Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1875-06-17
WILL RAIlRoAns MAKE Is GROW.

be remembered that we shall be Obliged
to pay for whatever we may get. It is
quite as easy to go around as to 90
through this city-a fact of which no
proof is needed. When the Milwaukee
s st Paul railroad was built here, Austin
began to grow, and within two years af
ter the construction Of the Southern
Minnesota as far west as Albert Lea
reached the highest point of business &C.
tiyity to which it has vet attained. The
reason is evident. The first road opened
eastern markets to cur produce, and made
us accessible for the trade that presses
out from the metropolitan centers. We
were then the focal point Of an extensive
territory, and our business soon grew
beyond the facilities for transacting it.
When we began to extend, new towns
sprang up at points convenient for mar
kcting, and innovatcd upon the trade
which heretofore had been ours cxclu.
sively. LIE Roy, previously tributary to
the city, becamc all at once independent of
US. Adams and Rose Creck-each the
home of a large population and the cen
ter Of fine agricultural region, set up for
themselves. Grand Meadow not long
ago only an open prairie, whose trade
was divided between this city and Spring
Valley, is now fine village with every
facility for transacting its own business.
Brownsville, hitherto only an issolated
hamlet, has become an active and an en-
ergetic competitor Of ours not alone in the
matter of merchandising, but in the more
important feature of manufactures. Dex-
ter, the geographical center,'' came near
getting the Agricultural Society located
there, and has its eye on the county seat
hoping to bring it nearer one of these days.
Lyle within the last two years has bought
and sold half as much Of everything, if
VIC except luxurics and fummeries, as
Austin has. Had there been no Mason
City Branch railroad, there would have
been no Lyle, and our business would
have been one half greater than at present.
But for the Southern Minnesota road
Grand Meadow, Dexter aud Brownsville
would each have been nothingb but farm.
ing community chiefly tributary to this
point and the farmers of Oaklsnd and
Hayward would have turned into our
warehouses the products Of their splendid
soil, and in turn drawn their supplies from
our stores and workshops. This trade all
around US has been built up by railroads.
None can doubt this. Is it wise then to
encourage the building of more roads?
If the Illinois Central extends its line t0
this city it will put station between here
and and Lyle. Should the B. c. r. & NJ
road build branch from Plymoth to Aus
tin, new trading point will spring up to
divide the trade which comes to us from
the southwest. The construction Of the
projected line from Lake Superior to
Omaha, contemplates further drain up
on us by diverting the trade from other
portions Of the country. From all this
then it is evident that we want. no more
railroads unless we are to be something
more than mere retailing depot-a sort
of "cross roads" for tue distribution Of
calico, postage stamps and poor whisky.
We may as we'll look the facts in the face;
we must do it sometime, and the present
is as good as any. We are shut in be-
tween these outlying stations as ef1ectu-
ally as was Vicksburg By; General Grants
bes;eging legions, and, although we may
hold out for a while, we shall, like that
city. be compelled to capitulate at last,
unless we open communication with the
outside world. In order to do this We
must build manufactures here. Our mills
must increase their capacity until they be-
come able to grind all the wheat we raise
Our shops must construct all the agrlcul-
tural implements which the country re-
quires. A wooden factory must be put
into operation for the manufacture of all
the wool that we can grow. We must
make boots and shoes, saddles, harness
and trunks-we must build up market
for butter and cheese, and establish a
packing house, which will draw into it
all the cattle and hogs that the country
breeds. If we do these things the more
railroads we get the better it will be fol
US. Then We shall throw the arms to
our industry around the outlying stations
and cncircle them, and make them a part
of Observation-Disclosures in every sense ia
the growth, wealth and power, which we
may aggregate here. Railroads will con
tribute to our growth if we make proper
use of them. In the matter Of locality We
are unrivaled, and our natural resources
are not excelled by those Of any Other
city in the interior Of the state. There
are brains and capital enough here, il
properly employed to place us in the
front rank Of inland cities; and it remains
for US to determine whether. we shall
be a mere ''local exchange" or depot fol
the handling Of the produce and thu
wealth Of the country. That General who
conceals from his own forces the strength
Of the enemy with whom they have to con
tend, is unwise, and any statement of oul
condition which embrace only the favor
able features-however pleasing it may
be, cannot but be as injurious to our in
tcrests as unjust to the public-lence We
have told the plain truth.
The Yellowstone.
CHICAGO, June 12.-The following dis
patch was received at Lieutenant General
Sheridan'S Office to .day: