The Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. Territory) 1849-1855, 1850-12-26

Saint Paul and Saint Anthony.
We have seen frivolous lii,le pamphlet, .
lately published by Mr.. Hamilton OF Ohio,
all about Minnesota. The writer appears
to have been particularly enamored oi the
young lady "'who taught the iirst school,
ever opened in Minnesota"--also OF "a Sio-
rious i.tfie town about Q miles above Saint
Paul" Our village is place OF some I'M
portance just now. heing the capital anu
being considered abroad. the head of per-
manent steamboat navigation Dir. Ham
ilton strongly iuliinates that the real mead
Of steamboat nav igaiion, is at 81. Anthony.
That boats OF sufficient power, can run 10
the Falls in high water, is well known; that
they cannot in lo,c cGter. is equally certain.
IN dry time, boats reach the dotfon', he
fore the head. There is the rub, Mr.. Ham
iitou. Without "Locke on the human UNI
derstanding," the minds OF mankind can he
elevated 10 the comprehension of simple
law of bydrostatics; but without locks OH
the river, boats cannot he got over the rap
ids and scattered bouiders and fragments OF
rock broken of an,i carried 10y the cataract,
for miles, below Saint Anthony, into the
swift shallow current Of the river. That
is the way to tell the truth. We do not, III
the slightest degree, underrate the natural
advantages Of Saint Anthony. We admit,
10 the fullest extent, all that has been said
of the beauty of scenery there-and the val
ue Of the hydraulic power and Of the indus
try and intelligence Of the men, and the
beauty of the women. But after all, moth
ing is eqnal to truth. The people OF Saint
Anthony no are candid, will not thank Mr..
hamilton or ANY body else, for representing
abroad, that steamboats, could, il they
would. run above Fort Smelling, through
the whole season Of boating. We do not
saw that Saint Paul will always be the
mos, important town in Minnesota. We
do not say that Saint Anthony will not he.
Men will honestly differ in opinion about
such matters; but they need not quarrel
about IT, Capt. George says, that man
made Saint Paul, bat God made SAINT An
thoDy. This is in part true. God made
the laundering cataract there, and trauk-
lin Steele pot yoke upon its neck
and is Row obedent 10 do the work Of mil
lions Of inen; hut the same God also made
eighteen miles of very crooked river below
the Falls, and very swift, AMI scattered
flocks of bouliers, and ridges Of ledge in
the channel. The same God also left u
very pretty spot for steamboat depot,
where Saint PAIL Is; AMI made-a beautiful
extent of undulating plaics, easy TO grade
for plank road or 4 railroad, all the way
from Saint Paul To Saint Anthony, dis
tance Of about . miles. The same God de-
si.ued that these towns should he mutually
must inevitably add importance to the 9TH
es--that they are in no sesse rivals, but
that they are partners, is as true as the SIM
plest axiom of political economy. Really
there can he no rivalry between them, no
more than there can be between steamboat
and cotton factory, or coal barge and a
trip hammer. A railroad is as ndlspensa-
BILE between them, to advance the interests
of each town, but especially Of SAINT AnthO-
ny, as a cart or wagon is, to farmer
What a manufacturing town wants, is easy
access, cheap communication, to facilitate
it's business. Arrivals by locomotive trains
would be as valuable to Saint Anthony, as
arrivals would be by steamboats,. 1t Ia
wholly question of economy. IL rail
road were built from here TO the Falls, nine
miles, the river would still be open fol
boats; and if boats coaid run at al! to Sain
Anthony, and could run eighteen miles, ant
carry against the competition of the raj!
road, they would do the carrying and Sain
Anthony would enjoy the benefit Of reduced
freiyhts and fares. Even if there were n,
obstruction whatever to the navigation o
the river, to the foot Of the Falls, connec
ton Of the upper end of Saint Anthony, b.
railroad, with Saint Paul, would enlist tn
favor. iniere=. and patronage of the uppe
end, ia favor Of tho railroad which woul
bring business to their very doors; am
against the steamboat landing at the lowe
end, of Saint Anthony, which should en-
deavor to keep at that end Of the town,
monopoly Of stores and ware houses, as
already has, Of manufacturing and hydrau
lie power.