Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1849-12-14
From the Christian Aduocate.
New observation-disclosures.

NC" lcTEhtOfhes"-MtssC
The tide of civilization rolls like a
flood toward the western seaboard. Al
the present rates, but few wears can
elapse ere the whole bosom OF the greaat
Mississippi Valley, and those of the Rio
Grand, Willamette, aud other mighty
western waters, will be crowded with
the hardy children ~ the Anglo-Saxon
race, and home seeking emigrants from
the old world. Arkansas, Wisconsin
and Iowa--territories whose soil, a few
short years ago, was untrod, save by the
feet of the wild Indian-usheredin into ex-
istence, have passed through the stage oil
infancy, offered themselves for admission
into the noble sisterhood, and now Sit
down in the national council upon equal
ity with Massachusetts, Virginia and the
Carolnas, the antique pred
The buzz of excitement, and wonder
ing welcome, incident to their reception,
has scarce died away, and we hear new
voices from the far west proclaimng
the birth of new members of the house
hold-voices from the banks of the Sac
ramento, from the Falls of st. Anthony.
and from the Great Salt Lake. The
people can hardly keep pace, in thought,
with their own mighty advancement
bewildering destiny impels the host of
emigrants westward, and the wilderness
in short time is made to s.blossom as
the rose"-happy homes are establish
cd where erst the "untutored savage"
and wild beasts Of prey roamed unmo
lested--halls OF Justice, school houses,
colleges and churches are erected; and
when the truth is told us we scarcely
dare believe.
California, with her dazzling moun-
tains and gold bedded rivers has thrust
herself forward before the eye of the
whole people, so that every schoolboy
can talk Understandings of her great San
Francisco Bay, her shining Sacramento
and San Joaquin streams-the frightful
pass OF the Siersa Nevada-her noun.
tains and plains. But who has hitherto
talked Of the prairies, the lakes, the riv-
ers, the mountains, and cataracts of Mi
necota! Who has cared for her beauti-
full and varied scenery, her fertile fields
salubrious climate! Now, however, that
the golden fury has Gained somewhat,
and the story of the glittering plaeers be-
come burden to the ear, attention turns
10 the really more valuably and interest
ing wonders of Minnesota, and Desert oil
the Great Salt Lake. st faa @
For the benefit of our readers we
have compiled, from the scanty materials
that have come into our possession, the
following information relative o the first
named of these territories. We are in.
debted chiefly to the Minnesota Register,
aud to the correspondence of some OF
our exchanges. s....... .-.....
Minnesota extends from the mouth oil
Sioux river, latitude AZ degrees, 40 min.
utes, to the British boundary; in loagi.
tude it lies between fourteen and twenty.
five degrees west of Washington. 1t is
bounded. east by Wisconsin, and lake
Superior, southeast by the State of Iowa
southwest and west by the Missouri riv.
er, northwest by White Earth river
north by north latitude 40, and northeas
by chain of lakes and rivers from the
lake of the Woods to lake Superior, the
two latter boundaries separating it from
the British dominions in north America
1t contains an area of 10000 square
miles, being more than square of 400
miles on each side. According to Mr.
Darby, abont 80, 600 square miles are in
cluded in the residuum of the old north
west territory, and 10000 in Uppe
Louisiana. It derives its name from st
Peters river, called by the Sioux, Min
ne (water) sofa, (muddy) s.muddy wa
ter The first settlement was made il
1872, by government expedition, sen
out to establish garrison. The expedi
ton was under the command of Col
Smelling. and in the following year For
Smelling was erected. Three years af.
terward, the first steamboat Mexico
made its appearance at that place. Ii
1896 the government purchasedthe land
of the St. Croix and Chippeway Indi
ans, and settlements commenced imme
diately. At the last session of Con
gress bill was introduced, and passe,
both houses, establishing territorial GOV
eminent over Minnesota. AT that tim
it was stated in Congress, that her popu
lalon was ten thousand. Since then
emigration has been pouring in rapidly
but we have no means of knowing tn
number of the population at present. S,
Paul, the seat of government and tn
principal business town, we are inform
ed tripfed its population during the pas
summer. St Paul is situated ON tn
Mississippi river, eight miles below III
Falls of st. Anthony, and is said to b.
at the head of steamboat navigation
The other principal towns are, st. Pc
tiers on the Mississippi, Still Water 0,
st. Croix, and Fond du Lac on Lake Su
perior. 1t is estimated that there ar
$4,000 Indians with the territory.
| Minnesota embraces every variety O
scenery-is richly supplied with stream
of wafer, and hundreds of lakes embos
omed among her hills. There are noun
talns, prairles, rivers, lakes, islands an
cataracts. Some OF the scenery on III
Mississippi, above st. Paul, is said to b
far more beautiful than that of the Hud