When We Contemplate The Headlong Progress Of Western Growth In Its
Innumerable Evidences Of Energy, We Admit The Truth Of What The Roman
Poet Said Nil Mortalibus Ardum Est That There Is Nothing Too
Difficult For Man.
In the narrative of his exploration to the
Mississippi in 1820, along with General Cass, Mr. Schoolcraft tells us
how Chicago then appeared.
"We found," says he, "four or five families
living here." Four or five families was the extent of the population
of Chicago in 1820! In 1836 it had 4853 inhabitants. In 1855 its
population was 85,000. The history of many western towns that have
sprung up within ten years is characterized by much the same sort of
thrift. Unless some terrible scourge shall come to desolate the land,
or unless industry herself shall turn to sloth, a few more years will
present the magnificent spectacle of the entire domain stretching from
this frontier to the Pacific coast, transformed into a region of
culture, "full of life and splendor and joy."
At present there are no railroads in operation in Minnesota; but those
which are already projected indicate, as well as any statistics, the
progress which is taking place. The Chicago, St. Paul, and Fond-du-Lac
Railroad was commenced some two years ago at Chicago, and over 100
miles of it are completed. It is to run via Hudson in Wisconsin,
Stillwater, St. Paul, and St. Anthony in Minnesota to the western
boundary of the territory. Recently it has united with the Milwaukee
and La Cross Road, which secures several millions of acres of valuable
land, donated by congress, and which will enable the stockholders to
complete the road to St. Paul and St. Anthony within two years.
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