Minnesota weekly times. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1854-1859, 1854-09-19

LETTER OF INQUIRY.
A gentleman, writing from Athens, Athens Co.,
Ohio, wishes to know:
1. What is the population of st. Paul?
Answer. Nearly if not quite 5000.
2. What can land be bought for per acre with
in 10 or Is miles of St. Paul?
Answer. From ST. ,25 to Sc per acre.
8. The price of land on the st. Peters?
Answer. This depends where you wish to pur
chase. If near a town you will be obliged to pay
from $5 to So per acre. If some distance from
town, $l,25 and So. Town lots in new towns
range from $25 to $3.50.
4. What proportion of the country is wood
land
Answer. About one-third.
S. What quality of soil9
Answer. warm, loamy soil excellent for
agricultural purposes.
6. Have you good water
Answer. None better in the world. Bubbling
springs can be found in almost every direction.
Z. What kind of rock? Limestone or Sand
stone?
Answer. Limestone.
8. What railroads in contemplation?
Answer. One from Lake Superior, by way of
St. Paul, to connect with the Central Illinois at
Dubuque. This is the road which has attracted
considerable attention in consequence of the al
teration of word in the bill giving the grant Of
land to company it was the intention of Con-
gress to exclude. The land was lost in conse-
quence of the fraud, but we are in hopes to get a
new grant; if not from Dubuque to Lake Supe-
rior, at least from St. Paul to Lake Superior.
9. What privilege for water power?
Answer. Equal, if not better than LOWELL
The Falls of st. Anthony afford the finest water
power in the world. There is also water power
in various other portions of the Territory-on the
St. Croix-on the Upper Mississippi and its trib-
utaries-up the valley Of the Minnesota, &C., &c.
10. What part of the year is the Mississippi
navigable to Galena?
Answer. Usually from the opening of nayiga-
ton to it's close, which is from the first of April
to the twentieth of November.
IL. What temperature in winter?
Answer. From 800 to SO . below zero-have
seen it as low as 400. Atmosphere dry and
bracing-do not scarcely feel the cold.
The "prospects of Minnesota were never bet
ter than at the present time. Our agricultural
resources are attracting the attention of farmers
in Illinois, Ohio, Wisconsin and even Iowa. Our
lakes, (and we have great many of them,) abound
with fish !; our forests TEEN with game; our citi-
zens are active, enterprzing and Industrious; our
climate is healthy and invigorating, and our
chances of taking the first rank among the States
of the Union, are better than any other Territory
now in existence. Come and see us if you do
not settle.
IARpER's FOR SEPTEMBER.-IIamilton q Co..
No. 3 Winslow House, have favored us with the
September number Of IIarper's Magazine, which
is highly interesting. The first article opens or
the Dutvf, of Manhattan, with illustrations. ssWhe
discovered the Northwest passage?" which fol.
lows, is capitaly written article with several ex-
cellent engravings. 1t is the narrative of crazy
man, and is full of startling interest. He and his
companions have embarked in small boat, when
sleep overtakcs him and he has an awful dream.
On awaking from this dream he discovers that
their boat is between two huge icebergs which are
bearing down upon them. He is in the bow of
the boat, and thus describes his feelings:
ssCowering down in the bottom of the boat were
nv companiOns some on their knees, others
helpless with fear. l looked round instlnctively
for the cause. Great God ! save us now Loom
ing through the dense mist-on either side, and
not dozen yards apart-were two stupendous
icebergs, drawn together by an irrestble attrac-
tion. had only time to think an instantaneous
PRAYER when the crash came. almost felt the
grinding together of those two mountains of ice
the realization of my dream. l heard with
painful distinctness the shrieks of my companions
and then was in the water, shivering, gasping
in it's cold depths. l struggled for life-rose to
the top-clutched hold desperately of large foe,
clambered up its rugged surface, and there found
myself yet alive, only to regret that had not
died with my friends.'
He is finally rescued by the Esquimaux and
returns home fully satisfied with his visit to the
polar regions.
Abbott's Napoleon follows this article and as
usual chains the attention of the reader. The re-
mainder of the volume is devoted to the ssNew-
comes'' and other interesting light reading. II
you wish the Magazines call on Hamilton.
INTERESTING TO SETTLERS ON THE PUBLIC LAND.
The Pioneer publishes the following letter:
GENERAL LAND OFFICE, 18th August, 1854.
REGISTER AND RECEIVER, Saltwater, Min:
GENTLEMEN I'm reply to yours OF the 18th
ult., the ssNotice of Withdrawal," No. 519
does not affect "vald pre-emption claims" mol
preclude settlements (upon the lands embraced
therein) with view to pre-cmption, but "private
entries'' are forbidden, after the receipt at your
Office of the said notice and until further orders
Such of the said lands beyond the ''six mile
limits''-not now subject to private entry, ant
which remain undisposed of, will, Of course, bt
exposed to public sale, at some future day.
For your information and guidance in allow
ing pre-emption claims under the Law of 27ti
March, 1854, herewith enclose you a copy o.
the "Public Notice" Of Ap. S, 1854, issued under
the said Law.
Very Respectfully, your obd't, scrvt,
JOHN WILSON, Commissioner.
o. The vigor of a literally sustained Pres
| is thus illustrated:
| GA Press well supported, is Sampson in hi
full strength, dealing death to his enemies.-
Every paying patron of such press Furnishes
the giant hand Of this Sampson with jaw-bon'
for the beating down of his numerous foes
Every slack, paltry, unpaying patron of such I
press, is Delilah on this SIMPSONS knees, cum
bering his person with his or her lubberly weight
and shearing him Of one source of his strength"
~ John Wentworth, in letter to his pape
from Washington, says ssthere is no earthly doub