Minnesota weekly times. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1854-1859, 1855-08-28

Dubuque Of yuiy-Prairie ChIen-.s Wedding
Up" at sunset-Night solisudes and scenes,-st.
Paul. ~a4f .tl ,ENF
Dunleith, on the Mississippi, II miles from
Galena and opposite Dubuque, is the grand north
western terminus of the several railroad routes
from Boston, New York, Philadelphia, and Balti-
more. U. S. Mail packets run regularly from
this point and Galena to st. Paul, through in two
days with good stage of water. The boats are
large and commodious and furnish every conven-
fence the traveller can wish.
Dubuque, the great commercial emporium for
northern Iowa, is fair specimen of the activity,
the indomitable energy and enterprise that char
acterize all these western towns. Its principal
streets pusate with quickcned life which specu-
lativc business has breathed into them, and a
constant flood of immigration keeps it at high wa
ter mark. Lead is the principal export, 900,
having been taken from the mines the past year.
The value of the imports exceed the exports by
more than $4,0OO,00O, yearly, showing that home
production is still far behind home consumption.
The town contains about 10000 inhabitants, s
hotels and ii churches. An effort is to be made
the coming year, to establish system of graded
schools, and less than one mile from the city is
the site Of Alexander College. The main build
ing is of stone, and will be completed for the ad
mission of pupils the coming Autumn. Here, also,
is the Female Seminary, endowed by Mrs. Catha-
rine Beecher, situated little north Of the city
and commanding view of the river and opposite
shore. AS you proceed up the river, the signs of
civilization disappear, and nature, in her nobly
-
bordered with heavy dark green foliage, presents
to the eye more than a fac smile of her own han
diwork, unbrokcn and untarnishcd by the hand of
man.
July 4th. This is glorious day, not only
from its associations, but from the cloudess sky
and brilliant prospect with which it has been ush
ered in. 1t is the anniversary of our nations
birth day, but no booming cannon sends its swift
ly flying echoes over these northern wilds. No
flag of stripes and stars floats on the breeze, no
loud hurrahs burst from the excited multitude
Dame nature is very modest about her fourth of
July. Her independence was declared when the
Almighty issued his proclamation to the universe,
and created by his word 'the heavens and the
earth and all the host of them; - yet there is no
unusual display; the sun shines and the birds
sing, and all the wheels of government roll as
smoothly on as ever, working out with surprising
skill and success, the great results which they
were designed to accomplish. 1t might be we'll if
Uncle Sans numerous offspring would follow a
little more closely, the policy of our common an
cestors.
Prairie du Chen is 100 miles above at the
mouth of the Wisconsin river, and possesses little
of the thrift Of the other river towns. The fort
consists of four long buildings of stone in the
form of a public square. 1t has been deserted
for time, and the spirit of '76 seems to have
deserted the whole place, for there is not SO much
as flag to be seen or gun to be heard. Young
America cannot certainly reside there. Lansing
on the west bank, and Lacrosse ON the east SO
miles farther up, are both thriving places having
before them promising future.
Lake Pepin, 900 miles from Dunleith, is4 miles
wide by. % long, beautiful sheet of water with
bluffs that meet the shore on the west and an ee-
waited plain, one Or two miles wide on the east
The line of hills is occasionly broken but the tops
present a remarkable uniformity in height. To
the north they stretch away on both sides of the
valley into the dim blue distance to the up where
the Father of Waters spread out and minglcs, and
quietly reposes on the broad level bosom of the
lake. 1t is now nearly sunset, have left the free
navigation of the lake and once more entered the
the shallow treacherous channel Of the river
The bell now rings for s:wooding up'' and the
boat beats up against the food wood along the
: shore. The planks out and the men are busy
transporting wood on their shoulders into the hold
below. The eastern shore is fat aud covered
with heavy growth of timber. Some large cot
ton wood trees rear their majestic forms and
spread their branching arms cut over the sur
rounding forest On the opposite side, high bluff
rises abruptly from the shore, having its broad
surface covered with thick, lpxurient foliage
upon which the setting sun throws rich, mellow,
golden hue that softens and notifies the dark
green of the trees into most exluisitely color
ed landscape. Two three rocky turret-like CHM
ney tops crown tho summit and give an aspect of
grandeur and sublmity like that of an old grown
over mountain castle. Far to the northwest, iso.
lated and grand, rises a magnificent bluff from
the broad bosom of the valley, standing solemn
and venerable, like night sentinel among the
mountains, valics, and streams. Tn. day fades
slowly away. How qniet and beautiful is night
Silence, universal and profound dwels around,
except as it is broken by the murmer of the pas
sengers in the cabin, or the rusing of the paddle
wheels as move slowly and cautiously over the
sand bars into the body of the current-yonder
is an array of brilliant lights, they glide silently
over the mirrorcd surface of the stream in xigzac
courses, and are rapidly approaching. Now
white fral looking vessel is more distinctly seen,
and the sharp scream of the steam whistle star,lcs
the solitary sleepers of the wilderness, rebounds
from bluff to bluff, and dies away long afterwards
on the far distant prairie. On she comes, the wa
ter foaming at her prov and the gallant steam
packet War Eagle dashes furiously spast. The
decks are alive with passengers who greet US with
a welcome shout, and we send after them loud
welcome in return, as she darts away and dis
appears suddenly and almost misteriousy
as she came into view. AT half past eleven of the
next day the passengers are all on deck as anx-
iously waiting for view of st. Paul, as Column
bus followers were to see the New World. The
river bends to the west, and before the point is
rounded the fair-famed city Of the north, sitting
upon the side of hill like oueen RESTING AGAINST