Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1870-01-20

ms
- sgricultural pursuits, anu nohe eau uo 'ho'e w
,amo,e them II they Will.
tss, annual message regarding thorough geo
~ uacsl survey Of the State. ! am convinced thst
losa in,estie alton Of the hidden wealth VI the
s s.s.s wsuld be Of vast benefit to the people.
INTERNAL IMPROVEMENT.
M, seen some activity displayed In .i,- work
'no.a,r',ctp railways within this State during the
~ eo SEVERAL lines are being extended, and
Pas ysry inn ortant ones have beaa projected with
'haay prospect 81 early completion. There Is
r .ssson to believe that whea our national finances
@ have become more settled, there will be con-
s nan many miles Of railways, aRording much
stud facilities for the transportation Of freights and
hesuGn nm the vast tracts Of rich agricultural aud
opeara1 lands In the northern part Of our State
me hundred and forty miles Of the military road
guy vnrt Howard to the Michigan State line have
hsep completed and accepted.
ma company upon which was conferred the lands
,anted by Congress to aid Ia constructing the stur
,aan Raw Ship Canal, have not, SO far as know,
taken any steps towards the prosecution Oh the enter
il indispensable to the settlement Of the north.
dsr, pertion of the state. that the grant Of land
w aid In sudlng a railroad from Lake ST. Crox 10
snperior and Bayfield, be renewed by Congress, and
Sppss,rwend that you memoiaze Congress for such
,nnswaI II the grant be renewed, and there Is no
rood reason why 1t should not be, have no doubt
10, ,he companies now chartered will construct the
roads at an early day. The Department of the Inter-
io having al my reqxes given to the state lul con-
ro Of the lands embraced Ia the grant, for the pur
nosa If protecting the valuable timber growing there
IN measures have been adopted by General Samuel
Hartman, the agent appointed Tor that purpose,
which will, 1t Is believed, entirely prevent future
trpsspssses. His efforts already have secured the
novment OF a large sum Of money to the United
States and State authorities In settlement Of past
resspasses IL the grant Is renewed, the State will
continue to protect the lands. 49,
Kind ed to the subject Of railway facilities, and of
o,na INN ,rtance to the people Of the North West Is
~ nserssitv for the Improvement OF the Wisconsin
river by the general government. This Is an enter
nrise which affects alike the citizens Of every State
interested In the question Of cheap freights between
tbe East and West. The expenditure OF q small sum
az money for such improvements will give to the peo
ME benefits that will amount to millions Of dollars an
nnually and the consequent increased Development
~ The country will add vastly to the amount Of light
frerhts to be transported by our railroads. No one
Who has investigated the subject doubts for mo-
ment The advsabity Of the governmenps entering at
nnce upon the prosecution Of The work. There Is no
nom, In the United States where the expenditure OF
As 900 O00will contribute so much to the general
good The effect will be to reduce the cost OF trans
portatou, not only upon freights carried by water
Int also upon those carried by every other means -
Il Is estimated that, with the rates fired at enc cent
per ton per mile about the tariff Of the Erie eaaa!
The yearly saving, which wiz inure equally TO the
producer and consumer, Will amount to at kast twice
the total cost af the Improvement The shipments
east are estimated to be fully to $500 600 tons an
nusy, and those west ,259 o0o TONS Should one
6nh Of this freight 60 by way OF tia Wisconsin rver
tolls at the above menioned rates would, alter al
lowing for repairs and to the carries a fair proht
amount to nearly or quite million dollars annually
Thus the general government could be reimbursed
within six years aferTe completion Of the Improve
proyement should reimbursementbe demanded. Then
the rate OF tolls could be reduced nearly l0o per cent
Blu; vastly more important that the mere financial
consideration Is the necessity for such naval high
way between the lakes and the Mississippi river AS
this improvement will afford In his report to Gen.
Humphreys, Chief OF ENGINEERS, made In April,
S6s the engineer in charge Of surveys upon the
Wisconsin River, Gen. G. X Warren says:
steamboats, would continue to run upon the wis
consn River 1t not for three railroad and four
common road bridges crossing 1t between Portage and
al mouth These bridges have draws. but the piers
are badly located and constructed as togreaty en-
danger the passage of boats
s ON necessary to thoroughly remodel all the bridges
aGrsss the River where draws are placed, and mas
much as they have been placed as they are without
opposition it may be ast in reconsructng them that
the Reyr Improvement should bear portion OF the
expense as has been provided In of Rock Island
BRIDGE
1t 10 proper for you to inquire whether any, and
slat, legislation upon this subject Is needed.
\ At an improvement convention held at Portage
City October Goth last the following resolution WAS
adopted
Reso1red, That the Legislature OF Wisconsin be
requested TO make terms with the Green Bay and
MlssIss'ppCana! Company by which In an event OF an
appropriation by Congress the rights aud franchises
ot said company be surrendered to the general gov-
erument or TO the State.
recommend that committee from your honorable
body confer with the company, and obtain From Its
officers some definite proposition.
again call attention TO the Importance OF the early
Completion Of the Northern Pacific Railroad, trusting
shat you will further this great national work By every
proper encouragement.
NATIONAL.
The present aspect Of our national afarsis highly
gratifying. After many years of harrasdng turmoil
and anxiety we now reiize the tranquility q profound
race All the States lately in rebellion will very
ue returned to their places In the Union with copsti
tltons Republican In spirit as well In form. The
proposed fifteenth amendment TO the federal consti-
ttion Is sure Of a ratification, and by preventing the
danohlsement of any class Of citizens will secure
u all the full onjoymens OF our free institutions.
The several departments OF the general government
are laborng zealously and tremendously for the hon
or aad welfare Of the nation. The repeated express
son OF the popular will has proven to the world
1eteFmlnation to pay the national debt to the last
o!sr OF principal and interest," and TO pay 1t bonest
ly IN that which is universally regarded as money.
Inc lSessdent and his Cabinet, economical adm1n-
,fraon, by faithfully enforcing the laws and collect
lIs the revenue, have demonstrated that our ability
u'charse our obligations is as free from doubt ass
OUT inclination. The most diDicultand perpexing u
ne problems which have engaged the attention OF the
peop'e Tor the last few years having been happily
snved, the undiyed eiru.' OF those who control eur
ha'ional affairs will now trust he directed to the
'npro'ement OF our monetary and 6scal system.
, me great majority our Of people are undoubtedly
Iookihg TO the present Congress for q considerable
ieaac'ion Of the internal revenue taxes and lower
anu ,n foreign Imports a justed 10 foster sucn
ahches OF home industry only AZ stand Ia neet. OF
WoVecllon, They desire that helburdens OF the gov
'shnent shall be laid as lightly possible upon lose
sss aud Interests which least able to be- them.
.uH the revenues shall be derived mainly from the
'ya'sh which Is lavlshed upon luxury, shall not be
adaed to the price of those articles which are indis
'ehaole to to the poor. Large reductions In
'ona 'axes may be made, and, " the present
gn 'psiem Is con inued, ne ean still move steadily
.nu WIN sufficient rapiditp towards the extinction Of
,Ie h"A9nal debt. The people also look To Congress
,o legislation which shall to them permanent
'nu equally dfused currency, either through an IT,
ie OIL currency by the government itself, which be-
,9s mutually exchangeabe With the bonds OF the
oned States, may be, within proper limits expanded
" eonTasted by the people themselves as the varying
'N".a o. ousiness may require. With some proper
ks'alon In this direction, with a return to specie
p,neh. AZ early as may be, without too great shock
w our commercial Interests, and wi h considerable
io'Hoh OIL The nasal debt funded VI alower rate Of