The Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. Territory) 1849-1855, 1852-04-15

on" pau voluntary cOntTOut0n, III nlliS
more than one weelA---churcies filled on Sunday
Two new churches to be erected another
Presbyterian and German Methodist y two ho-
tells built, and two more, very large ones now
building, one at each end Of the town--saw mills
ioandries. aud all sorts Of enterprises put in ope-
ration IN a twinkling, an Academy Of the highest
grade for young ladies', projected this sea son, and
the thing now actually comnenced--a stea nboa,
business and trade now actually greater than
that Of any other town but Galena, above ST.
Louis,-thcse are only some of the changes 10
the fortunes Of this vigorous town. which We have
witnessed since landed ia st. Paul on tue
18th of April, lSi9, from the old s'Senator, ;" the
prompt, honest, faithful old Senator, Capt Orrn
Smith, who now runs the Nominee, and whose
nsides-eng;ne and boilers, is good enough to
wear cut half dozen new bodies.
The PLAN OF SAINT PAUL.
The projectors Of this town, appear to have
had but The smallest possible ideas OF lie growth
and importance that awaited ST. Paul--an,icipa-
ting neither that 1t would be n cOmmerca centre
or political centre neither that il would be the
Capital of u new Territory, nor the centre of the
largest pins lumber operations on the Continent; /;
nor The seat of new Surveyor Generals Office,
for the Government Surveys Of these wide re-
gions; p,r the point Of trade and supplies of out
ins aud steamboat operations above ii, TO the
sources of the Minnesota and Mississippi rivers
The original plat, laid of, in very good imi-
tation OF the Old French part Of ST.. LOUIS, with
crooked lanes for streets, irregular blocks aud
little skewdansuar lots, about as large as stngy
card OF gingerbread, broke In two diagonaliy; /;
without reservation, lit 10 be called public
squa7e-wthout margin between the town and
the river, without preserving tree for shade, OF
all the majestic trees, where the town is the ugly
stnmps Of forest, that now diSiigure the town;
without permanent evidence of boundaries made
by the survey. In fact, it survey without
mea sarement, plan without rnelhod--a yolun-
teer crop OF bui!dinss-a sort Of militia muster of
tenenGnis. So much for the old plat Then game
In Rice & Irvins's Addition, up the river, COM
mencing at Mr.. Neil's Church, aud embracing
the Upper Landing. This is laid out but little if
any better. In fact, the two pia,s appear tc have
taken running jump at each other, like two riA
val steamboats,; which having inextricaby run
into each other, the passengers and crews have
concluded 10 knock down the rai!ings and run
along together, as enc craft.
Then came IN Smith s. Whiiney's Addition.
next below the old plat. This is about as ir:esu-
lar, being laid oil upon contracted scale also.
Hoyt's Addition came IN behind Smith & Whit
ney's. bearing strong family resemblance to the
older additions LeaciIs Addition, comes in
u.
Then came in the Kittson Addition, below the
Old plat Of Smnh * Whi,ney's Addition. Kilt
son 5 Is lid oil IN smaller lots than any Of the
other additions; and its streets make no sort Of
coincidence With other streets in town. II would
save immense cost and prove eternal blessing
TO ST. Paul, If The whole site Of the tuwn could
be now thrown into one Common6el ana plated
as ought 10 be, with large reservations Of public
ground, with straight wide, regular streets, and
blocks and lois Of uniform size.
WATER.
Near ST. Paul, above and below, are two fine
mill streams; and from springs, rising iron the tct-
race in the rear of the town smaller stream, Of
pure water, which passes down 10 the river acro
Rice & Irving's Addition. This stream formerly
passed down back Of where ST. Paul is, and emp
lied through The ravine in Fourth street, into the
river, at the Lower Landing. 1t is sufficient to
supply large city with water; and the Corpora
ion intend to conduct il down through au nque-
luct, 10 furnish the town. The sooner il is done
the better.
STEAMBOAT LANDINGS.
There are two in St. Paul; the Lower and the
Upper. Some expenditure is needed 10 make
either Of them complete for business purposes, in
Ill stages Of water. At the Lower Landing. there
Is wanted an embankment down Sihley street,
from the foot Of Fourth street, 10 the river; and
eyee along The shore--ali " hict can be done
easily. At the Upper Landing, il is necessary TO
drive piles down, across a slough and low ground
for considerable distance, and to raise
on the shore, to build wa' ehouses upon
This improvement is now IN progress. Between
he two bindings, il 4 PERCEPTIONS bluff. 100 feet
high which might be graded down as to make
A good levee; and perhaps a, some time, IT will
be- Beside these i've landings. there is in Kit.
sons Addition half Il mile below the old Lower
"a nding, "A new landing being made, which ~ to
be connected with the bluff IN The rear Of it, by
4 plank road upon an cnn5aHkment, across the
marsh, to the new hotel there being erected. the
'Kittsou House"
GEOLOGY or MINNESOTA.
This is a subject, to which we have paid but
little attention. The portion Of Minnesota how
ever, south Of line extending east and west
through Sank Rapids Of the Mississippi river, and
Patterson Rapids Of the Minnesota river, appears
10 be of The usual limestone and sandstone for
nation, of The valley of the Mississippi below;
while above that line, the granite crops out and
he formation Is chiefly Of the primitive rock.
This formation must be much modified however,
rs you approach Lake Superior, which has been
he theatre of the mosi gigantic Volcanic move
mems that Nature ever exhibited; 10 which we
are indebted ior our rich
CopPER REoIoSs.
West Of Lake Superior. where ehaos seems
iunbled into worse confusion, am'd gcrges and
hills and chasns, which Art alone can make pas
sable or even iackassable. in the land OF the Chip
pewas, lies the copper mines of Minnesota, yet
nnxroucht to any extent, bhi known 10 he as rich
a. the richest Of those mines that are wrought
further east. along the southern shore Of Lake
Superior
We hear OF iron ore being found in various
parts Of Minnesota; but have never thought the
discovery Of it, Of any particular Importance.
Relying perhaps too much upon the dosmas Of
we were for long time ncreduous
about the existence Of coal in Minnesota: but We
can danbt it no longer. We have in our posses
sion, specimens Of the fines, quality Of bi'uminous
coal free from sulphur, and burning with far less
cinder than the coal Of Rock Island, which We
kaou, was found within days drive above st.
Paul. We can no longer doubt. that the coal
fields Of Iowa, passing along far up the valley of
the Des Moines, cross over and make deposits in
the valley of the Blue Earth and the Minnesota.