The Grange advance. [volume] (Red Wing, Minn.) 1873-1877, 1877-04-04
ducements to customers, Losing
the profits on this proportion of her
commerce will render her :powerless

commerce will render her pfowerless
to compete successfully with her
rivals. Business men now here
will move elsewhere, property will
decline in value, building enterprises
will be abandoned, and a Sabbath
quietude will be the order in what
have hitherto been busy streets.
Even our new mills won't save us, if
they are not able to obtain the grain
to keep them busy at as low prices
as it can be bought in competing
markets. This is a so,nbre-hued
picture, but it is one which may be
reasonably apprehended as likely to
be presented to us, and it is certain
ly much better to look at inlmagina-
ton than in reality. 1t need not be
allowed to come true. but it rests
with the people of Red Wing to
prevent it.
How can it be prevented Our
answer is: by pre-occupying the
ground with roads from this city to
I Cannon Falls and Zumb1ota. With
such in existence the facilities to
ship to Red Wing would be equal to
those obtainable by St. Paul, and
Red Wing would possess the further
advantage of being nearer to the
country seeking an outlet and to the
final market for its products. If,
then, Red Wing shall possess itself
of these means of access from the
western and southern parts Of the
county first, it need not fear the
rivalry of ST. Paul; but if it permits
St. Paul to get this trade, to recover
it again will be very difficult, ifnot
impossible.
AS for the district whose trade is
is competed for, it sympathies ought
to be naturally in favor of Red Wing.
The prosperity Of this city would
contribute more to promote its pros
perity than would that OF ST.. Paul;
because the latter is more distant
and is not involved in the political
relationship which follows from being
in the same county. TO have an
7 opulent and thriving city in the same
l county and within twenty-five miles
would add largely to the value Of
lands throughout its extent, and
: would also, tend to reduce local
+ taxes. Again, nobody but SONG
such blunderer as our neighbor .!
t the Republican will deny but thai
S Cannon Falls and Zumbrota woulc
, receive far greater benefit from these
j local roads, of which they would re-
r spectively be at the terlninl, thar
S from a .;tl1rough-line from St. Paul tc
: Preston In the latter case they
d would be but stations along the line
: having rivals within five or six mile!
on each side. #u
Even Cannon Falls millers would
be compelled to buy their wheat ir
n part at such neighboring stations
4 and instead of the road drawing
# trade to that city it would attract i
: thence. The road would positively
4 be injurious to these villages: No
r SO with the feeder railroads to Rec
: Wing. Of these, Cannon Fall:
would be the terminal point of one
t and Zunbrota of the other, anc
e each of these two towns would be
2 come the centre Of a local trade ex
t tending from seven to fifteen miles
t southwark and westward, and from
:, five to ten eastward. Ofthese districts
S they would severally become the
: chief trading points; and, instead O.
: being: simply railroad stations, as
would be the case if located on ST.
r Paul through-line road, they would
= speedily become important inland
= cities, with sufficient wealth and in.
, fuence to protect themselves against