The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1870-12-15
". B MTG HE'LL. EDITOR.
Thursday, Dec. l5,. 1870
THE INTERNAL IMPROVEMENT,
..-.T liz: LANDS

Il. AAuASudy O0C. ACs, 1ClC
THE INTERNAL IalPKOvENEN1,
.r':E !=@i :. . LANDS. -,
There seems to be no doubt but that
the Five Hundred Thousand Acres of
Internal improvement Lands, which
the bondholders so loolishly refused to
accept when rendered them, will be
devoted % their legitimate purpose
viz, internal improvements-by the
Legislature this winter. If properly
disposed Of, a vast amount Of good
can be done in the way Of devel-
oping the State. New lines of rail-
road can be built, and the growing
wants of the country be more Adequate
ly meet. There are prosperous sections
which demand an outlet to the great
markets, for their surplus products !;
as for instance tho entire Sank Valley
country. There are othor sections
which require what is superabundont
less than than hundred miles away :;
as the Minnesota valley, which looks to
St. Cloud to send it cheap lumber. The
growth Of the State may be advanced at
least ten years by the proper disposal Of
these lands. -.
One point is insisted on by the peo-
pie that not single acre shall go to
railroads already in operation. It is
quite as essential that there be oompe-
tition as that new lines traverse country
yet remote from markets. The produc-
ers are frightened in the grasp Of what
have become monopolies, and the only
relief-save in special legislation,
which can scarcely be hoped for is in
multiplying the means of transporta-
ton.
In an article on the proper disposal
Of these lands, the Wells .Altas, pub.
lished IN Faribault county, says of the
superior claims OF the St. Cloud and
Mankato road:
"Of still greater importance is the
road from Mankato to St. Cloud, which
will give the northwestern parts of the
State the advantage of cheap transport
tation far which they have SO long felt
the necessity, and the southern part a
competing lumber market, reducing
the price per thousand to the consume r
from two to five dollars. 1t will give
the country through which it passes,
which by the way is mostly prairie,
cheap lumber aud cheap coal, and cause
it to settle up rapidly, adding largely to
the resources 10 the State. j
"Suppose for instance that 100000
: acres should be given to this limo,
worth half a million dollars. The con-
struction and equipment of the road
would involve the outlay of 100000
at once. In less than five years
as much more would be invested in
towns along its route, giving employ
ment to thousands of persons, and
creating demand for the productions
or the country. Lands along the route
would rise in value from So. so to $40,
then to $40, and $50, and in less than
ten years to $50, per acre."
It may not be out Of place here to
extract few paragraphs from an arti-
Gle in the lova Northeast, on the Iowa
and Minnetota railroad, now located
from Wells, in this Stats, to Fort
Dodge, Iowa:
ut is the intention of Thompson Il
Co., the proprietors of this road, to
make it great coal and lumber carrying
route between the great coal fields at
Fl. Dodge and the lumber regions at
st. Cloud, with which point it will soon
connect.
"St. Cloud is becoming the head.
quarters Of tho great pine lumber trade
Of the Upper Mississippi, and is but -
miles east OF point directly north O.,
Fort Dodge.
IA road is now projected from St.
Cloud to Mankato which will shorten
up the distance, when completed, be-
tween TT. Dodge and St. Cloud, to
240 miles from Chicago.
"Lumber can be purchased much
cheaper at St. Cloud than at Chicag 60
and this taken together with tho differ.
ence in distance in favor of St. Cloud
will bring lumber at Fl. Dodge almost
down to Chicago prices.
"Northern Iowa as we'll as all of Min
=nesots has deep interest in the rapid
:, construction and early completion Of
the entire line from Ft. Dodge to St,
Cloud"
.s,. We learn this morning that party
, Of Col. Clark W. Thompson's is now on
gagged IN running line from Mankate
- this city, and have accomplished
nearly one-fourth tho distance. Their.
d nothing more certain than the early
construction Of the St: Cloud and Man.
kato railroad. -: .
I THE WAR.