The Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. Territory) 1849-1855, 1850-08-15

OBJECT IN EXPLORING.
The people of Saint Paul, mostly con-
gregated here within the year and a
halt last past, from every quarter, drawn
to this town by conviction now ripen-
ing into absolute certainty, that here is
destined shortly to be the emporium of
the trade of all that portion Of the tenn
perate zone lying north of it, and ex-
tending from the shores Of the great
lakes to the banks of the Upper Missis-
sippi; embracing larger area of trade
without rival, (and that too, in the very
heart Of a continent, than any other
town perhaps in the world; situated in
the centre Of the temperate zone, and at
the extreme northern point of steady
steam navigation, by the class of boats
proiitably employed in the trade above
Saint Louis, nave deemed no sacrifice
of time or Of money too great, to explore
the interior of Minnesota While the
enterprise Of Saint Anthony has opened
navigation by steam the present season
to Sauk Rapids, on the Upper Missis-
sippi, and demonstrated the practical
bility OF running small steamboats, up that
river to the Falls Of Pokagomon, a dis
tance of 600 miles above US, Saint Paul
has explored the other branch Of the
river above US, the Minnesota, (hereto-
fore moro often called the Saint Peter,
a name which it will probably now cease
to be known by,) for distance Of 800
miles; for the first time startling with
the noise of the steam pipe, the most
glorious wilderness that ever smiled
under the hand of the Creator.
We have deemed the exploration of
the Minnesota river an object Of prima-
ry importance on several accounts. AS
citizens Of Saint Paul, lying but S or q
miles below the junction of the Mime
sofa and Mississippi rivers, the natural
and inevitable point Of transhipment
! from the larger steamboats, running be-
low, to the smaller boats Of different
construction, adapted to the navigation
of the rivers above US, we wished to
know, and that the world should know,
that the navigable waters above us,
tributary TO our trade, irrigate an extent
of land as great and at least as fertile
as the whole length of the Mississippi
from ST. Louis to St. Paul. All this has
been demonstrated.
Again, it will be remembered that the
whole of the west bank Of the Missis-
sippi river, from the Iowa line to the
northern boundary of Minnesota, is In
dian territory; and that the whole coun-
!. ,.afarc1 h., tha M;pooento hoIopu
. to the Sioux Indians; that it is portion
of the continent hitherto almost unex-
plored and unknown--and that Govern.
ment has now appointed commissioner:
to treat for its purchase. A better
knowledge of its situation, resources
and true value, seemed indispensable
to enable the Commissioners and the
. Senate of the United States to estimate
properly what might be fair and jus
equivalent for the lands to be treated for
/, The first exploration was made 3 OIL
: 4 weeks since, by the Anthony Wayne
which boat went up to the head Of tht
y Rapids, distance Of about 65 miles b,
/ the river and then returned Shortl,
, after, the Nominee went up still higher
left her shingle rpon the bank and re
turned. The Anthony Wayne on he
return from below, was again chartered
by our people, and reached a poin
within about / 5 miles of the Blue Eartl
River where she planted her shingl.
! upon the shore, announcing herself a
the first steamboat in those waters, ant
then returned. In the mean time ar
rangements were made with the steam
boat Yankee, Capt. Harris, to COM
prepared with fuel and provisions, t.
take party as far as possible up th'
river. 1t is of this voyage of the steam
boat Yankee far above the Blue Fart
river, that we are now writing. TIL
Q aggregate cost in cash actually paid b
y Saint Paul, in these four expeditions u
!; the Minnesota, much exceeds $4,000.
The steamboat Yankee, of Galena
was ready on Monday morning, the %
ultimo, for the Saint Paul explorin
party. The names Of her officers ar
:. as follows: Capt NJ K. Harris; Clerk
y G. w Girdon; Pilot, j. S. Armstrong
A. First Engineer, G. w. Scott Secon
Engineer, G. L. Sargent. The Yanke
is stern wheel boat, Of light draugi
:. and powerful engines, about l45 fe,
=" long, and 200 tons burthen She wa
provided with 200 bushels Rock Islam
coal, and had her hold full of dry wood
and was supplied with great abur
dance and variety Of provisions, and on
e; ton of ice. 1t was not until nearly til
e. middle ofthe afternoon that all the mel
and women, and children, with trunk:
ed travelling bags, and band-boxes, wei
r. on board and the lines cast off. Th
n Yankee foated across the bridge leat
h. ing to the Upper Landing, and passe
ID out into the river above, by new rout
ny through the upper end of the slough
Touching Mendoza, we took on boar
Joseph Laframboise and family, bour
up the Minnesota river to his tradin
post at Little Rock At Fort Sne
4. ling we were joined by part of I'll
9th Regiment band; after which, II