The Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. Territory) 1849-1855, 1851-09-25
lCorres spondence of the Wisconsin Tribune.l
ST. PAUL, Minnesota Terry, }
August %, 1851.

August %, 1851.
FRIEND BLIss:-Having promised you
Il few snaps of Minnesota matters, wher
last in your village, now proceed to fulfil
my engagement. And as find people gen.
orally, in Wisconsin, are not aware Of the
precise nature of Improvements going on
here, will go back IA few years, and al
present make some notes of ST. Paul.
This village, now supposed 10 contain
about three thousand inhabitants, has only
an existence, as a village, of some four or
five years. IL was held by pre-emrton a.
early as 1888, part of the lower town 10y a
discharged soldier, who sold about tina,
time to Messrs. Ciewett and Brown. 1t is
now known as kittson's addition, and was
bought by Norman Ki,tson in 1910, for
$50. The other part, known as the up
per town, was held in 1888 by Messrs Pha-
len s. Hays. In 1910, Mr.. Mortimer bougii,
their claim for $500. In 1912, Mr. Irwin
bought their claim for 500, and entered
the land in his own name. There are sew
eral other additions which were laid off
since.
The first store was opened in 1912 by Mr.
Jackson; the second in IS43, by }. w
Simpson. The town was surveyed into
lots 10y Ira Brunson, in lS45. In IS47,
there were but three white families in the
village. In l849, the number of all the
buildings in the place, including shantes
and the foundations of some not yet erect
ed, was 642.
| The above statistics are taken from the
minnesota Year Book" by w. g. Le-
Due. | will now give you some such brief
notes as my limited observati"n, since ar
irving here, has enabled me to make
hn fnx ,l -. l., 4. f.
siSsiPpi river, which flows by it in a north
on which the village is laid out, is almost
level, there being some swelling knobs, Just
enough 10 make parts of the village loom
up, aud present to the eye such variety as
| pleases, and diss pate thar sameness, SO tire
some to the heholder in an entirely level
plat. 1t is about so feet in the lowest part
above high water mark, and, think about
three miles in length, and, on an average,
about one mile back to the bluff. The
bluff, however, is not high nor steep, but
rises comparatively gradually to "a beau,i-
fui country stretching itself far to the north
and west. Some of the points of the bluff
afford the most lovely sites for family re-
sdence in the Territory. Here the wealthy
may build his mansion, overlooking the en-
tire town, with an easy ascent 10 il, and a
level plain for miles ia tho rear, making II
at once lovely, healthy, and romantic re-
sdence.
The lower town is built upon a gravel
bed as deep as the bed of the river, and
those building here may have excellent
water 10y digging about fifty feet for it
his Is separated from the upper town by
rise o! about ten feet. running tart q Q
right angle with the river, and extending
nearly to the bluff. In the upper town il is
difficult to have either a cellar or well,
for the reason that this ten feet rise is SOL
id level bed of mongrel limestone, under
laid by several feet of blue slate pipe clay,
imperviOus TO water unless peif f,rated-
Under this stratum Of pipe clay 10 a solid
ledge OF white sand stone extending at least
as deep as the bed of the river. This seems
TO me The most serious draw-back to the
growth of the upper town. In other re-
spects, 1t is certainly the most des raDle -
II is higher, leveller, and more easy Of ac-
cess TO pure springs of water issuing from
the foot of the bluff at almost every point
BY the way, it would be an easy matter to
supply the whole town with water from
these springs hy means of pipes, their ele-
vaton being such that a level would reach
! the top of almost any building in the vii
iage. The water issuing from the hill like
liquid from a filter, forms moss in the tall
grass, which dieing annually, has caused a
formation of turf from one to fifteen feet
deep almost the whole length Of the bluff
In passing along few days ago, saw n
son of Erin digging cellar for Doctor
Sweeney, where the bog was about eight
feet deep. In answer to my enquiries, he
affirmed that the turf he was throwing out
was precisely the same as the bogs in Ire
land, and if dried it would make as good
fires as any wood that ever grew. If this
be true, many in St. Paul will cease TO pay
! three dollars per cord for wood. These
bOgs would supply the place for years with
fuel, and leave the lots better than before,
10y cOntining the water TO streams, instead
OF suffering it to spread over all this sur
face.
have no means Of ascertainng the num-
her Of buildings in St. Paul But it looks
almost like n city was much disappoint-
ed in its extent. | think the number Of
houses now in the course of erection, is a
bout one hundred and fifty. Indeed the
whole place wears The appearance of lum-
ber aud brick yard About half mile from
the central part of the upper town, there is
an extensive brick yard, owned by Messrs.
| Brawley & SymOnds, where they make
brick of an excellent qualify. There is
another yard little farther back, which al
so does good business. But these are not
sufficient this rainy reason to supply the de-
mand. Stone is easily obtained, Of a first
rate quality, for building, in almost all parts
of the town, and two steam saw-miIls of
this place, and the vast quantity of lumber
fioated down from the Falls, make the sup
ply Of building materials abundant, except
lime, which is chiefly brought from Du-
buqus or Prairie du CHEN.
| There is a steam saw-mill in the upper
town worked by a locomotive engine, with
the pitman attached TO the shaft, making
about three hundred strokes per minute,
and cutting seven thousand feet Of lumber
in the twenty four hours, while in ORDER
But the rapid motion Of the machinery reu-
ders il difficult to run it long without re-
pairing. 1t works on'y a single saw, and a
shingle machine. There will he another in
operation during next month, with larger
engine, aud calculated to do "a better busi-
ness. There is another ia the lower town
worked by larger engine; but it is cir
cular saw, which gets in a snarl often, and
will not saw at all ill straigbienel. |
! IA thi,t thar hon in or,lor ~ will rut