The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1888-12-28
A MATTER TO BE CLOSELY
LOOKED AFTER.

One of the enterprises which most in
terests the business men and farmers of
Minnesota is the projected improve
ment of the Sault Ste. Marie canal in
order to open as wide as possible the
great water ways on the north which must
certainly prove the salvation of the pro-
ducing interests of the graft northwest.
In the same direction, no one will gain
say the fact that the interests ofour pro-
ducers, consumers and business men
generally, lie in reaching by the short
est possible route, the great chain of
lakes which afford Minnesota such i'm
portant and vital protection.
Any business which can be advanced
by dwarfing the carrying trade of Lake
Superior, or throwing impediments in
the way of the great improvement de-
manded for the Sault st. Marie canal, is
hostile to all the business interests of
Minnesota and every individual within
her borders, save those who may be
fostering the scheme. The short dist
duCc ny vi IcO lIOu Oh iul
and Minneapolis to deep water at Du-
luth, gives Minnesota grand opportuni-
ty for development. Instead of the
lengthy and circuitous lake route even
under which Chicago and Illinois pros
pered, the route from Duluth to Buffalo
by the lakes is almost in a direct line.
The distance is about 1000 miles as
against LOO miles from Chicago to Buff
falo. Taking st. Paul and Minneapolis
as about the center of population in Min
nesota, though not geographically the
center, and adding the rail mileage, we
have from this center to Buffalo, via Du-
luth and the lakes, distance of 1850
miles, and via rail to Chicago and thence
by lake to Buffalo /, 800 miles. The noon
day sun could not be clearer than the
fact that all of Minnesota's interests lie
in reaching the lake with the least DOS
sible rail haul.
In spite of these facts 80 much against
the success of their enterprise, COM
pany headed by Gen. w. ID. Washburn,
a prominent candidate for U. S. Sena-
tor, has built the new $500 Line" dis
lance by rail from st. Paul and Mime
apolis to the lake port, Gladstone,
Mich, of 342 miles, or to Sault Ste Ma
RE of 494 miles. Thus it is seen at a
moments reflection by any clear-headed
person that the direct interests of this
railroad enterprise in which Candidate
Washburn is so thoroughly associated,
lie in drying up Lake Superior, could
such thing be done. Though in phys
ical reality the lake could not be oblit-
Grated, its value as water way can be
seriously impaired by the lack or ma
ture of congressional legislation.
In the face of such business situa-
ton can Minnesota afford to place Mr..
Washburn in the senate for the next
six years? Do the business men of this
state, who attended the great conven.
ton at the Sault Ste Marie, held for the
purpose of securing appropriations
from congress to enlarge that canal, fee
that they wish to be represented in the
senate by gentleman whose entire pc.
cuniary interests, and the interests Of
those associated with him, would be ad
vanced by the failure or abandonment,
of those appropriations? Can the farm
ers of Minnesota or the consumers o.
coal afford to send a man to the senate
whose interests lie in dwarfng our onl,
lake port, and throwing obstacles in the
way of reaching it, instead of securin,
additional facilities? The questions an
swer themselves.
We do not suppose that Gen. Wash
burn would be so dull as to court tn,
disapproval of his constituents by al
open opposition to the appropriation
for widening the 500 canal, but after al
that gentleman is only human and i
would not be difficult for him to "turr
some stones" in the interests of BIZ
pocket book, while at the same tine an
pearing to favor the enterprise which
promises so much for the business anc
producing interests of the State.