The daily Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1854-1855, 1855-07-03
Editorial correspondence OF the Pion-
eer.

3 GALENA, 9th june, 1855.
Hot, scorching, blistering, burning! Their
mometer looking down with a fiery contempt
on 96 in the shade! Even here, in the coolest
spot of the DeSoto, go at you, Mr. Interim,
with my coat off. Rained last night, tremen-
dousy, with thunder aud lightning accompan-
iments yet, at this hour of IL A. M, the
streets are as dry as powder horn, or COLI
tribution box, Or one of DR.. J****s's jokes
which last similitude conveys to my mind the
ultima thule of all dryness. Yet in spite of
the melting influences of the desert heat, this
built up gorge of town is as busy as if it
were December, and its inhabitants depended
on physical exertion to keep their blood from
freezing. In spite of the. low stage of water
in Fcvre river-sO very low, I'm told, that
they are obliged to grease the keels of the
boats before they can induce them to attempt
its avigation-the streets Of Galena, and es-
pecially the levec, are alive with the opera
tions of trade and commerce quite as~much
so, as if the place was not dependent on riv-
Si ~ tlii, VI H1u IllC UCSl OIc Ill lllC WOTVu -
A stranger visiting Galena may carry away
whatever notions about its beauty, or desira-
bleness as residence, he pleases !; but he can't
help acknowledging that it bears marks of an
indomltable spirit Of energy, such as, consider
ing its natural disadvantages,is seen in no 9th
er other on the continent. / am no admirer
of the town in the abstract, but its all-alve-
from-headtop-t o-toenailspirit, commands my
sincere respect.
One has to come away from the Territory
to find what is going on in it. Hard on to
forty emigrant teams day have crossed with
me since the opening of navigation" said the
La Crosse ferryman to me in answer to que
ry about the immigration to Minnesota. "'The
season has averaged nearly, if not quite, one
thousand souls day who have passed through
Galena on their way to Northern Iowa, and
Minnesota" was the testimony of one of
the proprietOrs Of the advertiser. "Our books
show that over one-half of the passengers leav-
ing here on our packets have been landed at
the way ports between this and St. Paul y
was remarked to me by a gentleman connected
with the Packet Company. Now, when we
recoect that the La Crosse ferry is only one
of half dozen such between st. Paul and
Galena; that Galena is only one Of many 9th
er centering places on the Mississippi; that
the Packet Company performs but little more
than One-third of the business done on its
route ; and when we take into account the i'm
mensc throngs which have been landed on the
levee at st. Paul since the opening of naviga-
tion these assertions of reliable men are worth
repeating, and enable one to form some vague
idea of the number of thousands who have
settled in Minnesota the present season. The
census now being taken, if thoroughly done,
will show some figures which will be as.ound-
ing and gratifying.
Though impressed with most liberal de-
testation of putting, shall take the liberty
of saying few words commendatOry Of the
Golden Era and her management. The boat,
though crowded with passengers each trip, is
kept cleaner and sweeter than most peoples
parlors and the admirable order and quiet
maintained by the prompt yet courteous Off
GERS, enable her passengers to enjoy all the
comforts of home with all the novelties and
delights Of travel. a trip on her is certainly
a golden era in any mans travelling season.
e. S. G.