The anti-monopolist., 1874-11-19
THE FOX AND WISCONSIN RIVER.

whenever we see anything advocated
by the Farmers Union and supervised
by William Window, we grow suspi.
| cious of it at once.
The Union is out in its last issue in
column and half screed, calling on
the farmers to petition Congress for the
improvement Of the Fsx and Wisconsin
rivers, so as to furnish cheap outlet
for Minnesota's wheat.
We have no objection to Iowa and
Wisconsin procuring an appropriation
from Congress, for that work; but what
interest Minnesota has in it, we fail to
see.
We wish our readers would open an
atlas and observe the route of this
canal.
It commences on the Mississippi river
four miles below Prairie du Chen. about
200 miles below the city of St. Paul,
and then traverses the State of Wiscon-
sin, diagonally, in a anortheasterly direc.
ton, for over 300 miles of land-locked
navigation, along rivers ''flled with
shifting sand bars, which render naviga-
ton very difficult, - to the head of Green
Bay.
Now if we will suppose Minneapolis
to represent the center of the agricul-
tural region of Minnesota, we find that
that city is about $50 miles from the
navigable waters of Lake Superior, at
Duluth; and Duluth is within $50 miles
as near New York as the head of Green
Bay. Hence, bushel of wheat going
to New York from Minneapolis rid Du-
luth, will reach point on Lake Super
ior, as near New York as the head of
Green Bay, by traversing distance of
$50 miles; while bushel of wheat 60
ing by way of the Fox and Wisconsin
river canal would have to 60 500 miles
to reach Green Bay, in other words,
Minneapolis is 1874 miles nearer New
York by Duluth than it is ola Prairie
du Chen and Green Bay.
Why then should Minnesota clamor
for this work! Have we not interests of
our own. The Fox and Wisconsin
canal has been receiving gifts and
bonuses from the government for the
past twenty years, and the only result
has been to improve certain water. pow
ers in Wisconsin.
five turn to the map Of Minnesota
we will see that it is only about fifty
miles from the aavigable waters Of the
upper St. Croix to Lake Superior, over
a region full of lakes and rivers and
free from rocks and mountains. Why
not petition Congress to improve that
route! Why play second-fddle to
Wisconsin! Why send our grain 200
miles south and then 800 mile north
east, when We can reach the Lakes in
200 miles Of river and canal navigation,
over onr own soil! Or if this route
does not suit our people, turn to the
map again, and you will see that the
navigable..waters of the Upper Mlssis.
sippi approach within twenty miles of
the St. Louis River, while the branches
of the two rivers interlock and almost
touch each other. five arc to clamor
for grant of public money let us ap-
ply 1t to improve the Mississippi River
between St. Paul and Minneapolis; to
form canal aroun.d the Falls of St.
Anthony; to maze slack.water naviga-
ZION oetween Minneapolis and Little
Fails am TO build q canal around the
latter falls. Steamboats, run above
Aittl. Falls to Pokegama Fails, dis
taylce Of about 600 miles, and far be-
yond the point We have indicated where
the waters Of Lake Superior come with
in mile or two of the Mississippi.
Here is direct route. within our bor-
ders, easily improved, already naviga-
BILE to a great extent. and requiring less
than fifty miles Of canal
navigation. Why is this route not
pressed upon the attention of Congressi
Simply because our delegation are in
capable of original thought or action.
Wisconsin aud Michigan united to de-
prive our only lake harbor. Du-
luth. Of any appropriations. save beg
carly $4,000, and now Senator Win
dom calls upon the people Of Minneso-
ia to petition for the Improvement of
two obscure Wisconsin rivers. at . cost
Of fve million dollars, neither one Of
which SO puch as touches even the
borders Of Minnesota.
Now We ask our readers to cut out
the following, paste it At the head of a
sheet o. paper. and after procuring all
the signatures they can, send ii, either
to Gen: Averill or Mr.. Dunnell. at
Washington. We will guarantee that
either of these gentlemen have intelli-
gence enough to appreciate the impor-