The Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. Territory) 1849-1855, 1852-04-08

prairie grass Of last years growth, betokening
that buildings will soon DO there and streets Of
81. Anthony, now known only by reference TO
the town plat.
Here are stores new law ofHce-more new
houses--more piles Of fresh sawed lnmber---new
\ cellars commenced--snd now we come 10 the
saw-mls. active as ever, single machines, la,h
factory. lathes. and the busting industry Of men
and teams in and around the mills-like big
b ,art. sending active pusations Of business all
over town, and into the nsighboring country and
far-off, intothe pineries. Here is company Of
genllen ;. officers. from Fort Smelling. taking
survey Of the village and the waterfall. from the
terrace back Of Main street. They think, and
truly think that ST. Anthony Is destined to be n
famous md fashionable watering place that
neither Saratoga, nor Newport, nor Niagara, can
offer equal inducements for summer residence,
to iavaiids ind people Of lie isure. Now we pass
along Main stree, and here seems to be an unlm-
proved space Intervening between The upper and
lower part OF the town-eo the upper town
which certainly shines with prosperitv--everyihng
looking new and clean. Here we come to the ST.
Charles ljoiel--a fine, spacious building. full Of
strangers. What a contrast within few months!
VIVA, change since year ago, when the
stranger who visited ST. Anthony could not obtain
dinner, unless through the compassion Of some
citizen, he were invited to dine AT some private
house. After dinner at the 81. Charles, the whs-
tie Of the steamboat is heard, and we must hur-
ry down to
THE GOVERNOR RAsMEy.
This boat. the first that ever rode in the wa
tiers Of the Mississippi above the falls, built
by Capt Rollins and others, who for enterprise
deserve the lasting gratitude Of Minnesota. In the
hands Of such men, comparatively small sum
Of money, would be 30 expended, as 10 open the
navigaeisn of the river, many hundreds Of miles
further This boat, differs from all other boats in
having locomotive boilers consisting Of a great
number Of small OFFENDERS, all of which. coming
in contac, with fire, present large extent Of boil
suffice within u small compass, for the genera
iion of steam. Contrary 10 the predictions of
many, the boilers do not become crusled with
lime, but kept, with proper care, entirely
clean. The engines are also different from any
that elsewhere in the west: and are very
perfect their way; is their mana cement by
The engineers; fer the stern paddle wheel re-
spends 10 their touch, quick as ihought.
The boat being small, Of course does not af-
ford very complete arrangements for passengers.
There is small cabin. which sleeps perhaps
dozen and still smaller cabin for ladies'. The
freight, Of course, is very important part O! The
business Of this boat; and especially the trans
portation Of Indian and Garrison supplies. What
ever was wanting in extent Of accommodations,
was compensated by the polite and Obiiaing at
ientions of Capt Rollins. Amongs, the passen-
gers, were the Rev. NJ. Chase Of Natchcz Miss
and several gentlemen and ladies from the State
of New York-three ladies', all in the bloom rf
health, and particularly fine locking women, who
stood in relation TO each other, Of grandmother,
daughter, and granddaughter. Now the boat,
with some difficulty, passes out between two
islands, into the main channel AM heads up
stream, the water swift. oh, how swift! being just
at the head of the falls. A feeble boat could not
stem the current. Fire up, buys. Dry wood
this season; las, season they had TO bnrp green
wood. II take half !; cord an hour, to run the
boat.
For long distance on our right, extends
boom, parallel to the shore, b. which mill logs
from above are turned down between the island
and the east shore, into the mill pond. The river
looks much smaller than at ST, Paul, ard seems
10 be lifted up. out Of the chasan through which
1t runs below the falls, TO The level with the
shores or rather, which is the fact there is no
chasm until the river finds one ,fter breaking over
the apron Of rock at ST. Anthony.
SHORES OF THE UPPrR MISSISSIPPI.
! There are none Of the abrupt bluffs, such rs
are seen down the river; but the land comes
down, by An easy. gradua slope, to the very edge
OF the water, and as you loot away far back and
see the smooth land. ROW covered with green,
gradually rising as the view reSedcs from the RI
ver-iar--irr away-thc renioiest ohjec. -
swelling ridge of prairie land: Or Of oak openings,
on the rgh: hand; and on the lei forest--no-
thing shov, Of dense forest of vigorous young
trees, as far can be seen--and in the channel
islands, some Of them large, covered invariably
with u heavy growth Of elm, blackberry, maple
and cotton wood; and whenever as an exception
TO the general appearance Of the shores, there is
any thing assuming the form fan abrupt bluff, it
! * cd MIN frea rail,
Of universal beauty, bursts upos The view; such
as the landscape AT the moulhiof Rice Creek
or itasca Prairie, or the EASTERN shore near Swan
rrer The land is evidently very rich-at ltasca,
we stced the formation to be. bed Of gravel,
upon which rested body Of mari, supporting i
rich candy loan, not less than Is inches or two
feet deep. Al various points, We saw extensive
fields under cultivation, crops Of oats, potatoes,
every thing tina. had been sowed or planted, Civ
ing rich promise and all with whom we convers-
ed bearing full testimony TO the excellence Of
every Kind Of crop that has been tried there
The and-tieds, the crops speak for themselves,
and there Is no room for argument about it. There
is no BITTER land in the ntoie ridley ofthe MIS-
sissippi, than the whole region extending from
the Falls Of 81. Anthony to Sank Rapids; above
which, we have not been. We are Informed,
tn 4 the land Is much the same ,above Sank Rap
is which place is northwest ofSt Pau, nearly,
= /
miles. Al distance Of from isrce miles to fl
teen miles, from the east shore Of the river, ex-
tends tsmarac swamp, for an immense dis
lance, betws en- ST. Anthony and Sank Rapids
designed by nature, it would seem, expressly to
furnish farmers with rails without splitting them;
hint from Providence, which! the settlers up
there, are not slow TO comprehend.
At various interval, along the river, The trees,
&c. in this ,amarac swamp, are visible, far in
the back ground. picturesque asa distant forest
of tapering mas,s. What lies cast beyond that
swamp, We not do know ;but Besion county may
well be content with the vast extent Of fine ara
bie lands, that are in sight f,he Iiver-sufIiccnt
for 10000 farmers, and as yet unclaimed. The
soil is sxocffy like that Of Rock river--qui,e as
little waste land-uuch more timber; and with a
andscape which we can recolleca nothing down
the river, 10 compare with, unless i: be The shores
Of the Mississippi at the lower Rnpids, including
| tho back ground OF Nauvoo and Montrose. The
first night, we passed on board the boat at the
mouth Of Swan river (The Ramsey docs not
n fSh