Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1850-10-28
1isaa' From the Anti-slavery Bdgie. @e
Minnesota The Land pf pr6hifse

Minnesota. The Land Df Promise.
81 An esteemed Friend has placed in OH
hands the followingrlette from a highly in
telligent lady who recently went on a tou
Of observation to the, territory Of, Minnesota
} It was not written with the remotest idea o
publication but we believe our readers gen
orally will be interested in its perusaI =
Ed. Bugles. bsA ,1ahag.-l sE;3 }aai sass>'
So; Ia ssi,7sxs - -1-st;ass g,iaul9s z..o
49,. ST. PAUL, Minnesota, Aug. 1850.
EgreeaBly to my promise, |. seat myself
to give you few brief notes from TIL.
land of promise-for such L cannot bu
consider it, and shall indeed be disappoint.
ed if it is not in a few years one OF tie
most healthy, ,bea utiful andlprosperous States
In The Union. For one who has an eye and
soul to appreciate the beauties Of natural
scenery; this section of our country ca nnot
fail to instruct, to,charm indeed. IL have
| travelled through most Of the New England
States, through the length and breadth Of
New York, in Pennsylvania, and through
some ofthe Southern and Western States,
but have never found in any of them bne
spot which in so small compass combin-
ed so much beauty and variety Of scenery
From Galena Here the river scenery sur
passes anything Of the kind I ever saw. i.
The bluffs are gniicent, taking every
variety Of form here abrupt piles Of rock
towering one upon another, there rounded
tuwers apparently Of solid masonry, with a
smooth green law stretching out on one
side, with here and there grove of beauti-
full trees, and every appearance of cultiva-
ton, even to RICHARDSON the bill sides. A.
gain castles in ruins, with pillars and forti-
fcations delight the eye. Col. Todd, -(for-
merly our Minister to Russia, who is now
here preparing home for his family, tells
ME he has travelled down the Upper and
Lower Rhine, and that the illusion is per.
feet with regard to the appearance of ruins
Of castles, towers, and walled Qualifications,
and that the scenery of the Upper Missis-
sippi exceeds in beauty and grandeur that
of the Rhins. =. zasn;..s = es sss..'5-s1ss
I was somewhat disappointed in. The. ap-,
pearance Of St. Paul upon landing, forget
ting that it was but sixteen months old
but when come to 60 about and consider
how much had been done in so short a
space of time, I was perfectly astonisbed.
There are two large and well kept public
houses, any, quantity of stores, groceries,
lawyers, doctors, SPECTATORS, fur traders,
Indians and half breeds, and many South
erners-some two thousand souls al3ogeth-7
scheming, struggling5 to: gad-
vance their interests, active, iutellis ent men,
full Of excitement, their spirits braced, by
this pure, clear air, and ready to do any,
thing, and suffer almost anything to get
fair start. i. You wilLsees elegant Furniture
where there are but two rooms, (tbe town
is SO crowded that rent is very high and
many good families live as yet in mere
sl,anties; but on the Sabbath you will see
quite as much dress: among the ladies as in
any of our Ohio towns: There are some
very fine families, and as good schools, and
ministers as iUe have. -, ----,zr
I had deligbtfufride over to St. Antho-
ny's Falls the; otber:day. II is eight miles
from here, and delightful prairie amost of
the way, with some finely cultivated farlns,
some Of the finest fields of grain | hare
seen this year, and all kinds of garden veg
stables as sforward, and growing more lux
tiriantls than with US. There never was a,
more charming spot upon which with a
smooth current, divided by a lovely island, ),
to build town, than that upon which they
are building St. Anthony's Falls. The riy-
er winds around on one side of the town
(above!tEe FaHs) with the shores adeseend:
ing gradually to the river. Fl On the other
side of the island are the Rapids above. the
Falls, which some andre more than they
do the Falls. I thought they very nearly
,equalled them in grandeur: The river
boiIs and sddies, ana roars around great
masses ofsrocks, flaming and whirling, on,
on forever, leaping up impatient Of all re-
stralnt, until, rushing over the Falls, it
seems lost for a moment, only to rise with
maddening force and rnsh on to the ocean,
always changing; Yet ever the same: What
lesson such a scene reads to one! and O
how enjoyed sitting upon the rocks on
THAT LITTLE island, where I, could touch my
I hand to the falling water and look down
into the boiling depths, thinking Of. my
brother man, Of God and Eternity. Below
the Falls, and on the other side of the river
are beautiful bluffs, crowned With the rich
| est of prairies.B! The lands across the river
still belong to the Sioux, and are much COW
| eted by the Minnesotians. J Our government
are now thinking Of treating for them.
! EWhsnthey come into market it is expected
there will be q great rush for them: The
country all the way from the Fort (on the
other ssids9 to the Falls, and for miles back.
is rich prairie, with oak openings fine little
gems Of lakes, and sparkling brooks filed
with the best of fish; and on their shores
are found beautiful 'Cornslions and Agates
.Aoday Or two after ourefrstaivisit TO the
FAILS byJand, we went up again by water
in the steamboat Nomiase, to the sneares
landing, about half mile below the Falls
! After We left the Fort, the. current vas very
Il strong, and as ws approach tie Falls th'
Rapids are verylebeautiful. Is There are a
4 bout five hundred inha bitantsoat, the Fort
aud one, thopssn nd at the Falls :! The towl
issbsipg built upon the place above the riy
i er, and on one side they have the. view o
Il the trivsr5 islands; Rapids, Falls; Bluffs oil
isr,:Jx e tLhy+iuSr a,yas al ~ ;}h III,