The weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1852-1858, 1853-06-11
UPPER Mississippi-st. Paul.

Upper Misstsstppi-St. PAU.
We mentioned, two weeks since, that W. d.
Watson, Esq, one of the Editors Of the Milwau-
kee Sentinel, had been here on pieasure-trip.
We find, in a late number Of the Sentinel, the
following account Of his impressions" during
his brief sojourn -
OK BOARD STEAMER BEN CAMPBELL
May 23d
At O'Clock, on Saturday morning, 2lst, we
were nearing Lake Pepin. -Four miles Deiow
1t, we came to the pleasant site OF the Wabe-
sha Indian village,-and very attractive one
it ia. leaving its inhabitants out of view,-and
passed on to the lake, broad expanse OF blue
water covering the whole bottom, from bluff to
bluff. On the right side Of the lake, just as we
enter. a beautiful prairie opens down to the wa
ter's edge, sloping back gently to the bluffs,
which are by no means precipltous at this point.
Just under the hill we could see number Of
farm houses and fences, and at one place, there
were cultivated fields coming down to the wa
ter. How it happens that this fine site is not
staked out into city lots, cannot imagine.
We met several large RATS in the lake (Which
is some 30 miles in lengthy and the wreck Of
others, broken up, we supposed, in the heavy
wind which prevailed during the night, but of
which knew nothing until informed of it at
breakfast.
The bluffs are not precipitous, and do not
show so much of rock face as l supposed
would be the case, but still the scene was one
of surprising beauty, ever-varying in its cha
racter as we passed along 1t was noticeable
that while the face of the hills on the west side
was densely covered with trees in full leaf
their sides, opening into the country, and the
face of the hills on the east side, were almost
bare f; the exceptions being like grassy lawns,
with here and there a tree dotting the slope
with different shade of green.
The "Maidens Rock, " the legend concerning
which will occur to our readers, having been
told thousand times, disappointed me. lmay
have been deceived in the height of the bluh,
but my impression was, that the damsel might
have thrown herself'-as the phrase goes
from the summit, without much danger OF being
injured by fall down the smooth slope below.
We passed out of the lake by a very crooked
channel, and shortly reached Red Wing, set
Element of the Sioux Indians. Coming along
side of the landing four tall, stout Indians, each
armed with gun and tomahawk, leaped on
board, giving capital opportunity for nerv-
Gus lady to faint from fright, but unfortunately
we had no such commodity on board, and were
forced to be content with rather good natured
greeting from the salvages" They were
bound up to tho next settlement of their tribe
Shortly after noon, we reached Prescott, at
the mouth of the St. Croix river, 813 miles from
81. LOulS. Inc RTOWtn VI ILLS very tl-
igibiy situated as it is, has been remarkable.
About Is months ago, there was but one house
here, and new there are some sixty or seventy
and many more under way, while the lofts of
the stores and warehouses are occupied by fam
lilies waiting for dwellings to be completed for
their use. found here DIR. Maxson, who re-
presents this district in our assembly with great
credit to himself and benefit to his constituents
Itwould seem, from the immigration this year,
that Eacfnrn paor1o IN tba Cd TO,
of the superior and cheap lands to be had in the
immediate vicinity of the place.
Pt. Douglas is Immediately opposite, and
seems to be a thriving little town.
Not long after leaving here, we sat down to
dinner, and while enjoying the good things pro-
vided for us, were suddenly taken all aback by
acrash on the larboard side of the craft, which
caused good many pale faces. Wehad struck
the stern of the steamer Excelsior, which was
just swinging out from landing, and had torn
away considerable part of her guards-the
Campbell, also, received some little injury.
We passed along up to Kaposia, where we
found quite large Indian village, and at five
O'Clock found ourselves moving to the south
west in the bend of the Mississippi, on the north
side of which stands ST. Paul. Running swiftly
along between high rock bluff on one side, and
low, wooded bank on the other, rising to a
great height some distance back. we were soon
at the landing. Many of the citizens were at
hand, and Capt. Lodwick soon made me at home
among them. had already determined, mas
much as any other course would detain me too
long, to return on the Ben Campbell, and ac-
cordlngly 1t was necessary to make the best of
the short time remaining So availed myself
OF the invitation Of conference.-the. Wilkin-
s0n)-who, if his efforts at the bar are as sue
cessfui as his efforts to do handsomely by a
stranger, must be at the very head of his pro-
tession-and, after call upon Messrs Owens
and Moore, Of the Minnesotian-the excellent
and prosperous Wing paper here-rode about
the town and its neighborhood for an hour or
more.
Much as has been said and repeated concern
ing this wonderful fOur-year-old, away up here
1000 miles from the mouth of the Mississippi
the half has not been told yet have not been
Incredulous as to anything relative to the
growth Of western towns, we'll knowing how
often the reality surpasses the most sanguine
expectations but still ! was unprepared for
what met my eyes, even by the admirable arti-
Giles of the lamented Goodhue of the Pioneer. or
those which our friends of the Minnesotian, or
Mr.. Robertson of the Democrat, are furnishing
us weekly -(the last named gentleman had
the pleasure of greeting in the evening.) ST.
Paul stands upon bold bluff, crescent-shaped.
facing nearly southwards, around the base of
which the Mississippi flows. For the greater
portion of its length, the bluff is nearly perpen-
dlcular, but at each end, at the town site. there
are low grounds, sometimes partly overHowed,
upon which are the warehouses, steam saw
mills, DC. Three or four streets are graded
down to the river, and it was up one of these
that we assembled in our ride. Now don't let
any one fancy that am about to tell of a pro-
miscuous huddie Of distressingly new looking
houses, with gables this way, or gables that
way, or no gables at ll,-for there is no such
town here. Instead of it, fine, long, well
built street runs along the curve of the bluff
the buildings, many Of them, of brick, and one
the Presbyterian church, being quite an attract
I've edifce. Back of this are other streets, laid
out with liberal width, and thickly dotted with
good dwellings and stores. Here and there we
meet church, think there were four or five
very neat ones, whose bells greeted the Sabbath
morning. At one extremity of the town, a very
extensive frame hotel, in commanding situa-
tion is about finished, while near the other, the
stone foundations of a still larger one are being
laid. The site slopes, for the most part, gently
back from the bluff, and then rises again to a
L.