The weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1852-1858, 1853-11-26
From the Augusta (Maine) Age.
Editorial Correspondence.
ST. PAUL, minnesota Ter), Oct.7,

oSouey vi hOSattOh, anu Ill tnc NUMBER anu e1c-
gance Of its buildings, far exceeds all the no.
tions we had previously formed of it. Aware
that it possessed population numbering some
four thousand, still we expected to find that po-
pulatlOn dOmiciliated for the most part in log
houses or board shanties, and occupyinn rude
erections for stores and other business purposes.
Yet instead of this, large and elegant resi-
dences, immense warehouses of stone or brick,
beautiful stores, handsome churches. commod-
GUS hotels, and structures for other purposes to
correspond. mark it as city of great
thrift, wealth and elegance. Scarcely a log
house is to be seen within its limits; and the
number of inferior buildings of any description
which disfigure its streets, is uncommOnly
small. Most of the houses are neat, frame
buildings, well-fnished and painted and a
large number of the residences are really su-
perb, having beautiful front yards and Orna-
mented grounds. We did net expect to find a
city so splendid, in country SO new and so re-
mote,-situated in regions SO decidedly hyper
bOrean.
The site of the city is exceedingly beautiful
and commanding. 1t lies on the eastern bank
OF the Mississippi, and consists of large pla-
teau, some sixty feet above the level of the ri
yer, and extending back to sloping bluff,
which runs around the city in a somewhat semi
circular form. the widest reach being about half
mile back from the river. and approaching quite
w tiS lhSl III tuC lONcI chlTcIulIy vi luC lOWn,
but bearing away from it, at the upper end, so
as to preserve continuation of the plateau up
river, although circumscribed in bredth. The
| view of the city. from the overlooking bluff, is
| complete and perfectly enchanting.
There are two steamboat landings, one at the
lower and the other at the upper end of the
town distant about half mile from each other.
The city is consequently divided into what are
called the " lower town." and the "upper town.
| 1Icftn
conflicts OF the landed interests in the two Sec
tions for the town is an entirety, with continu-
ous buildings from one extremity to the other
although the stores and warehouses are chiefly
centred in the vicinities of the two landing
places. The river at present is inaccessible be-
tween the lower and upper landings, on account
OF the height of the banks Affecting of rivalry
exists between the upper towners' and low
er towners," which has degenerated into feud.
characterized by a spirit of mutual detraction,
essentially bitter and intense
The down-towners insist that the upper town
is nothing and never will come to anything
! that, property in that section is not worth q
song, and that it can never become point for
business but that the ..lower town - is the OH
ly valuable portion of the cty-the only place
where business is now done or can hereafter be
carried on to advantage; while the "up-town-
crs" affirm that the lower town is going to de-
|
perty in the lower town is rapidly depreciating
and as rapidly appreciating in the upper town
that ultimately all the business will be done
in the upper tOwn-that the history of all ci-
ties shows that the growth and extension of a
place are ever up rlvcr-and everybody is eau
toned against purchasing real estate in a quar-
ter of the city which must shortly become 9
sort of "Joppa )" but are persuaded by all
means to invest in the upper town, where they
| can 1 fail to pSnpripnpp q heavy rico that vii
double their money in twelve months. TIL,
lower town has the greater number of store:
and does the most business for the present bu
the upper is rapidly gaining upon it, and is
the seat of the handsomest residences. 1t is in
fact the Court end. and is every day becoming
more and more distinctly so. A large hotel i:
building at the lower extremity of the lower
town, and yet larger brick one is bnilding
in the upper town. A large number of stores
and residences are going up in the upper part
of the town-more than in the lower although
that portion exhibits signs, in this way, of vi
tality and thrift. With no disposition to take
part in the strife going on between the "down.
towners' and the Observation-Disclosures the
Landowners" and "CorkOnians" still if We
were forced to express an opinion, it would be
rather on the side of the up-towners. We
should in fact, decide that the -to,cners hart
it,
The city is the product of the last FIVE years
1t has entirely grown up within that time
That growth, everybody will admit, has beer
unpreccdentedly rapid, even for the West-it il
Almost Californian. In five years from now. il
will no doubt more than double in size and in
population. 1t is destined to become a large
city-the largest probably on the Upper Mis-
sissppi. Its position at the virtual head of ri
yer navigation, 1--WE say pirtual, for boats of q
large clnss can With safety go no higher at low
stages of the river, although they can, when
light-laden, make their way up as far as Fort
Smelling, seven miles above, and smaller boats
can go quite up to the foot of St. Anthony's
Falls, some II miles above,) will make it cen
tire of commerce-the supply point of the vast
country above: now rapidly filling up with g
hardy. industrious, and enterprising population
and ultimately the shipping point of the pro
ducts of the whole region within its range. The
inhabitants of st. Paul augur for it a destiny
little less magnificent than that of St. Louis
and when we look at its present growth, its pO
sitiOn with reference to the surrounding cOun
try, its seat at the head of the navigation of th'
Father of Waters, and all the other advantage
of its location, we are not prepared to say tina
their high anticipatiOns will not be fully real
lied. This conviction in the brilliant future o
st. Paul. has had the effect to raise the price o
city property to a very high igure-to pon
somewhat apprOximating New York prices.
Eligible store lots, 40 feet front and 20 fee
deep, sell readily from $1,000 to $4,000 apiece
House lots preserve the same elevated scale
Land upon and just back of the bluff, situated I
mile or mile and half from the city. canno
be purchased for less than from $500 to S25
per acre. This high price is demanded on tn
suppostion that the city is to overieap its pre-
sent bluff-bOundaries. and that the land il
question will shortly be wanted for building-lot
by future suburban population.
| st, Paul is also the seat of the territorial pOy
ernment of Minnesota. The Government an
other territorial officers reside here and the ses
siOns of the Legislature are holden here.
new territorial Capitol, for the accommodatio
of the Legislature and the public Offices is neal
ly completed. 1t is built of brick, with a loft.
: cupola. 1t is situated in the central portion o
the city, rather nearer the bluff than the rive
/, boundary. 1t is very good looking and vel
proportioned structure three lofty stories higi
fronting toward the river. It consists OF mail
? building with wing half as long as the mai
building, projecting from the rear eastward