The Minnesotian. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. Territory) 1851-1852, 1851-12-06
Facts and Fancies.

~ Soi 'iuui'ioh A|ilc PioPo>dls
for the erection of the new hotel, which
has been so long talked Of. 1t is going
ahead now, and no mistake. A street six
ty feet wide, will be opened during the
winter, from the river to the hotel. An
embankment the full width will be thrown
up across the marsh, from the river to the
hill, sufficiently elevated to be ont of the
reach of any high wafer. AT the foot of
tins street is an excellent landing, where
there has not been less than ten feet water
at any time the past season. Here the
propretors intend building large ware
house. The new steam saw mill OF Messrs.
Cakes and company is now running two
saws-an upright and circular. The
old mill is about being converted into an
iron foundry and machine shop, the own
ers having purchased The remnant of stock
patterns, and other fixtures saved by Mr..
WATSON from the wreck of the Dakota
Mcssrs. r. NJ. Spencer and Markley have
purchased a lot at the corner of Sibley and
Water streets, and intend erecting imme-
diately warehouse, fifty feet by one hun
dred. Col. Goodhne has purchased on the
opposite corner, and intends also to build
large warehouse. The storage and COM
mission business of St. Paul next wear will
demand all the room afforded by these
buildings.
Our venerable friend, Indian Jim, a
brother Of the ancient Elizabeth-vulgar-
ly called "Old Bets'-has a determined
idea of doing as the white people do the
remainder Of his days. Some years ago,
he had one-halfof his underpinning knock
ed from beneath him by the Chippewas.
since which time he has ceased his bloody
acts Of say; &c warfare, and lived a lie of
peace. Like his sister Betsy, Jim is an
industrious old body, and despises to eat
the bread of idlcness. His winter occupa-
ton is making pipes and axe-helvcs and in
the summer he catches fish for the St. Paul
market. Last spring, when some of our
lumbermen were in Il strait for hands TO
Prevent their logs being swept off, Jim
rallied the whole Kap4ia band, bucks and
squaws, all Of whom, following his exam
PIE worked in their canoes several days,
driving logs into the boom, thus earning
handsome wages by their industry. 1t is
therefore with regret, we learn that Jim,
in endeavoring to initiate the virtues of
his white neighbors, has picked up some
OF the evil notions Of the ''land of chival-
ry." In plain English, he avows his de-
termination to have a fight, with pistols,
after the fashion Of the ''whi,e people," so
soon as the treaty is ratified. He is to be
The challenging party, and Bad Hail, tall,
w-boned Rob Roy of Dakota, tie chal-
lengec. Jim is much more prominent
mark, bredthwi>e, than Bad Hail, but he
thinks his wooden leg will about make the
chances equal.
Ex-Secretary Smith will be back to
tMinneso'a in the spring. We assert this
prediction with certainty of its fulfill
ment. Cause why: He forgot to take
that old sun dial with him and it remains
sticking on post in front of the Central
House. He will undoubtedly come back
for it, if he should ever miss it in making
new inventory of his :rumpery, which,
while here, he was in the habit of doing
every two weeks. We did not know he
Lad left the dial behind, until passing by
the other evening, we discovered an hon.
est son Of the "green isle" endeavoring to
ascertain the hour by the light of candle
If the property holders throughout the
entire length Of Third street are "smart,',
they willtake immediate measures to have
that thoroughiare reduced to an easy grade,
from the top of the hill, at Judge LAM
bcrt's, to Sibley street. Grade it the
whole length, and the hill of sixty feet,
between Jackson and SiLley streets, can
be made an easier assent from the lower
landing, than by any other street in town.
Every cent expended will add twice the
amount to the value of property fronting
the street.
One of the nusances about town, and
one that should be speedily abatcd too. is
the practice INDUCED in by some of the
'camsters, of driving their loaded wagons
over the plank sidewalks, which many of
our citizens have very humanely laid down
in front Of their property. Large holes are
thus frequently made in the boards, to the