when it gets to the Fed River wi
} be to see a good commencement on tn
Northern Pacific. That road mast b
built. 1t is the great natural highwa
across the continent. 1t has advants
ges possessed by no other route. All
can say to Gov. Smith is, that he ha
} better commence his enterprise righ
away.
T. R. Delano, the Superintendent 6
the Road, being called for made hi
morous speech, in which, with man
good hits, he informed Gov. Smith tina
&c Ia Al roA h,,;IJ n ,o;lroo1 n ~