The Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. Territory) 1849-1855, 1851-12-25

wait, looking for iis arrival around the bend. IA
a French train, as confidently as they looked foT
the steamboat Senator ia the summer. The mail
was much sualler then; bat, what Of that lf
Mr.. Rice cannot get our mails through, he has
business TO contract to do il. II the land reu- is
inprac.icable. why not take the ice ON the river.
Us Manahan did! If one train is not sufficient 10
hurry the mails through, why not scnd two' Gov
eminent pays Ss,GoO for mail service from rrs;-
rio du Chen TO Minnesota. Six hundred is paid
for the Rice service and $4,000 for the Ormsby
service, parallel routes. The Rice concern
buys out Ormsby. undertaking 10 supply tie
offices on both routes. Yet our mail seryi-s IS
worse than ever. Last year, when Rice's sza
failed, there was chance tG get q mali by oEm-
by route; bat now, there is no alternative Ii
is fail u the time. Wheiher the p. o. Depsrt-
ment authorize aud allow this boiling down or
two contracts into one, we have net inquired, add
would not care, if the mail service did moi become
weaker instead Of stronger, by concentration.
The summer mail service, the contractor GEE
done by the boats. Six hundred dollars will sop
ply every office, during beating, on both routes,
Ornsby's and Ricc's. The Government, Their,
really pays IS, 900 for The winter service Of less
than 20 weeks. This is $3.50 90 for each week.
No doubt it is convenient to carry the mail once
month instead Of once a week, aud actually to
receive six hundred dollars for one week sf nc
tual mail service. But in our opinion, Il Rice
finds himself incompetent to do this service, as he
has undertaken to do it, he had better aba utioa
the contracts.
"A FINE REGION FOR FARMERs.--Therc il
hardly finer tract Of land perhaps in the v Jrld.
than the delta between the ST. Croix and Missi.
sppi rivers; and the most Of j, is yet public land.
1t resembles those beautiful oak openings an4
warm praires on the west side Of Rock river, ILL.,
nois. In many places, whole sections are cover
ed with scattering growths Of small oaks, which
present the appearance Of immense orchards.
The general face Of the country near St. Paul, Is
rather uneven-but the soil is goodwin con-
siderable share Of sand in it, to quicken veSe,s-
ton. In approaching the St. Croix, the land be-
comes moro level, lying in wide slopes, which
you ascend very gradually, but which are So even
that they seem like large plains, tilted NJ jus;
enough side TO turn off the superiucus
water, and save them from being the be- Of q
wide, shallow lake; while ct small intervals all
over the sarface, there are slight depressions,
where small lakes Of water are formed-nhich
are uniformly pure that their waters abound Il.
the finest varieties Of fish.
LADIES FAIR.--CharIes ii. OAkes is frs,
rate, noble, big hearted man; as generous = ulan
as the liberal town Of St. Paul contains, If he Is
one Of the "Fur Company" Mr.. Cakes gave
to the fair, the entire use Of his large, now, ei.-
CANT mansion house, well warmed aud illunns-
ted from the basement up to the Observatory, .,s-
side contributing otherwise very largely to the er-
ter,annnent. The weather being pleasant. there
was very large assembIage Of persons, by sigl,
O'Clock in the evening; carriages being ed
to bring in company from the distant parts Of our
widespread town. We found there an assem-.
blage Of orr citizens. Of various agcs and of both
sexes and of all religious denomina iion., many
who there met for the FIRST time, surprising in IN
telgencc and real responsibility, any as,rlnblass
we have ever before seen in ST. Paul; more beau
tiful, well dressed women and girls, and rnote
genteel and accomplished men, than we supposed
could be mustered in our thriving village. There
was an easy elegance Of manner. and pleasant
tone Of refined conversation, that was truly de.
lightful. Sales proceeded br.kly, Of the few ar
tcles offered; but the most lively scene of opera
tons, was the Post Office, in ono apartment Of
the fair. where pertinent, ludricous and appro-
prnte letters could be obtained, by any who de-
sired. at the old rates Of postage, ten cents on De-
livery.
The SUPPEK.-Of course the supper wa, an
elegant affair; for the Ladies Of ST. Paul had
taken it in hand themselves; and our ladies too.
Of the very highest consideration in town. They
not only provided aud arranged the tables for ons
hundred persons, in style of sumptuous elegance.
with turkeys, chickens, frosted hams. oyster
soups, lobster soups, sardines, and ali the sub
stan,ials Of good supper, bu: also with pastries
and sauces and jellies and piquants Of every des-
cription; and added their own personal services
during the feast, in pouring tea and coffee and
supply ing the wants Of the company There was
the utmost practical Democracy and equality,
from his Exceliency, the Governor. all around to
the utmost verge Of the company. We left, with
better opinion Of the elements of society in Ct
Paul and higher hopes Of the carly predomipance
here, Of christian spiri, Of enlightened morality
and hish-toned civilization. What the proceeds
Of the Fair may amount to. is wholly urimpor-
tant compared with the social and moral effect Of
such meeting ia our town, in making our people
acquainted with each other, exchanging opinions,
improving manners and elevatins the staslsrj Of
morality, sobrie,y and civilization.
OFFICERS AT THE FoRr.--Wc lear that
several Of the officers OF For, Smelling were dcwn
here and attended the ball last Thursday, Thanks
giving day, ut Mazourka Hall.
AGnIcULrURE IN MINNEsorA-A. ".
Taylor, Esq, Of ST. Anthony, It will be recollec-