The weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1852-1858, 1854-07-29
TUESDAY MORNING, JULY rs, 1854.
Editorial Correspondence
FALLS OF THE CANNON RIVER,
GOODHUE Co., MIN. July %, 1854

| try" and the "Falls Of Cannon" have been
"houschold words" in the editorial sanctum
and elsewhere since the writer's residence in
Minnesota, but the first grand view of all these
rich doings of nature had never met his eye un-
til now. But to begin at the beginning.
! All any one has to do who wishes to see the
natural resources of Goodhue county, is, upon
arriving at Red Wing. the county seat, to in
form our worthy Councillor from the Fourth
District (Hon, W. Freeborn) of the fact and
we guarantee the process of putting through
will soon follow. If he can't 60 himself. he
will send hand, and a team to boot and thus
you may travel until you are tired of explor-
ing region of Minnesota which is shortly des-
tined to take rank second to none other in the
Territory.
! Well yesterday after dinner, with q good
team and comfortable carriage, Mr.. Freeborn,
Mr.. McGinniss-a pioneer of Goodhue county,
who knows every inch of it better than all the
surveyors put together-and your humble SER
want set out for the Falls of Cannon river. To
show that the Red Wingers are wide awake to
the business of keeping their town properly
before the people, it may be stated, that the
Fort Ridgley Territorial road, authorized by
the last Legislature, is already marked, stalk
cd and rendered in first-rate passablc cond-
! tion from their village ofFaribault-some forty
miles. Over this road was our route-first up
the ravincs and across the ridges which in
tervene along the few miles between the Mis-
sissippi and the high prairie which marks the
character of the country south OF us to the Iowa
line. and thence over this prairie to our des-
tination. The quality Of this prairie soil
is such as cannot fail in very few
years to attract the attention of the masses
now moving in search of Western homcs.--
BILE of cultiva tion, with plenty of timber close
at hand for all practical purposes. Until, how
ever. you reach what is calledtbe "first branch
of the Cannon. some ten miles from where you
strike the prairie, springs and running water
are not visible but the indications arc that
water can be reached anywhere by digging
fifteen OR twenty feet There can be no doubt
of this, which fact knocks the much more ex-
tended dry rolling prairics of Illinois entirely
into the back ground.
But then. upon reaching the first branch,'
even this small difficulty entirely disappears.
Maps of the country; information impaired
concerning it by old explorers, and by every
body else heretofore, are all wrong. We have
heard of the :" south fork of the Cannon" and
the north fork of the Cannon" just as though
this great fertilzng stream of as good a coun-
try as lies out of doors,' was an old bone
prongs. The fact turns out to be, that the
handle, known as the main Cannon, which
plants its butt end into the mud of the Missis-
sippi bottoms just above Red Wing, is set on
its upper end with about twice the number of
tines belonging to Neptune's trident.
We have not space to so into particulars ;
but after passing this first branch" which is
a bold, rapid prairie stream, with gravel bot
tom the indications of water upon the surface,
in the shape of springs, are scarcely out of
sight. The springs rise on the top Of the high
est hills ; and generally, owing to some pecui-
arity of the soil, the outlets sink before reach
ing the brooks. Groves of oak. elm, poplar,
Eastwood, &C., everywhere abound. But we
must hasten on to the
FALLS BRANCH.
Early in the evening we drew up before the
"Elk-horn HOtel'--less imposngly recognised
as the claim cabin which secures the vast
water power near which l am now throwing to-
gether this ill-digested sketch. The falls
branch comes up from the south, bearing bo-
dy of water between well-guarded banks about
two rods in width and three feet in depth. upon
an average. Here where l sit it is poured over
ledge Of rock, making a fall in the distance of
fifty yards Of twenty feet and four inches. This
is the exact fall by measurement. A vast
amount of mill machinery to supply the future
demands of this immense agricultural valley,
can here be put in operation, on either side of
the creek, without the expense of dams, races,
or any of those usual and troublesome accom-
paniments ofmillng enterprises. Two or three
hundred yards below, this branch-rushing
and whirling over the rocky base, and Great
ing still further fall in that distance of some
ten or twelve fcet-enters the "Main Cannon" 1"
This chief river, previous to receiving this ia
than twice the size of the branch, and comes
down from the "Big Woods" Immediately West
where it finds its spring sources. Three or
four miles before reaching this point, it COM
menccs to run at a rapid rate, and pitch over
the rocks, thus creating power sufficient to
drive run Of mill-stones every fifty yards the
whole distance. These rapids extend short
distance below the mouth Of the "falls branch, !"
when the stream bears off with a swift current
creating mill privileges all the way, at eligible
points, to the Mississippi The same is said to be
the character of the stream above the rapids
just described.
But our team is harnessed, and we are off for
further exploration Of this Western Eden.
Yours truly,
SENIOR
New YORK, July 10.
An affray occurred in this city yesterday be-