The weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1852-1858, 1853-12-24
Correspondence of the Northampton Courier.
Letter frori Minnesota.
rSrIM.wArER, Minn., .,,Nov. 3,

EDITOR OF COURIER Il think have nctc
noticed this place before in any Of my comm
nicatons from thisA Territory. 1t is the oltlcs
| settled place in the Territory. and when all o
the east side Of the Mississippi river was inclu.
ded i'll Wisconsin Territory. this place was q
cOunty-seat. 1t has however not grown very
rapidly, and now only numbers about 500 in.
habitants. Thc.cause of this is principally the
high price at which lots have been held in tho
town. ThiS. suicidal policy however, is now
giving way 70 more enlightened manner OF
doing business. and the town is now showing
many signs of enterprise and life. 1t is the seat
of Justice for Washington comfy. 1t has al
excellent farming country around and back,
and is at the head of avigation for steamboats,
of the largest size on Lake ST. Croiy. Quite
an amount of numbering and logging business
is done at this place. and the amount of logs
and lumber annually sent down this river and
lake. is about three times as much as that done
on Rum River above st. Anthony Falls. St.
CrolX Lake is merely the widening of the river
and is abOnt twenty five miles long, cmptyinr
into the Mississippi thirty-fvc miles below ST.
fani. Saltwater is at the head of this Lake.
and is distant from st. Paul by land only eight
cen miles. The ST. CroiX river is nayipablc
above this place some twenty-five miles. to the
st: CrolX Falls, for steamboats, of small size.
The country around Saltwater is much bet
ter for farming than that around ST. Paul or St.
Anthony, and in the vicinity of this place have
seen some beautiful farms after the New Eng
land pattern that have been under cultivation
some five or six years. There is vet good land
in desirable locations that can he taken at gov
ernment price within a few miles this place
Tho Falls of this rives offer any. y.amount OF wa
ter power. and Massachusetts COMPANY. of
which Caleb Gushing and the late Robert RAN
tOul were members. commenced a few years
since important works on the Wisconsin side of
the river at the Falls. but owing to some failure
III obtaining good title, the works have been
prosecuted but little. Besides the Falls of the
river. there are scores Of little streams that
tumble into the Lake and river, from bluffs from
ten to two hundred feet high. furnishing bcau-
t:ful seats for mills and any kind and amount
of machinery.
As at ST. Anthony. so also here. the hardy
lumbcrmen and logmer are mostly from Maine.
Some Massachusetts men arc settled in this val
ley, among whom may be mentioned. as known
to the people of northampton, the Hon. J. D.
l.uddcn for two years past member of our
Legislature and one year Speaker of the House
of Representatives. lie is we'll located ut Ma
rinc Mills, twelve miles above this place
The great line of travel from all this section
to the copper regions of Lake Superior. is up
the valley of the ST. Croix and across from its
head waters, and the L. S. Government is now
building road from Point lDOuglas at the
mouth of the Lake, through this place. up this
valley and across to Superior. This will bring
the trade of that immense region of mineral
wealth through this valley on its way to St
Louis and New Orleans. Not very far distant
in the future. this valley will be one of the rich
est of the Northwest. We have enjoyed most
beautiful Indian Summer of some forty or fifty
days of soft, delicious. dreamy sunshine. No
injurious trosts occurred till the last of OctO-
Der, and although the bright sunsliny days still
continue, yet the frosty air and icy nights fore
warn us that winter will soon lock us IN from
the rest of the world. Last year snow fell the
9Th of November. and the last arrival of boats
from below was on the Ilth. The prospect now
is that navigation will remain open a few days
later than this. HMM