The weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1852-1858, 1853-11-19
From the Skowhegan (Me.) Express.
Sketches of Minnesota Gc

| turned towards that most interesting portion O
our confederacy, Minnesota, and which is soor
to become. star of not the least magnitude. il
our cherished constellation any information
respecting her, will be interesting to the hume
rOus readers of your useful journal. The cap
ita}, st. Panl is distant from this place. by
the most available route, about eighteen hun
drcd miles-say from Boston to Albany; thence
to Buffalo by railroad thence by steamer Il
Detroit; thence. by railroad to Chicago; (Mi
chigan Central rOute,) thence, by railroad, t.
Dubuque on the Mississippi river; except about
40 miles staging. But the cars will soon run
all the way through, as the track is nearly all
graded. From Dubuque take steamer to St
Paul. about 375 miles by way of the river
second class or emigrant trains, about S20.-
Time from here to st Paul, five days.
The journey is indeed very pleasant, you pass
through many large and fiourshing cities, and
the extensive prairies of Illinois and Wisconsin
But when the traveller is safe on board one OF
the pleasant packets that ply between Galena
and ST. Paul he is struck with wonder and awe
at the magnitude Of the mighty Mississippi
about two thousand miles from its mouth; 1000
miles Of uninterrupted steamboat navigation,
on the main track. Well may he say mighty
river!' when we consider that the main river
with its tributaries has twcnty-four thousand
miles of steamboat nay igation through the most
fertile lands on the face of the earth.
II the Nile had been equal to our Mississippi,
we could almost have excused the Egyptians
their worship of her.
The scenery on thc river between Galcna
and st. Paul, will we'll pay the traveller for q
journey from here there. The beautiful, undu-
lating prairics. that extend back for miles on
either side, covered with grass, from to feet
high intcrspcrsed with the most beautiful wild
flowers, as it bows to the gentle breeze, has the
appearance of vast unknown fields of grain,
nearly ready for the harvest. They appear to
the bcholder like extended plantations that have
been cultivated for years; and the remarkable
mounds, that rise ever and anon. have the ap-
pcarance of splendid mansions, erected for the
owners. Many of the mounds rise Immediate
ly on the banks of the river, some of them to
the height of 400 feet, the top containing, per-
haps. an acre, and descending at an angle of
45 degrees to the base ; they are entirely bare
of shrubbcry. but are covered with grass and
wild flowers of the most beautiful kind.
As you behold these mounds. some ten or
twelve miles distant. they appear like giant
castles, created to protect the first struggles to
might and grandeur, Of the noble Mississippi
In ascending the river you pass through Lake
Pepin 80 miles long. and from two to four wide
Il beautiful sheet Of water, deep and clear.
The river is navigable to st. Paul seven
months of the year, tor medium sized steam
boats and any beat that can pass the Rapids
above st. Louis, can go to st. Paul. The river
freezes up about the 18th of November ; and
opens the 18th of April, or about that time.
st. Paul is situated at the head Of navigation
on the Mississippi. on Il bend in the river upon
a bluff or table land about so feet above high
water The bluff extends off into finely I'M
dulatng plain. skirtcd by hills Of moderate ell
ovation: the site is we'll chosen, and from its
location it must be perfectly healthy. A num-
Der of living springs in the adjacent hills. give
rise to several beautiful brooks. which flow
through the streets. and pour their crystal wa
tcrs over the high bluff into the Mississippi
4 sutticieucy of pure water may be obtained
from these springs, for the use of large city:
and with little expense, could be carried into
every house.
The part Of the city near the river is COM
pactly built with many good houses the re-
mander are scattered over q large surface
Many of the residences combining elegance,
taste and comfort. There are six well built
brick churches. owned and occupied by the Me-
thodists Prcsbytcrians Episcopalans, Congre-
gationalists and Catholics; the latter are at
preset most numerous.
The capitol now just finished is large and
convenient and will compare favorably with
the capitols in the old States. In fact the whole
city presents an appearance of enterprise and
progress that is truly wonderful. when we con-
slider that but four years since, the only house
in st. Paul, was small church on the blum OF
the river surmounted by cross, (CathOlic,l }
about 20 feet square. The church was called ST.
Paul. after which the city has taken its name :
this with one trading house, was all there was
at that time. of city which now contains four
thousand inhabitants From its location it pos
scsses extraordinary natural advantages; at
the head of navigation on the Mississippi, the
center of a vast. rich farming country, posses
sing greater advantages to the agricnlturist.
than any other portion of the United States
Its proximity to ineXhaustible forests of the
best of pine timber; the thousands engaged in
preparing it for market, will get their supplies
from this city. The lumber business is of great
Importance now, though in its Infancy. One
hundred million feet of logs were cut, on the
Mississippi and its tributaries, near and above
st. Paul last season. SO that from this business
a large revenue will be derived to this city.
Then there are about eight thousand Indians
who are supplied with food, &c., by government
mostly from st. Paul.
A railroad is chartered and will soon be built,
connecting ST. Paul with Milwaukee and Chica-
go, and another extending to Lake Superior on
the north. so that the iron and copper mines OF
that region can be supplied with food and nee
essaries cheaper from st. Paul than any other
point and it requires no extraordinary fore
sight to satisfy any one that in less than ten
years St. Paul will be the largest town on the
Mississippi north of St. Louis. The inducements
he d out to common labOrers and mechanics to
90 to that country are great: carpenters and
bricklayers get from 81 to $3.50 per day, and
laborers get S25 per month by the year and
found. and may expect to enjoy perfect health,
and be sure of constant employment
But greater inducements are held out to far
mers to emigrate TO Minnesota, than to any por-
ton of the United States. The lands are re-
markably rich, and are well supplied with wood
and water, and healthy climate these last are
advantages the Territory possesses over most
of the other western States. In many portions
of them, We find a great lack Of woods and wa
ter, and a sickly climate.
There are millions of acres, of the most fer
tile lands in the Territory, to be had at 81 %
per acre with open land enough. ready for the
plow, for crops and grazing, and timber plenty
for wood. buildings. fence, &c. All that is 10
be done, is to set up the cabin and go 10 pow
ing. .ho.
By reference to the map, it will be seen that
this Territory has an area nearly three tlmes as
large as that of New York, and in respect TO po-
sition has great advantages having the Hud-