Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1870-08-11
OUR MINNESOTA LETTER.

DULUTH, July %, 1870.
Again visit the "Zenth City," and again
am surprised at its rapid. progress towards
wealth and fame. But while there is much
here to admire. there is much, also, to con-
denim. In its rapid strides it has quite for
gotten the laws of health and life, and build
ings on the "point," tract where title is in
dispute, have been thrown up in huddle,
regardless of order, convenience or health
Hence in this "hurly-burly," little attention
has been.paid 10 cleanliness. or even deeency,
and from the filth there accumulated. a sick
ly poisonous. deadly atmosphere is ensendered
by which the inhabitants are carried off by
the score, daily. The excessive hot weather
adds fearfully to the mortality prevailing.
and the predominating disease is by some OF
The physicians, pronounced 10 be the cholera.
An earnest effort is made by the citizens 10
keep these facts hidden as far as possible; and
the mortality. thus far has been confined
mainly to the foreign population.
The leading citizens OF the city are, in the
main, quite we'll agreed 10 The matters of pol.
icy. But the two papers published here are
snarling at each other in rather disgraceful
manner. Neither has the physical courage
for square fight. or the moral courage to let
the other alone. DIR. Foster of the Minnesota
on, is an old war horse. and wields a power
full pen: while Mitchell. of the Tribune. is
more smooth. wary and yet caustic. The
cowardIy attack of Hanson, upon the Doctor
enlisted sympathy for him, and by it he has
gained an advantage which he will long
keep and use,
Of Duluth proper, little can be said, except
as TO IFS merits as commercial point The
country round about it is not. and never can
be a productive country. Grass may be
grown here successfully, and this with pota-
chapter. All concede that this is a favorable
season--the hest ever known here.yet the hay
ing is but Just commenced, and not a field Of
OATS is vet '.headed out" The pine forests
will furnish business for men teams and mills
for many years 10 come. The terminus of
the Northern Pacific will doubles IS be here
for the next five years, during which time
| Duluth will gain permanent foothOld. and
| predict that the day is not far distant when it
| will be bright star in the constellation of
| Northwestern cities. As per contract. five
| million dollars are TO be expended between
this place and Red River withen The ensuing
year very large share of which will be pail
! 10 laborers. and by them again in turn. to
the producer and the manufacturer. There
are one hundred and sixty-two copper COM
panies along the shores of Lake Superior, and
| they claim population exceeding sixty thou
sand. and rapidly increasing The opening
of this overland route then 10 this point on
| the Lake, affects not the point alone. but
| large share of Minnesota, and all North
western Wisconsin.
Fine steamers from Lake Michigan and six
from Lake Erie, to say nothing of smaller
crafts from intermediate points. now visit
Duluth regularly; and report bath it (and l
believe il to be well fOunded) that to this fleet
will soon be added six first-class propellers
from Buff 10 and Erie. And another report
| is, that fast line from COllingwood i'm Cana
| da is proposed, which, in connection with the
Grand Trunk Railway will put this place
within forty-eight hours time from New York
These are, TO say the least, fine things TO talk
about.
Another project among the wise ones here
is 10 secure the union OF this railroad with the
ST. Paul d Sioux City road. which will give
| Duluth line through the Minnesota Valley
through paris of Nebraska and Dacota. touch
| ing the Union Pacific west of Omaha, thus
| shortening the distance one hundred miles,
via Duluth from Chicago to San Francisco
| And this is another fine theme for speculation,
and il may prove to be practicable. as well.
A person is not allowed to remain single
day in Duluth without hearing substantial
men" discussing great public enterprises with
ability, knowledge and the most perfect con-
-. L.. L, n
such assurance that it would be presumptive
even 10 seem TO doubt the correctness of their
statements, and consequent conclusions.-
| The connection by rail Of deep water naviga-
! ton on Lake Superior with tide water on the
Columbia river, and Puget Sound, is only
comprehensive diversion or common counter
| talk, and every intelligent youth is supposed
TO know that the Nor;herH Pacific, with its
/ projected branches, will constitute road bed,
the total length of which will be about two
thousand three hundred miles; and the cost of
constructing which, including the rolling
stock. will not fall short of one hundred mil
lions of dollars. Now tell you that there
| is not single man or boy in St. Croix coun-
! ty, swho vel wears his breeches--Horace
| Taylor not excepted--who has any business
| counting dollars, miles, noses or votes with
these young Duluthians.)
According to official statements, the United
! States Government Us to day proprietor OF
nearly eleven hundred million acres of wild
lands, lying between the Pacific coast and
| the Mississippi river. And this tract would
make thirty four states the size OF New York,
or more than two hundred the size of Massa-
chusetts. The construction of the Northern
Pacific will render large proportion of these
lands accessible and consequently available.
Hence this is one of the greatest prospects Of
the age. In this enterprise is embarked the
best financial skill of the country, if not OF
the world, and as their plans are being devel-
oped, it is plainly TO be seen that the whole
country is to be materially affected thereby.
and Duluth or any other locality can only
derive its share of the beneficial results
In conclusion l would say that intense ac-
tivity sill prevails here. A moro intelligent
population cannet be found in any city or
village; and, though relapse at no distant
4 day. is as certain as time endnres we shall