The weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1852-1858, 1853-11-12
From the Philadelphia Merchant.
SAINT PAUL, NJ. T., Sept. 19, 1859

SAINT PAUL, N. T., Sept. 10, 1853.
ER1Exp ToRREr In looking through the col
umns of the " Minnesotian," the leading paper
of this great North Western country, saw, the
other day, an article copied from the "Phila-
delphia Merchant" and credit duly given
Here is the evidence that your valuable paper
comes even to this remote region, with its hea-
Wy burden of commercial intelligence and gen.
eral news Through your columns the people
of Minnesota are posted up as to the places for
getting cheap supplies of foreign and domestic
manufactures. and the prices current, in your
beautiful city but have never seen there .
letter or an item to inform your readers in town
and through the States, that away here, between
the parallels Of 43t and 40 degrees, at the head
waters of the Mississippi River, there is land
of unsurpassed fertility, where prairie and for
est, lakes and rivers are so arranged that every
man can have farm with the advantages OF
all where the climate is more healthy than In
any other place on the Continent, and where
towns and cities are being born in o day."
that the prophets vision might be fulfilled.
Nevertheless. this is every word true. and
propose to call the attention of your readers to
some of the prominent features of this country
and at least let them know what Minnesota il,
and what she will be. l will not dose them
too hard at once, but give them here listlo
and there little.
The Territory of Minnesota was organized in
lS49, and is consequently, only four years old.
Since that time its prosperity has been uninter-
rupted and unexampled. Its capital, ST. Paul,
then mere hamlet, is now place of four thou
sand inhabitants, with many OF the luxuriee.
fashions and vices of Eastern cities. Nature
has well adapted its site for large and beautl-
full town, and its position is such, commercially,
that it is sure to be. in few years, the third
city in size on the Mississippi River. 1t is at
the head of navigation on the Mississippi Riv-
er the foot of navigation of the Minnesota, or
ST. Peters, and is the capital of future great
State. Nothing can stop the onward progress
of st. Paul in population and wealth, until it
shall be known the world over, that. up here,
on the last bluff of the Mississippi. and midway
between the eastern and western Oceans, is a
city unrivalled in beauty by any other of an
cicnt or modern times. Then the burlesque in
the July number of lIarpers' Magazine. entitled
an engraving of ST. Paul, will be a thing to be
laughed at even more than it is now, with all
who have been here. But there are and will
bc other towns and cities, beside st. Paul, in
Minnesota. They are springing up, as by en-
chantment, all over the Territory. and one can
easily believe that she has found in some of her
rich copper mines. or in the recesses of her in
exhaustible pine forests. tie wonderful lamp of
Aladdin. In some future letter will mention
few of them by name, and give some inform
alton as to their location and advantages, pres
tHt ai.u PloHpcNti't.
The opinion in regard TO this country quite
general in the States, that our climate is too
northern and cold to permit of successful agri-
culture here wish, if possible, to correct
this very great mistake, and then close for this
time. l came here myself with this delusion
sticking fast to me, but in one season it is all
gone, and am ashamed to own how widely
erred. The soil of Minnesota is light and warm
made on purpose for the climate. In fact,
soil and climate so adapted to each other,
that better crops can be raised, and more east
ly, than in any place where | have seen farming
done. have seen the best of winter and spring
wheat raised here, and better oats, corn, vines
of all kinds and vegetables of every descrip-
ton. than ever saw growing in western New
York. or northern Ohio We have as yet had
no frost here, while in Iowa. Michigan, Indiana.
Illinois, at points below this. severe ones have
been cutting OFF fruit and crops.
This is no hypcrborean region of eternal ice
and snow, as is believed By many. and as some
who live and are interested in the growth Of
the country below here would be glad to make
all believe. Beyond all doubt we have some
cold weather in the winter. but we do not have
all the climates of all the zones in twcnty-fOur
hours. By the inhabitants the winter months
are looked upon as the most pleasant of the
year. The weather is dry and cold. the air
clear and hracing snow in plenty. and for sew
cral months there is good slcighng land plea
sanity. under the silver moon, and under the ST.
lent solemn stars. ring the steel shoes OF the
skaters on the frozen lakes, and voices and the
sound of bclls.' DEAN.