Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-04-30
4 DISTINGUISHED VISITOR.

Il DISTINGUISHED YfsfTOr
Interview of a "Globe" Reporter With Ex
senator Henderson. of Missouri-He Is
Inspecting the St. Paul and Pacific Under
Orders of the Court His Enthusiasm
Over Minnesota.
Ex-senator Henderson, of St. Louis, arrived
in town yesterday from Fishers Landing. A
GLOBE reporter called upon the Hon. gentle
man at the Metropolitan hotel, and held long
and interesting conversation with him regard
ing the object of his present visit to this
State. The commission under which he is act
ing was issued by Judge ]. F. Dillon, of JEFF
ferson city, Missouri, by which he
Hon. j. B. Henderson, and Thos. c. Reynolds
are instructed to examine and inquire into the
advisability, or otherwise, of building the ST.
Vincent branch of the st. Paul & Pacific road,
and the completion of the main line; to cal
culate the cost of building the limo between
Melrose and Fergus Falls; from thence to Ban
nerville, to Sank river and to st. Vincent; to
ascertain how many bondholders are in favor of
completing the road, and what guarantee the
court should require that the money to finish
road will be furnished and the road finished at
least to Fergus Falls by January LIST, 1879.
What provisions should be made to secure the
just rights of the bondholders who do not Join
u. Tug scneuess me TWO COMMISSIONER nave
divided the work between them. MIR. Rev.
nolds having gone to New York 10 make in
quiry upon the financial part of the commits
sion, while Mr.. Henderson is here to ascertain
the durability of completing the work.
The honorable gentleman expressed
at what he saw upon his trip
to Fishers Landing. He lad no previous idea
| of the vast region of rich lands in the north
and west of the State. Minnesota, he said, was
an immense State, with capabilities for grain
raising -, uneauailed, and connected
| and the extensive grain belt of the
Saskatchewan. The valleys of the Red river
| and the Saskatchewan could raise sufficient
wheat to supply the whole of Western Europe
in breadstutfs. He spoke at considerable length
| upon the advantages of railroads to these re-
gions; without them the lands were almost
worthless-with them their immense
resources would be opened up. BY
referring to maps of Minnesota and the west
ern British provinces, he showed how greatly
by the completion of the railroad in question.
The Saskatchewan has been navigated by steam
| up as far as Fort Edmonston, 49, west longi-
tude, and Fort Garry, SO west longitude,
bracing distance of some l 200 miles of fer
tile land.
Mr.. Henderson thought the land grant sys-
tenn to railroads was great benefit to the COM
try-he meant moderate judicious grant
not wild extravagant one like that to the
Northern Pacific, of 20 miles each side of the
track, aud another 20 miles for indemnity.
making vast track of 80 miles wide. He
thought that the present system on mo grants"
| was equally pernicious the reckless and
lavish bestowal of lands.
In speaking again of Minnesota, the honor
able gentleman said that he could not restrain
soil he met with on his trip to Fishers Land
ing. What the Southern States are to
cotton, North and West Minnesota
is to wheat. He was surprised be-
beyond measure. He had not expected. to see
anything like such fertility, and If ST. Paul is
enterprsing-an he had no doubt size wss
from wi hat he saw--she would soon have trade
and manufacturers sufficient TO support $50 COO
people.
He had not visited St. Paul for eight years
and Hon. Fl. NJ. Rice, who was with him in the
Senate, had driven him about and he was
greatly surprised at the improvement he saw.
He leaves to-day for st. Cloud, Meirose,
Alexandria and Fergus Falls to inspect the
other portions of the uncompleted lines.
1t will be remembered that AIR. Henderson
was one of the little company of Republicans
who voted against the impeachment of Andrew
Johnson and that he is the same gentleman
who was engaged in prosecuting the crooked
whisky cases in st. Louis, and was removed by
General Grant.
Ee.pectfully Referred to the Pioneer Fress,
Dear Mr.. Editor -
As you are supposed to know everythiI 8
will you be SO kind as to inform me which
: are "the best families in the city, spoken
, of in this mornings At Home gossip in the
Pio1leer-Press I would also Like to Fnov
: the names of the families that are second
s best And if not too great tax upon your
time. you would oblige me by saying which
are the bad, worse and worst families. M,
reasons for asking the above are that am
;. new conner in st. Paul and, having been re
: specially brought up, am DESTROYS of asso
= eating only with the ''best families who
h l am sure, must be very good and grand.
IS Yours respectfully, ETHEL NEwcoME.
n st. Paul, April 20.