The weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1852-1858, 1854-10-14
Minnesota Territory.

The editor of the Pittslicld Oll.) Union who
visited Minnesota few weeks since, on his re-
turn home published in his paper an intelligent
account of his tour to the Northwest. From
his remarks in relation to our Territory, with
which, in common with nearly every person
who comes among us, he is highly pleased, we
make the following extract:
Minnesota Territory lies on both sides Of the
Mississippi river. The 10Th parallel is the
northern boundary line Iowa and Wisconsin
the southern. According to an official docu
ment before us, there are Az .l13, IGO acres #
land in Minnesota. But great portion OF II
is vet owned by the Indians. Nearly the whole
of it lies in the same latitude with Oregon
consequently it has about the same climate
The soil is far different and better than we an
tjcjpated being generally a rich. sandy loan.
Moreover it produces we'll. We saw fields of
corn there which will average so bushels to the
acre and then, on the other hand, some that
will not produce 20, owing to slovcnly cultiva-
ton. AS for Irish potatoes. they yield 800
bushels per acre; and they are large, mealy,
and the best favored that We ever tasted.
Wheat produces better there than here; the
grain is larger and fuller. Same may be said
of oats. Beans, # which large quantities are
a sed, average about ID bushels per acre. AS
for garden products, we never saw better any
where, and it seemed to us that they were
more Juicy. richer and sw eetcr than any raised
in more southerly attitudes
The timber about Saltwater, st. Paul. Point
Douglas, &c, is rather scarce and dwartish. but
we were told that back Of those places short
distance there is plenty. Pine lumber is cheap
and plentiful All the houses in the country
are either brick or frame. We did not sec
single log cabin. Eyen the wood-choppers live
in temporary buildings of pine lumber. Many
| fields about Saltwater and st. Paul, and Oppo-
site Hudson, are enclosed with pine lutuber.
Indeed. pine lnmber is everywhere. Houses
barns. stables corn-cribs and fences are made
fit. The river is full of it and plnc-logs =
and hence the numbering business is very
prominent one in Minnesota, and will continue
to be so for several generations, as the pineries
are very extensive, and some say ineXhaustible.
Millions of dollars worth of lumber have been
foated down the Mississippi and its northern
tributaries, this year, and the business is still
| increasing.
The population is of mixed character. We
saw men there from nearly every quarter Of the
Union but the Eastern element prevails. 1t
has the ascendancy decidedly, and gives tone
and character to society. From some cause, we
know not exactly what--pcrhapsit is the climate
there is an energy which one may look III
vain for in latitudes south OF it. This energy
exhibits itself everywhere all over the entire
|
ed forward with vigor, but public also. They
have good roads, and when once made. they
stay good, becaus e the soil, as we have said, Is
sandy-in some parts gravelly. They have as
vet no railroads, we believe but they soon will
have for they are already talking about thcm
and projecting them. The boat on which we
went up to ST. Paul, was in part treighted with
iron bolts and Lars, and were designed for a
suspension bridge across the MISSISSIPPI ABOVE
! tJ,o Eollc Of St AnthOny
Towns and villa res spring up as If by magic.
We regard Saint Paul as sort OF won
der Between five and six years ago there were
no houses in st. Paul. 1t was an untcnanted
wilderness Now, it is neat city OF 1000 In
babitants. Some. indeed many Ofits buildings,
would be an honor to any city IN the Union
while the business done there is incredible. IT
is the centre of an immense inland trade. St
st Paul furnishes goods to all the country i'm
mediatcly around and north of it, as far up as
Pembina. Thousands of dollars worth Of goods
are annually distributed, by the General Go
yernment. as annuitics to several Indian tribes
and st. Paul has the benefit of all this. Foul
weekly and four daily newspapers are publish
, ed there already, and all arc doing well. let
after all, we do not like st. Paul biuhs
Something of an elevation Is necessary, Du'
|. that at st. Paul is too high, bold aud precipit
| cus. We presume, however, in time it will bt
= shaved down.
, There arc several other towns of note withiI
.o or 40 miles of ST. Paul. We notice few O
them:
=. hank of the St. Croix, about 80 miles above it
= mouth. 1t contains 1900 inhabitants. 1t is
place of some Importance on several accounts
;. its numbering interest is verygreat; and it ha
n an extensive country back Of it whose trad
+ here seeks an outlet.
\ 2. Presc ott is OF the mouth of the St. Croi!
y 1t is a young, thriving town.
Il g. SHAKOPEE. This place is 30 miles abov
d the mouth of the Minnesota river. 1t has NJ
,e vet been laid out over year; yet it contains
. nopulation Of more than 800 Inhabitants. Bui
dings are going ap constantly. The land Q
g which it is built has not yet been surveyed