The weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1852-1858, 1854-07-01
Mistakes Of Rapid Tourists.

Mistakes Of Rapid Tourists.
Chas. a. Dana, of the New York Tribune, n
gentleman who, as journalist or private cit
izen we feel sure would never do an injury to
a human being, or community of human be-
ings Intentionally, has certainly written to his
paper with gross errors before his eyes, under
date of" St. Paul, June Sth, 1851" lie. as our
readers will remember, was of the Excursion
Party" and of course we have looked with no
little interest for his epistle from st. Paul. We
find it in the Weekly Tribune of the 17th
They don't send us their Daily. although we
think they might afford to do so, now that we
publish Daily, ard will have a daily mail.
We make an extract. commendatory of
some of those of St. Paul to whom praise
belongs, and condemnatory of certain abuses
here which do not really exist
cat the landing we were met, in a most cor
dial and friendly way. by the citizens, headed
by Gov. German and Ex-Gov Ramsey, who
though we had not been expected till to-mor
row, welcomed us with Western hospitality.
Carriages were at hand and soon the majority
of our party were on the way to the natural
wonders of the vicinity. 1t was my good for
tune to be taken in charge by w. &. lie Due.
Esq, long 4 correspondent of the Tribune at
St. Paul, aud to find a place in the carriage
which bore some Of the most agreeable of our
fellow excursoners with Mrs. lie Due for our
ciccronc. first to a remarkable cavern some
three miles from the town, next to Minnchaia
Falls, to Fort Smelling. Lake Calhoun. the Falls
of St Anthony. and so home across the prairie
and along the bank of the river Fort Smelling
is built on a commanding bluff in the angle
| Al,
the Mississippi, and the country behind it, on
the west of the St. Peters is regarded as the
best in Minnesota, if not in all the United
States. Excellent it is indeed if our drive of
thirty miles, going and returning, has shown
US fair specimen oft. a deep black, but not
clayey soil excellent springs and living streams
with occasional groves of hard wood, compelled
our admiration at every moment. Lovely be-
yond praise this country ndisputably is but
it was whispered in my cars that the winters
when the praries are covered with slow are
bitter and mercilcss. and that the wind goes
over them with fatal aspcritv. Distrust the
land spectators at St. Paul.. this malig
nant whisper; but my friends there. when
questioned closely. denied the imputation. and
said that their winter climate. though cold and
keen, was cquable, and Occasoned less suffer
| ferng than that of New York or Boston and
that the SHOWS, beginning in November, were
gone in March. Healthy. the air and the sea-
sons, rich the soil. vigorous the people, they
said, of the Territory; and in proof they point
ed to the thrOngs of imm grants constantly at
! tracted hither OH the report of those who came
before to occupy its lands. even those not yet
surveyed for purchase. The Territory now
counts some 10000 white settlers and must
double the number within two wears. | have
seen little of it--as little as of the similar and
competing regions of Iowa and Wisconsin; but
know that they are all destined to be dcnscly
populated. wealthy and cyhuberant in vhatcv-
! er makes the greatness of Il State. Had to
become Western enigrant | should only find
it dficult to choose between them because
each has so many points OF remarkable excel
| lence but | should be sure wherever | went
in either that with industry and prudence. an
independence would in few years he reasona-
bly, certain. My own taste would take me fur
ther down the Mississippi than here, say in the
vicinity of Dubuque. or to the beautiful shores
of Lake Pepn. but it could not be thought an
| i'll choice or hard fortune which gave man a
homestead by the gcntlcr and more secluded
banks of Lake Calhoun or any of the hundred
other plains and bluffs of Minnesota But if |
went there, would still mind the caution to
beware of the SPECTATORS of ST, Paul. Why.
in that embryo city of six thousand people. they
sell in the business streets common building
lots of twenty five feet front for $4,000 and far
out beyond the limits of the present settlement
you must pay SIPS, for spot to put cabin
on. Why, buiding-lots are dearcr here. or at
least quite as dear. as in the big town of Chca.
90 with its 10000 people and all its moment
um of commerce and of growth. | don't doubt
that one of these days St. Paul will come up to
these rates, and even go beyond them, but il
will be some time first and will require great
deel of work to be done by the people
in the country back Meanwhile however the
Land speculators'' will have good time il
they meet with no pull-back.'
We can only account for the latter sentences
of the above, by taking it for granted that the
writer has fallen into common error of rapid
tourists. He could have had no correct idea
really, of the immense difference between the
relative prices of business property in Chicago
and St. Paul. Either his ST. Paul informant
was grossly wrong, or his Chicago Informant
was not right, or both; which latter conclusion
we are prepared to endorse and prove: The
highest price ever paid in st. Paul for a piec,
of choice business property was paid on las
Saturday. The sum was one hundred dollar
per front foot for twenty feet-making the high
est rates. at this time, twenty-five hundred dol
lars for the character of lots which the Tribun,
editor says were then offering no lower thai
three thousand. 1t is proper to remark, tina
at the time be was here, the same property
might have been bought twenty-five Pc