The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-06-26
TWIN CITY TERRITORY
Deslrablllty OF Tapping the Black Hills
So Country.

DR.. Thomas :. Chalmers, the great
preacher, astronomer and philosopher,
said that the people of his time were very
much given to treating things at specu-
1ative distance. That trait has crept
down to this time, and as we are a gen
erous people, it IS probable that we will
transmit 1t to our posterity: Except in
few cases. the people OF the twin cities
have no adequate idea of the extent of
country which is tributary to them-the
territory which they will have to manu-
facture for and supply with merchandise
Judgment with them to besrecreated. Some
years ago J. j. Hill gave a talk to the
business mem of st. Paul and Minneapo-;
lis and tried to impress upon them what
an inheritance. they had. He spread a
map before them and opened compasses,
placing, one pointer on the spot covered
by these cities and the other pointer on
the Pacific coast due west. He then moved
the pointer on the Pacific coast a little
west Of south of these cities, s and it
reached well down into Texas. He then
moved it southeast, and it nearly
reached the extreme end of Florida.
Then he turned it north and it reached
nearly up to the north end of Hudson
bay. Now he said: Gentlemen, see
what an empire you have to the west of
you to supply; for. you stand between it
and all. the. great cities east and south
Of you" If you do not realize all this,
get a map Of the United States, and If
compasses: are not handy for measure
ments, use string, and be ready to ex-
claim what an. empire we. have. The
writer saw the country west of the Red
those huge beasts fed and slept on the
sites Of the many progressive towns
which now dot that region. He. after
wards saw the lonely settler spread thinly
over that country, claim shanty here
and another one may be five or ten miles
away; but to-day It is almost q continu-
Gus farm, field joining field Of cultivated
Hand in apparently endless stretches An
other thing which must not be lost sight
| of in this connection: Nearly all the peo-
Pile in that belt are active producers and
have large wants in food, clothing, shell
ter, implements, machinery, etc. When
you get south of the Ohio river the pro
duction per capita is very small COM
pared with that Of the energetic men OF
! the northwest, and mans wants grow less
| the further south you go; so that the
| trade with a hundred men in this latitude
| is worth perhaps the trade Of three times
| that number In the south, and this Is an
other factor to bear we'll in mind. From
| here to the Pacific coast there is no con-
siderable manufacturing or distributing
center at present, and there will not be
one until conditions change very much
/ There is a country north of our state
boundary that, %altho geographically trib-
utary to us, thru some political fatuit4
has now a Chinese wall erected on the
dividing line. which effectually shuts ou
our trade. About thirty years ago these
cities had nearly all the trade of Wha
was then known as the Fort Gary coun
try, but to-day our merchants do no
lsuPply it with Ean5.o ounce of pepper or
yard of calico. Esau Is looked upon a
the champion fool of ancient times TO
selling his birthright for a mess of potage
1 but 1t is evident that his breed isn't ex
Etinot yet A good many firecrackers hav
been fired at that tariff wall recently
hut it will take tons and tons of politica
powder to make a perceptible impression
on it.
1t is admitted that for the present on
trade is kept out of that land OF Goshen
just north of our state boundary, but W
are. soclosed out Of that marvellous oun
try to the southwest Of us called the Blacl
Hills,-the richest spot, perhaps, in tn
world, when its limited area and vas
resources are considered. The formation
Of the Black Hills Is very strange as the
rise. outrof the plains and are not con
nected with any range. OF mountains
, Their area Is only about a hundred squar
miles, but like Pandora's box, it seem
to contain almost every precious thing
gold, silver, tin, lead. coal, etc., but W
have no direct connection with it b
! rail. While you have the map of tn
! United States before you and the com
passes or string, see how much nearer i
lis to these cities and even to Dulut
than it is to Chicago, which now control
2 its trade. The Northwestern railroa
finished its road into Pierre In 1850 an
the Milwaukee, railroad finished its trac
into Chamberlain, a little south Of Pierr
on the Missouri river the succeedin
! year, but neither has crossed that rive
and these cities have been barred OF
T from the Black Hills, but both Of thos
2 roads are In the interest Of Chicago
I her wealthy business men being director
in them. Chicago reaches the Black Hill
by more southern routes, principally til
+ BurlinEton.' - hat a fine time she he
. had in the last twenty five or. thirty yea,
I ladling the cream Of the fat pay roll
the mines, the extensive stock raising an
! agriculture Of that region. The Peep
: Of the Black Hills are. exceedingly ans
= ious. to- trade with us, and we are jul
I as anxious to trade with them, but bot
,. seem powerless to come together. Ism
there way to cut this gordian knot b.
# ffOre all the cream is skimmed on TIL
4 country by Chicago and lesser cities
i The 500 railroad, which has done SUI
n great things for these cities and II
i northwest generally, has a branch ne.
e the Missouri river south Of Bismarc
Can't its management be induced to f
up the gap from the Missouri river to tt
Il Black Hills Observer.
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