The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1874-12-24

! ''~~O-
if constructed entirely in Minnesota.
By this means the outlet of the cana
could be made At Duluth.
RESULTS.
| think | have shown that such
canal as [ propose could be construc
ted F.; the region is favorable and tina
it would require but twenty miles O.
canal and sixty-four Of slack-watel
river navigation, to place the waters O
the Mississippi and the great Lakes II
communication.
Surely it is worth our while to insist
that Congress shall have a survey
made.
But it may be asked, do you expect
that the wheat Of Minnesota will all GO
ria this canal!
Not all. Not one bushel perhaps in
fifty. But the fact that that one bush
ell is carried at low figures, over a free
canal, owned by the people, and which
could not be consolidated with the rail-
roads, or bought up by them, would re-
duce to the same rates the forty-nine
bushels carried by the railroads. That
is to say, they would have to come
down to reasonable figures or lose their
trade. And thus our great geogra phi
cal advantage would reassert itself; and
thus the wisdom Of the far-sighted men
who thought out the Lake Superior
railroad would be INDICATED.
But would it not ruin the Lake Supe-
rior railroade Not at all. The Erie
canal has not ruined the
railroads Of New York. Now
the Lake Superior Company IS I'M
able to compete with the roads leading
to Lake Michigan: they drive 1t out OF
the markets Of the State: and your
city and Minneapolis do not receive
those benefits they reasonably expect
ed from the construction OF that road.
But the building of a canal would turn
the food tide Of commerce TO Lake Su-
perior and array from Lake Michigan,
and the Lake Superior railroad would get
her share thereof, and it would be the
lions share, but it would be carried at
low rates.
Another point If our wheat goes
east via Green Bay it will be impossi-
bic to prevent 1t from being mixed with
the inferior wheat Of Illinois and Iowa.
If it goes east via Lake Superior it
would retain its purity, and 1t would
bring mach higher price in the mar
kets of the world. This difference
alone would probably add from five to
ten cents to every bushel of wheat
raised IN the State.
Gentlemen. you represent an import
ant city city yet IN Its infancy, Il
city hereafter to be great. The poor,
struggling masses of the agricultural
population Of Minnesota look to you
for help. They are ready to accept
YOU as their friends and leaders if you
prove yourselves to be such. Supple
ment their honest hearts and strong
arms with your commercial keenness
and trained business Sagaclty. and help
lead them to prosperity. Never forget
that their prosperity is yours; their
poverty yours. Make your voice heard
through the delegation in Congress, and
even this session may see the survey
ordered which, sincerely believe, once
ordered, will lead to Minnesota 5 great
outlet, free canal to Duluth.
HOW THE STATE WOULD AVAIL ITSELF Or
THE CANAL.
While no community needs free wa
ter communication with the great lakes
more than Minnesota does, no State
has been by nature better prepared for
it. See how almost our whole territory
is already drained ty navigablc streams.
Two or three locks and dams would
create navigable facilities on the Mime
sofa river far up towards its source.
thus furnishing an outlet for 4 magniti-
cent and fertile region of country. \
comparatively small expenditure would
per Mississippi from Minneapolis to
Little Falls. The Mississippi between
St. Paul and the Iowa line drains vast
extent of Minnesota and Wisconsin.
OUR THREE rRIANaIYs.
If you turn to the map you will see
that the now settled portion Of Mime
sofa consists of three rregularly
shaped triangles.
|. The triangle between the st.
Croix and the Upper Mississippi. which
embraces the counties of Ramsey.
Washington, Chisago, Anoka. Sher-
burne, Benton, &c. No part of this re-
gion is more than thirtytiye miles dis
tant from one or the other Of those
rivers; the average distance of the
present population therefrom is not
more than ten miles
| III. The triangle between the upper
Mississippi and the Minnesota river :
embracing the counties of Hennepin.
Wright. Meeker, Mcleod. Stearns, Car.
yer, Sibley, Nicollet, &C. No part OF
this region is more than thirty-five
miles distant from one or the other oil
these rive $. and the average distance
Of the present population does not ex-
iced fifteen miles.
iii. The triangle between the Mime.
sofa river and she Mississippi river. en-
bracing the richest agricultural portion
Of the State. We find that the follow
ing counties border on one or the other
Of these rivers:
l. Dakota. Goodhue. Wahashav,
Winona, Houston. Scott. LIE Sueur.
Blue Earth. Brown. Redwood and Yei
low Medicine.
The population Of these counties and
their wheat production is as follows.
COUNTIES Pop 1878. yield isTa
Il