The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1853-04-07

1851 will again soon be organized throughout
the State and be actively engaged in bringing
to oOndign punishment the perpetrators of
these horrid crimes. J.
LETTER FROM THE NoRTHwEST-N0. O.
ST ANTHONY FALLS, NJ. T., FEB. 10, 1883.
To the Editor of the National Era:
Between St Paul and st. Anthony, on the
west side Of the Mississippi, is Mendoza. This
is as yet, only trading post situated at the
mouth OF the Minnesota formerly st. Peters)
river, on the south side The hills rise gradu-
ally from the river valley, (which at the juno
ton is some half mile wide) and back of
town break into points, one of which-PilOt
Knobs the highest elevation in this region,
and is frequently resorted to 10y sight-seers.
Some are of opinion that Mendoza will be
the mart for all the Minnesota river trade, and
so grow into an important town. That or st.
Paul must be the reshipping point between the
Minnesota and "dOwn river" and as the
country il settling very rapidly the trade will
DO quite an item, even the coming summer.
Two steamboats, ran up the Minnesota from
st. Paul. during part of the past season, and
did good business Many "town sites" are
already claimed and laid out, showing to great
advantage on the maps and the time is not
very distant when Furnishing little villages will
dot the banks of this crooked stream, sustained
by the large and fertile farming rcgiouAround,
and perhaps by the mineral treasures of the
Blue Earth and its tributaries.
Opposite Mendoza is Fort Smelling, perched
far above the water, and keeping grim watch
away up the valley of the Minnesota, and up
and down the bluff enclosed Mississippi. Here
is one Of the most beautiful and romantic spots
in the Territory. The fort is upon the point of
the bluff, between the two rivers. On one side,
down in its deep, narrow bed, and nearly under
the walls, rolls the Father of Waters; on the
other side, the Minnesota winds with many
turn, through its marshy meadow bottom on
the third side is an elevated prairie dotted with
openings, aud stretching an arm up either river,
50 as TO embrace the beautiful twins-Lake
Harriet and Lake Calhoun.
Sank Rapids, the head of steamboating on
the Mississippi river and the county seat OF
Benton county, is about eighty miles from St.
Anthony, though not over forty miles due north.
A small boat runs twice week. during sum-
mer, between st. Anthony Falls and this place
Government has recently established Land
Office here There are but few houses at the
Rapids, hardly enough to make a village
Fort Ripley, occupied by the United States,
is forty -6vo miles above Sank Rapids, upon the
river and Crow Wing, the seat of the Chip
pewa Indian agency, is six miles above the fort.
At the confluence of the Mississippi and St.
Croix rivers, about twenty. five miles below St.
Paul is Port Douglas little village of one hun
drcd inhabitants AS boats from below visit
both ST. Paul and Saltwater, at each trip it
cannot be reshipping point, and there is moth
| ing to make large place of it. Immediately
back, is one of the largest prniries 10 the Ter
ritory extending nearly to Saltwater, the county
seat of Washington, and distant from Port
Douglas twenty-five miles This village is stu
ated in little dell upon the western shore Of
Lake ST. Croix. The lake, like Lake Pepin on
the Mississippi, is only widening of the river
and is q beautiful sheet of water. Steamboat
can 60 above this place but those engaged il
the lower trade do not generally do 80. 1t i
one of the oldest villages in the Territory, an,
the Land Office at which all the business ha
heretofore been done is located here. Business
is not now SO Furnishing as it was some year,
ago, towns having sprung up above, TO divide
the trade. There has, however, been IN i'm.
4 provement the past year. The water power is
furnished by brook, which, rushing down
from the highland into the ST. Croix pays the
tribute of turning in its fall a huge over-shot
wheel During fIeshet last spring. a part of
the pond which supplies the brook came down
on flying VISIT brought large mass of earth
and rocks as body-guard, aud nearly burying
the mill and other buildings in it's course, passed
on into the lake The mill has been dug out
since and is doing better than ever Popula-
ton of Saltwater, six hundred. A short dis
lance above the village, in ravine opening to-
wards the lake, is the Territorial Prison, or
Penitentiary The stone used in the building
was quarried from the hills which rise, high,
ragged and steep, on each side, making lone
ly dreary place, without the aid of wall and
dungeon.
Marine twelve miles from Saltwater, is a
fourishing place, and growing rapidly under
the wise policy of its proprietors The water
power is similar TO that of Saltwater and the
wheel is forty feet in diameter turning quite a
variety of machinery. Temperance principles
are here triumphant, it being mado condition
in the sale Of real estate, that no liquor shall
| be sold on the premises" The village is near
| ly one hundred feet above the river, and the
location is very pleasant Population, two hum
dred and fifty.
Twenty miles beyond is Tdylor's Falls, the
terminus Of steamb0atiDg on the st. Crox
From it's proximity to the lumber country, and
enyironed az it is with excellent land heavily
tmbered with sugar maple and other hard
wood it cannot fail to become place Of con-
siderable Importance. It's river scenery is
second to none in the West Perpendicular
embellishments of rock rise nearly two hundred
feet, and look frowningy down. as though
scornng the efforts of the restless waters to beat
back the "mighty barriers" In the assures Of
these rough walls the pine and cedar cling,
casting their evergreen boughs with softening
effect over the Jagged points Seven saws are
already at work here. Population, two hun
dred and fifty G. w. p