The St. Cloud journal., 1870-03-03
rHE FUTURE CAPITAL Of Pz1IHNEse,
!. r ++fft&s ii. 1l.s ~ *0sS
A GLANCE AT TIE slTUAT10k.
The Claims Of LitchAsla.
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L1rcHrlEED; slfxtKEk Co., MIH..,
-: lReb. 18th, 1870. u q

The Claim. q Lisehasla. -
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L'roH''Esp;s,,ssxI.ce f.. ace Co.. N,n:,
EDITOR JouRrxL-Since the capi.
tai of hlinuesota will probably within |.
few years be removed from its present
location, ard it, future site be selected
oy the people Of the State, it is. pr
h'ps not premature to begin to pre
sent aud compare the respective advan-
tages Of those !oca'i les most likely Il
be chosen for that purpose. Prcsum-
ing that the governing considerations
will be the interests and convenience of
the generations which are to follox us,
of people increased until our great
extent Of territory shall be populated
10 all its iohabltable portions and its ~
sources fally developed, that location
which in the future growth Of The
State will remain central in respect to
population and which possesses also the
important advantage Of direct and rspid
communication with all its parts, should
it seems, meet with the most favorable
consideration.
A glance at the map of Minnesota,
with knowledge Of the physical fsa-
lures Of the State, and taking into
view the course of the tide Of emiera-
ton which is flowing in upon u, v.r
rants the conclusion, l think, that that
region of country lying no1h Of tie
line of the St. Paul and Pacific Rail-
road and comprised principally in the
counties Of MonongaIis, Pops, sts.zn.
Douglas, Todd, Otter Tail, -1lssker
and Polk will eventually be entitled 70
about one-balt of the representation Of
the State. The dark pine forests ind
desert tracts of the north and uozth-
eastern part of the State, which can
never be thickly peopled and which it
is not improbable may sometime be3eng
to another State govsrnment, should
have little to do With the question.
The most rapid development Of settAs
ment of that region OF country which
can be reasonably anticipated will not
afford reason for looking north Of the
line of the St. Paul and Pacifc Rail-
road for situation for our capita. 5s~
The reservation of capital lands IN
Kandiyohl county, Of itself, gives their
locality no ri"h: Of preferment over any
other. Tie proceeds from the sals of
these lands may be applied to the erec-
ton Of capital buildings wherever they
may be situated. For: important rea-
sons, no part of Kaudiyohi county can
bo recommended for capital grounds.
Instead Of "howling sildernest," it
is broken prairie country, so remote
from timber and skelterius objects taat
for all future time it will be one Of the
most exposed situations in the whole
northwest. 1t does not lie on the nat.
ural line of a railroad running from the
St. Cloud country to the center or
southern part Of the State. Such a
road would in all probability divide
hecker county, one Of the most fertile
and beautiful Of the entire State, and
running west Of the Big Woods, would
intersect the St. Paul and Pa
cidc Railroad, at Litch6eld, thereby
opening through the finest farming
lands in the State ali the way sooth to
the hinnosota Valley. -
Mceker county, it will be seen, is
nearest the geographical center of that
portion of our territory which will, 10
The natural course of things, represent
the future population aud wealth of tLe
State. Litcbfeld IS located in the
most favorable spot il the county for =
capital city. Situated on the main
railroad line dividing the State from
east to west, aud which must soon be-
come the most popular thorougdfare of
travel between the east and the Pacific
coast at the probable junction Q! the
line of railroad which will divide the
State from north to south, thereby af-
fording the most direct communication
with every part Of the land !; sheltered
on the east and north by the Big
Woods and on the northwest BY re-
spectacle groves Of growing timber;
by beautiful lakes and
most delightful landscape, and lying in
the richest agricultural section Of the
State, it seems to possess OF promise
every advantage desirable for the seat
of government of our fourishing COM
mouwealth. N. H. C.
-Arthur's Uoue Mn0ozin. and the