The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1871-02-09
INTERNAL IMPROVEMENT LANDS
FOR THE ST. CLOUD AND MAN.
KATO RAILROAD. u

FOR THE ST. CLOUD AND MAN.
| KATO RAILROAD.
From the Aankato Onion.
Outside of St. Paul and one or two
other towns Of the State where bonds
are owned, the press Of the State gen.
orally favor the proposition to devote
these lands to the building of new rail-
road lines. For instance the St. Cloud
JOURNAL says: "The, Legitimate use
for these lands-that which would
confer the most direct, the most speedy
and the most necessary, be'.e6ts upon
the people most deserving-is to de-
vote them to the construction of ne~
lines of railroad"
In designating some Of these lines,
after setting forth the pressing claims
of the rich Sank valley which has not
single mile OF road, it adds: "The
country to be 1raversed by the proposed
St. Cloul and MaDkato railroad also
affords case in point. This road is
essential not only for the relief and de-
velopment of a large agricultural dis
trict, but ALSO to meet the wants Of
lumber producing and consuming local
tiles as yet unconnected."
St. Cloud and all the towns along
the route want this connection with Us
the former to give them a market for
their lumber at reasonable rates and
both, to furnish them with cheap fuel
from the coal fields Ct Iowa. Import
ant as this road is to the commercial
interests of Mankato, it is of even
greater Importance to St. Cloud and
the whole intermediate country,
Hence it is that theSt. Cloud members
and the. others along the proposed line
stand ready to unite with the members
from this district to secure for the pro.
posed Mankato and St. Cloud railroad
a fair share in the division of the State
lands.
From the Wells Atlas.
There are few leading projects thai
should be aided, because their encour
agement will add materially to ou1
shipping facilities, and consequently
to the value Of property along the lin
Of the proposed routes, but in all part
of the State intimately connected
Among these projects we may mention
the Mankato g. St. Cloud road as on
Of the most deserving.
This line extends through a prairi
country, largely destitute Of timber nee
essary for fuel, fencing and building
yet unsurpassed in richness Of soil an
other elements, that with railroad ia
cilities will make it equal to the flares
and most productive portions Of tn
State.
The country along this line needs a
outlet for its surplus products the
need the coal that will be brought fror
Fl. Dodge and the lumber from St.
Cloud, so that to them tits of the great
est importance !; 10 fact it is just VIVA
they want, and about all they want, t.
make their prosperity assured.
The granite from the Sank countr,
is wanted along the line of the South
ern MINI. R. R. along the Winona (
St. Peter, and perhaps elsewhere, an
it can be reached by means of thi
route.
True, St. Cloud has an outlet now b
way of Minneapolis, but to all IT,
southern portions of the State tror
60 to 80 miles would be saved by tn
new route, saving at the lowest calcu
lation 81 per thousand on lumber, be
sides other advantages. The buildin!
Of this road would be of advantage t
all the people along the line of the WI
mona Il st. Peter railroad, the South
ern MINI. and the St Paul 4 Siou
City west of Mankato, and all til
country west and northwest Of S.
Cloud. We cannot conceive how 100
900 acres of land could be exponde
in internal Improvements that woul
benefit greater number of our people
But suppose no benefits were to &C
crue to other portions Of the State fron
this disposition, we hold that the take
on the increased value of property alon
tho line of the road would be wort
more to the State, by all odds, than tn
land itself:
From the Mankoto Record.
| The Board of Trade held two meet
'ngs, On Monday morning and evening
to discuss railroad and Improvement
Landquestions. At the evening meet
ing resolution was passed, instructinI
the Representatives from this county t.
labor to secure land grant for a ran
road from Mankato to New Ulm, an