The Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. Territory) 1849-1855, 1849-08-09
THE MINNESOTA PIONEER.
ct. panl, nlinnesota,
Thursday Morning, August 8, 1919.
Saint Anthony.

want OF full and definite information about
it, is the only reason we have not yet at
tempted to describe the Falls and to set forth
the unrivalled advantages Of that locality
for business. Here il is, that after a pro-
gress Of four hundred ,;1iles from above,
through channel in which no distractions
occur 10 steamboat navigation worth men,
tioning, that the whole volume of the Mis-
sissippi pours down in PERCEPTIONS sheet
from bench of limestone rock, to the depth
Of eighteen or twenty feet. Of the sublim-
ity Of the Falls we will not now speak; al
though in this respect the ca!arac. of ST.
Anthony is but little less wonderful than
that Of Niagara. The roar of this Immense
volume of falling water is often distinctly
audible at St. Paul, "a distance of eight miles,
and probably at a much greater distance.
Some one said that men could make towns,
but it took God to make the Falls. At any
rate it is an admirable piece of workman
ship. The shores along the Falls present
the same beautiful appearance Of benches,
table lands, and swelling hills, interspersed
with groves, that characterize the features
of the land along the river for some distance
above and below the Falls.
THE WATER POWER.
Al a distance of more than half mile
above the Falls, the stream becomes very
rapid, and is divided by an island planted
upon base Of rock and crowned with trees.
at distance from that shore of about fif,-
teen rods, aud extends below the Falls. Ii
Is by extending strong dam fastened into
the ledge ut the bottom with immense iron
bolts. from the foot of this island to the east
shore, that the hydraulic power Of the river
is CONTROLLED power which has no limit
that an engineer would ever have occasion
to compute, and which may still be doubled
by constructing another slight dam few
rods below the upper dam, across the brow
of another bench of rocks, over which the
water, after being once used, falls to the
perpedicu!ar depth of about twelve or fif-
teen feet. From the upper end of the island
boom is constructed to near the opposite
shore, SO as to turn the mill logs when driv-
en-. into the mill pond, on the east side of
the island. Near the head of this island,
will he the landing for steamboats, in the
trade above the Falls, and Of course, the
point for terminating a railroad TO connect
with tie navigable waters of the river be-
low.( A very large saw mill is erected, ca
pable Of making two millions of lumber per
annum; and another mill of the most SUBJ
slantial and thorough description, is in he
process Of erection. !, is the plan of the
proprietors to erect mills enough to employ
eighteen or twenty saws, beside using all
the water that mny be wanted for other ma
chinery. Lumber, for the present, viii be
the leading interest. The saws went into
operation last autumn, and have had no res,
since, night or day, except Sundays, and the
demand for lumber at the Falls and at St.
Paul, has moi nearly been supplied. There
will not be a supply for years, however
many mills may be bailt, to keep pace with
she growth Of Minnesota, and our wants for
building and fencing materials.
THE PINERY.
Nor is there any ground to apprehend
want Of mill logs; for between the Falls of
St. Anthony and the Pokagomon Falls--an-
other ST.. Anthony, 400 miles north--is
vast body of pine timber, perhaps the most
extensive in the world, into which the axe
has yet made no inroads. This region of
pines is watered Ly the Crow Wing river,
The Rabbit, The Pine. Leech Lake, and
many other streams, and embosoms in its
sombre shades of evergreen trees, Wnni-
pic Lake, Cass Lake. Leech Lake, Polka
gomon Lake, and many other fine sheets of
water; and is interspersed with many tracts
Of fine rich lands which are destined to be
cultivated and inhabited by our coantrymen.
NAVIGATION ABOVE TaE FALLS.
From the Falls of St. Anthony to Sank
Rapids, the Fur Company have already
opened navigation. Boats have been con-
structed this season, under the direction of
MIR. Rice, for towing. A tow path has
been prepared, and boat towed by two
horses, has made several trips, loaded each
time with 100 barrels of -four. Mr.. Rice
thinks the steamboat Senator could run the
same trip, and could run even as far as Po-
kagomon Falls. At any rate, the only OBJ
structon is a few boulders at Sank Rapids,
which could easily be removed in lew
water. If the experiment which is about
TO be made of running boats above the St.