The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1870-09-22
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The Lake Superior Trade.
INHERITANCE or. THE NEW R4IER0AD
dND THE PORTAGE LAKE C4NAL 70
THE MINING REGIONS-ST. PAUL rs
MILWAUKEE as a FLOUR NIREET

From the Portage Lake, IL, Mining Gazette.
The great Importance of the opening of
the l.. S. q NJ. K. r., giving us, as it does,
direct communication between ST. Paul and
Lake Superior, is not, we imagine, fully ap-
preclated by the people Of our immediate
district. 1t is known that Milwaukee is the
greatest wheat market on this continent if
not i'll the world, and it has become SO
from the superior quality Of choice sprino
wheat, known rs " Milwaukee Club which
finds It's way to that market from Northern
Wisconsin, Iowa, and Minnesota-a reoion
OF country peculiarly adapted, both in soil
ana climate, to the growth of this staple.
and the centre of which is now tapped bv
the Lake Superior and Mississippi Railroad.
The water power of the Upper Mississippi
Is, perhaps the finest i'll the world,
which, taken III connection with the
proximity OF the cereals, together with be-
ING some three hundred miles nearer bv
rail and five hundred miles by water, (when
the Portage Lake and Lake Superior Shin
Canal IS completely will suggest to the
minds of the Obtuse that our breadstutfS
must come from st. Paul at large reduc
ton against other markets We are in
formed that this Northern wheat makes n
brand OF flour nearly equal to that produced
from the best Michigan white winter wheat.
and that nine-tcnths of the flour used in
this section is made from this wheat, but
milled on the shores Of Lake Michioan.
Oats grown IN Minnesota, Iowa and Wis
consln, are Of a superior quality, and the
difference in transportation between Chi
cago, Milwaukee, and other points where
of
alone, is sufficient to settle the question as
to where we shall find our cheapest market
for purchasing grain, sc.
We have 10 doubt whatever but that our
beef, both packed and on foot, will come
from Minnesota, Uja the head of the Lake,
with many other articles which enter into
all be purchased more profitabIy than at
the marts we have been in the habit of
patronlzirg.
hint, and by so doing, help to lessen the
cost of living, and thereby improve the
condition of our mining interests, on which
all depend. At the same time, will the
enterprise and foresight at the live city of
St. Paul early see the great field open to
them, and make our exchange reciprocal?
q.
with their immense and economical water
power they can manufacture the raw ma
terial so as to defy either eastern or foreign
competition IN the way OF supplying the
States Of Iowa, Northern Wisconsin and
Minnesota with such supplies as are made
from these metals. With their cheap river
transportion to St. Louis and New Orleans,
there is 10 reason why they should not fur
Il, 80 h.,
are strong irducement for the manufacture
of copper to embark in business in or near
St. Paul, on account of the splendid water
power before referred to. The cost of
building copper rolling mill (aside from
power necessary to drive machinery is
very small, while q large market could be
supplied against Pennsylvania and Con-
necticut, the only two States engaged in
this branch Of industry. We can send our
ingot copper to St. Paul later in the season
than we can ship it east, and-it will be but
a short time before we will be able to fur
nish raw material during the winter, which
fact will also give ST Paul the precedence
over the eastern manufacturers, for they
require large stock to carry them through
during our closed navigation, precuding
the opportunity Of taking the chances of a
down market, besides necessitating the
looking up of great deal of capital in
anticipated stock. This branch of industry
carried on, even on a small scale, would be
Immensely profitable, for we all know what
Las e margin there is on manufactured
copper.
We look for an immediate and increasing
interchange Of commodities between these
hitherto isolated districts, and we hope to
see the people of both become well acquaint-
ed with each others wants and opportuni-
ties.