The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1872-05-18
THE SITE or THE COMING CITY.

waiting for better times has seemed to
those who are easily depressed to put the
place under cloud. But the superb fea-
lures stamped upon the site by the hand of
nature still remain. No temporary checks,
or deferring Of improvements can change
its manifest destiny, or cloud its title to the
commercial supremacy of the Future on the
Great Lake.
Were its present inhabitants and propri-
etors foolish enough to surrender their we'll I
founded hopes ofa commercial development
of this magnificent site III the near future,
and abandon the place and its grand pros
poets at the bidding of those who cratty
.epreciate its value for interested purposes
the time would come when their folly would /
reveal itself to them, for other men would I
develope this place if they did no.. Other
minds would comprehend its transcendent
advantages for a seat Of trade, and within +
the next decade its palace lronted water
line, and converging railways, and throng
ing ships, and smoking factories would
speak the folly of those who abandoned so
promising a place at the very moment the I
trade Of the western world was swinging
into line with the great lake, and the North /
ern Pacific was piercing the rich belt of
territory beyond us, and reaching out for
the commerce OF all Asia, and fastening
with trunk and branches on every available
point of the American Mediterranean
Lake Superior
But we have been dealing in hypothesis.
The men who own the territory bounded by
this broad bay in front, with its navigable +
rivers on either side, are fully aware Of the
prize within their grasp They are not the
men to be coaxed or driven from such
key-position of the new route to the Indies. /
The very confguration of the site speaks
the language of coming commerce most clo-
quently; and they are not slow to listen
and believe.
As this vast Lake, projected into the
central West, and connected with the east
ern ocean, bespeabs a channel of trade
one of trafic's parallels of latitude-so do /
these bays with their sheltered area tell of
sheltered ships, and these navigable rivers
Of ploughing keels, and this twenty five
square miles of level land in the midst, talk
Of the long streets and blocks Of buildings
that mark great city.
Were such 4 water fronted area found in
the heart of the great desert, men would
think it a city site out of place, but at the
head Of Lake Superior, the consent Of man
kind pronounces it decidedly in place; no
mirage but a reality. Our citizens know it
needs but the magic touch Of capital to bid
. city spring up here in all its fair proper
tons. Once let steamboats, connect acith a ,
great railacoy on such a site, and capital
will pour in unbidden and unsought.
The place once commenced, can have no
rivals, and capital will have no choice.
The paltry and silly objections urged
against the harbor approach, are as easily
removed as the sand on which they are
built. Opposition that has no more per
manent foundation than that, is doomed
from the start. As well object that the
railway approach is yet in its natural state,
as that the steamboat approach has Trifilng
obstacles to be overcome. The capital that
grades our railways shall grade the paths
Of our steam marine. And the people of
Superior are about to ally themselves with
capital. That modern wonder worker shall
here find its place to work wonders. And
they will be wonders Of profit, not OF loss.
They will be labors most congenial and re-
muReratiye 70 capital. 1t soon tires OF un-
remuneratise expenditures and most gladly
the investment that brings quick and sure
returns, the enterprises that present no
doubtful issue.
And such will be the rearing of a marine
emporium on this natural field of commerce
It will richly repay the wise capitalists that
foster its growth. 1t will abundantly JUS
tify the wisdom of the men that looked up
on the natural features Of this region, un-
moved by temporary clamors for, or against,
and said ''There behind the bays, '6ettceen
the rivers and the ranges on that valley
plateau commanding the head of Lake SUI
perior, and the best approaches thereto, IS
tie site Of the coming city, that shall be to
the East aud to Europe, the Gateway of
the Pacific"
NORTHERN Pacific Railroad took posses
sion Of Lake Superior and Mississippi Rail