The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-04-03
SAuX RAIDS, BENTON COUNTY, I
MINNESOTA, March 2, 1854. (


JAY HAWK.
sAux RAPIDS BENTON COUNTY,
MINNESOTA, March 2, 1854 !
Climate of Mnnesoto- Winter BirdsAbsence Of Coughs
and Colds-No Fresh Water Ferers-A County Without
Physician-The Fall Of Snor-Employment Of the
Farmers.
This place is on the east bank of the Mississippi and
is the county seat of Benton county Its latitude is As
degrees 80 minutes longitude "a degrees II minutes 1t
is not much Of town yet but being at the head of
steamboat navigation above the Falls of st. Anthony and
having in its front magnificent and invaluable location
for mills of any and every description is fair to presume
that it will become place of note in few years
mention the latitude of the town. because intend to
speak of the climate which many people in the States
think must be very cold because it is very far north
Well it cold in the winter and it is throughout the
United States; but such cold weather have here is
"tolerabe" while in Of the States is not to be
endured" The autumn months are attended with the
most delightful weather experienced; and have
travelled some. September comes in mild and balmy,
with delightful southern breezes making this region
At for persons troubled with pulmonary complaints
the atmosphere being dry and pure, and moderately
warm. October follows, gradually growing cooler, but
not in the States attended by breexes. Tender
vegetables during this month killed with frost; but
last October after the goth, made journey horse
back OF fifty miles north, gone five days. during
which time rode early in the morning late in the
evening" and did not find 1t necessary to put my
overcoat but it hung before the horn OF the saddle
all the way 'sout and home"
the 27th when we had glorious shower, attended by
sharp lightning and loud thunder you have in New
York at any time Of the year. 1t then cleared of cool
and and had no moro rain until the middle
OF November and then but triae. The doors and win
dows Of dwelling houses generally open in the day
time in October and for some days in November; and,
altogether the whole of the autumn in this part of Min
ncsota is rather peasanter than the few days of Indian
that the people enjoy much in New York and
Pcnnsylvania. November, however, is the commence
mcnt Of the winter season. and then hard frosts and
fights Of snow occur; ice begins to show itself in the
river and the ground frozen but Notwithstanding all
this the absence OF high winds makes the day weather
remarkably pleasant.
December is winter month in the eastern and
middle States but here 1t is not disagreeable owing
before stated to the dryness and stiffness of the at
mosphere To be sure the sun rms low in this latitude
but he looks upon with uncouded eye and all ami
mated nature rejoces in his beams. Last December
hadno sufficient snow to cover the ground until about
the 26t of the month"; and then not enough for sleigh
ing Ont door work of all kinds carried during the
month the same In October. January is the cold
month The severity of the weather reaches its
maximum snow fell about the first week in last Jan
sufficient for sleighng and we had after that
for the rest Of the month"; but the cold was intense The
mercury in the thermometer CONCEALED several times,
and the spirit Thermometer at Fort Ripley fifty miles
further north indicated fortyeght degrees below
doubt but could believe that IT cold unless
nc looked at the instrument which told the fact These
ber and worked in the open air threshng grain at
the stacks, and teams travelled the road all the time
regularly as ever There is interruption of out door
business by the weather. for there is rain from the
middle of November to the end Of March, and If
storm occurs il is so mild that nobody minds it.
Inc winter good season for that reason
until their potatoes and other vegetables taken
Of their winter wheat sown, &c Then at their leisure,
February they thrash their grain All the thrashng is
done out of doors, and by machinery and if is not
it is thrown into pile and lett day after day. and night
after night until the entire lot Is finished with other
covering on it in the winter months than coating of
straw, TO keep of the IT, preadventure should
fall, which does not occur once in a month
said january was cold month, and so it is. The
frost accumulates the window glass of dwellings, to
the thickness of nearly half inch in kitchens any
room in which steam Is generated But then walk out
with your overcoat and mcns and find the sky per-
ecy coudcss, the shining with brlliancy and not
breath of air stirring, you do not think very cold
and You imagine you made mistake when you looked at
below II is beautiful sight to see, cold morn
ing The smoke from the chmneys rising perpendculary
upward spreading out as II rises, into large and beau
tiful white cloud, swayed neither to side the
Other BY any movement Of the atmosphere and You are
on viewing it, forcbly reminded of the cloud by day.
spoken of in the Scriptures which the Children of re
followed out of the Wilderness thor to Chatham
street and other like localities.
haw generally takes place in January but this year
II was postponed on account of the weather February
however, has given some very mild weather, and for
I nearly half the month il Las been so warm that tho
snow we received in January has nearly all disappeared
and the sleighng is broken up. Last night we had
heavy thunder storm month earlier than usual The
Oldest inhabtant cannot tell whether will have any
this season or rot but some OF the Younger
ones think there will be little yet. So little subject to
storms is this latitude that winter before las-two years
ogo-thcre was no slcighihg at all, and nothing but
wheeled vehicles used In fact there Is not enough
snow TO impede travelling any winter Pembna which is
distant from ST. Paul four hundred and fifty miles,
by the mail route. the plains, and which
sends councilman two representatives TO our Terri
oral Legislature is reached at all of The year
with case and safety Men go and during The whole
winter with trains OF dogs to haul their baggage and pro
Visions and they camp down wherever night hunger
oyertakes them No ono ever freezes no one is lost in
the snow and complains Of the difficulty Of
the journey; and yet Pcmbna Is the 4oh parallel Of
north latitude. What commentary on the argument
that northern railroad TO the Pacific is established
and constructed IL will be obsruced by snow The
is actually the case for all the poor emans that
have perished in the their way 10 California
far south Of the Missouri river and nowhere even
the parallel Of as The northern route is best this
count well acco Of there being fewer streams
10 cross the greater Of the land and the shorter
and more direct route II viii follow But mind the
railroad--the weather is the subject
II is singular fact that in this climate the people are
not afflicted with coughs and colds, as in the States
have been TO church in OF the Atlantic cities when
il almost impossible to hear the dominic read the
hymn Of which the choir was TO sing the four FIRST
verses" account OF the ncessant coughing that
kept up by those in the house and others just entering
Here however large the audience may be, there is
coughing sneczing nor wheeling for no one has
cough, except, perhaps some person who may have
brought with him from other parts The atmosphere
dry and ETHEREAL the location being 50 far from the
ocean and the lakes and streams being frozen two or
three feet from the surface downwards There is
fcvcr and agucn chis and fever any other Of
the diseases prevalent in OF the Western States
This county than hundred miles long and sends
councilman and representative 10 the Legislature and
although Il contains several ministers OF the Gospe vet
there Is not single physician within its borders. The
forests abound In medicinal roots and herbs but have
doctor. Verify, there is "balm in Gilead but there
is sno physician there and what Is better there Is
need Of one In Of accouchmcnt the women take
care Of one another.
Notwithstanding the severity OF the cold in winter
there are birds that keep around oil the time 10 wit
the prairie hen the partridge the blue jay and several
kinds OF owls and woodreckcrs The prairie hen IL
valuable bird Its flesh delicious food and may he oh
tanned the whole year round but nobody kills them in