The Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. Territory) 1849-1855, 1850-08-29
Notes of the Way.

I
Massachusetts sea-bOard to Minnesota, :,
Is reflected one uninterrupted, sparkling
Sake drawn through scenes of beauty
and pleasure. The transit is so quick
from point to point. that only the most
evident objects impress the mind, and
they become in the memory so closely
associated together, that they seem as a
scene compassed under single glance
Of the eye. Nearly 1000 miles are
skinned over in nine days. The dis
tance seems only commensurate with
! the time; and if we account the nights
on the way, blank, the distance is
shortened into mere excursion Of four
and half days. Strange as it may
seem to people on the Atlantic, VIII"
have never accompanied their fancy in
its fight TO the Mississippi, the distance
is, to our experience with the exception
of the stage travel from Chicago to Ga
lena, essentially shortened to the limits
of the time. But after the completion of
the railroad from Chicago to Gale
ma, journey from Boston to ST. Paul,
will be whipped up in four days. Many
of us from the northeastern States, re-
collect the times of the early emigration
into the "Holland Purchase" in Wes-
tern New York, and since then, into
Ohio. Friends took parting fare
well, never to see each others faces
more. A din mist of uncertainty hung
over the remote region for which they
were embarking - the very name of
' the Oaio" seemed like the faint echo
Of another world, and none but brave
hearts could repress the fond feelings
Of home as they set forth for SO shadowy
realm. But now western New y York is
but the nei ghbor Of the same vicinity.
Any part of northern Ohio is but the
neighbor of Tomorrow morning Eve
ry immigrant Of the west now remarks
upon the shnrtness Of the distance, as
viewed from the west, and the distance
as viewed from the east. They always
find themselves agreeably mistaken in
their former idea of the distance to the
west.
But time is not the chief consideration
in a journey from the old States to the
west: the facilities Of the way are first.
Twenty years ago the emigrant slowed
his utensils and carrying his family in a
creaking wagon, and walked by the side
of his team. Hunger, sickness, and
weariness, were almost too much even
for the strength Of his hopes that still
lured him on. Now the contrast is in
sumptuous cars and paIace-like steam
boats, that exhlirate the emgrant and
make him forget home. When he ar
rives at his destination, his vigor is with
him; his intellect is clear for the enter
prise before him; and at this day of en-
igration he seldom repines under home
sickness; disease, by the way, which
has obscured more hopes than the
shaking ague. But for one purpose -
which is to advert particularly to the
more recent facilities of travel from B,:f-
folo to Chicago, and the prospective ia
ciiities from Chicago to Galena. At
Buffalo we took the
MICHIGAN CENTRAL RAILROAD LINE. "
Never have we found ourself more
agreeably accommodated on any of the
old lines Of the east, than upon this.
The boats between Buffalo and Detroit
which are the first link in the convey
ance, are Of the most superb order
They are the swiftest boats on the lakes,
probably the most richly furnished, and
are supplied with most sumptuous fare.
The second link in the line, is the rail-
road. The car-house is commodious.
the attendance civil The cars were
made at Cambridge, Massachusetts, and
Of the pattern of those used about Bos-
ton. The agent, the clerks, and con-
ductors, are, most Of them, Massachu-
sets men. The road is good, being
laid with the rail, except sixty miles
of the strap rail. At New Buffalo, the
western terminus. a good boat is in read
mess for Chicago. Time from Buffalo
to Chicago, 81 hours. BY this route,
the distance, in the circuit of the lakes
is cut off $50 miles. Expense only
one dollar more than nv the Jakes Tho