The weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1852-1858, 1857-05-09

as one in every way worthy and deserving
of their patronage. Respectfully,
R. ormsby sweeny, wv. LAWN,
Robert 7. Fisk, J. Vanmeter,
L. C. Elfelt Chas. J. Rainey.
A. H. Mills Chas. 8. Beals,
= Newell G. w. Willis,
Chas W. Gray, Il. 5. Wills,
Pepin Giraud, u H. Ais,
Chas. J. Pennington, John Marvin,
s A. Walker Geo. W. Phipps,
T. s. Taylor, Isaac s. Eliotts
Chas s Sutton. R. Martin,
r l. Riggs. Horace Martin,
Il Y shelley J. W. Hamilton,
}. L. Seymour, john D. FISH,
A Spier H. Waller,
Geo @ Kinssbury J. b. Sanborn,
And thirty others.
EIGHTEEN BoATs AT THE ST. PAUL LEvEE
Yesterday morning, May 4, there were
Is boats at our Levee at one time, discharg-
ing freight and passengers! Such a thing
has never before occurred at this place, and
is Indicative of the rapid growth of our city,
and the immense business done here. How
contrasted is the crowded Levee now, throng-
ed with thousands of living men, and piled
up with freight, with magnificent first class
steamers from every western city, pouring
from their glutted holds the merchandise,
mechanism, manufactures, and appliances Of
luxury and refinement which in the hands
of energetic and intelligent people, are fast
making our beautiful Territory great State
how contrasted is all this, to the rough, mar
row, lonely patch of shore three or four
wears ago, when a second class steamer
would come up to the wharf occasionally, and
put off a little freight, and group of emf
grants! If any one thing is an index to the
greatness of the North West, it is the large
and increasing steamboat business done on
the Mississippi river.
The following are the boats :-GClden
State, Sam Young, Saracen, Keystone. Kate
French, Northern Light, F. Steele, Messen-
ger, Ocean Wave, Minnesota, Time and Tide,
Mansfield, W. L. Ewing, Golden Era, Ham,
burgh, Harmonic, Equator, Orb.
THE BATTLE oE THE IcE.-The passen-
gers of the steamer Montauk, Capt. Burke,
have sent us communication in relation to
the great engagement of Wednesday and
Thursday at Lake Pepin, which we have not
room to give entire, but the following ex-
tract shows the gist of the thing:
Mr.. EDIToR:-We arriyedat Reeds land
ing Tuesday evening, and there found twen-
ty-five boats, some of which for weeks had
been impatiently waiting the ice to clear
from the Lake. Believing that God helps
those who help themselves, Capt. B. on
Wednesday determined to make vigorous
effort to remove the only remaining obstruc-
ton on the great transit line of the Missis-
ippi valley. During the day several boats
got wedged in between the ice and shore
while others retreated for want of courage
or fear of injuring their boats-doubtless
came on without any engagement. At the
break of day on Thursday, the Montauk
gave her signal Of another attempt to tri-
umph over the foe that had so long defied our
right to the Lake, inviting volunteers to
give battle to the common enemy. Twelve
boats came to the rescue-for six hours the
air was filled with smoke forming no inferi-
or cloud in the Heavens. Crash after crash
was constantly heard in every direction
tie excitement was intense-men, women,
and children-indecd the 'grandsire totter-
ing over the verge of death, and children at
the breast" all seemed to manifest one
common interest. At about eleven o'clock,
disposition seemed quite apparent to give
Up the battle, but the Montauk gave the
sound of the war-whoop, which was heartily
responded to-more powder was thrown
into the artillery, and at four o'clock the
battle was won.
Some of the boats that lay back GOOD
Lord-good D-D who fought the least,
having saved their strength, rushed forward
for the honor. -
THE KEY CIrY.-This splendid new boat,
which we have before described, arrived at
our wharf on Saturday evening last, from
Galena. Crowds of our citizens immediate
ly went on board, and visited and examined
every part of this truly splendid steamer
The clerk has our thanks for late papers.
The ITAscA-This twin sister of the
Key City came in the same time, and was
also visited by crowds Of citizens. The di-
mansions of the Itasca are :-220 feet On
deck, IS feet beam, 33 feet floor, depth of
hold s feet, with capacity for 500 tons of
freight. The machinery consists of four tu-
bular boilers, SO inches in diameter, l6 feet
long, with five inch tubes; two twenty inch
cylinders feet stroke, working twenty
eight feet wheel, with 10 feet buckets. In
complete running order, fuel, &C., on board
she trims on twenty-six inches water. 1t is
useless to enter into minute description O
the Itasca, as we have heretofore described
the Key City. With spacious lower decks
and roomy guards, her cabins are beautiful il
the extreme, with the very best of accom-
modations for passengers. The panel owe
the office is embelished with correct view
of Fort Smelling, while pretty landscap
adorns the ladies' cabin. This boat is unde
the command of Capt. David Written, al
old and experienced officer. Mr.. Chas. Hor
ton is the chief of the Office, assisted by W
S. Lewis.
The Frank Steele, Capt. Davidson, tn
New Minnesota River Packet, arrived at tn
leyee on Saturday afternoon, loaded to tn
guards with freight and passengers. A
she has been amply described in all the ID
buque and Galena papers, we need not Ell
ter into minute detail of her beauties an
finish. The opinion of all who saw her wa
that she was "too fine boat for that trade
We give the dimensions Of this beautil
boat: She is IT'S feet long, with % fe
beam, foot hold, 2 tubular boilers 10 lie
long, AZ inches in diameter; 2 sixteen int
cylinders with IA feet stroke and % 70
wheel. She was built last winter at Ham