New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1857-08-17
MINNESOTA.
THE RIyER-RAPID GROWTH OF TOWNS
THE CROPS-THE GRASSHOPPERS
THE CONVENTION-POLITICS-

-IHE CROPS-lHE UhASoIiOh C"o
THE CONvENTION-POLITICS-
INDIANS.
Correspondence of The n. Y. Tribune.
HASTINGS, Minnesota, Aug. 9, 1857.
While waiting for boat down the Mississippi,
| will write you few lines Of all uncertain
things, the Upper Mississippi is among the most
uncertain The success of railroads in Minnesota
will be great, for no dependence can be placed
upon the river In the Spring, st Paul, Hastings,
and all places above Lake Pepin, were cut OFT from
communication about q month longer than places
below. The ice lay strong and thick in Lake
Pepin. Men cursed, and bet largely, but 1t didn't
90 till it was ready. The supply of many kinds o.
goo d. was nearly exhausted; st Paul, st. Anthony
and Minneapolis were nearly out of pork and sweet
e,;ng. and. for want of nails, &c, building was
partially suspended and still the cold, thick ice
wouldn't clear out. At last it began to move, and
about the first of May the boats arrived at ST. Paul.
The peore of that city were foolish enough to prom
se handsome bonus to the boat that hrst arrived;
20 the competition was great and very hazardous;
for the first boats which did arrive came IN win
their boilers and the lower part OF their chimneys
heated red hot. But, though the ofncers thus
r,ked priceless lives to WIN the little Prlze instead
of being condemned by the Press and People they
were loudly praised Scarcely boat passes up or
down the Mississippi that is not really racing with
an ppunent trying to make better time tnan
its rivals. a.
The water in the river is now very low. On the
1asssQe up or down. the lead is thrown large por-
ton Of the time, to find the channel, and then you
GET aground dozen times in hundred miles. and
sometnes-as in the 90 Beef Slough, near Wabi-
shaw-you have the pleasure of laying "a to 40
hours. This will probably continue till into DC,
tober; then there will be moderate supply OF
water till late in November when the whole cor,
Germ will be frozen up till May OF next year; VI
course charges for freight and passage are high
taking the year through The railroads will obvlate
ali this and the river, when they are completed
will be used almost only in the transportation OF
heavy freight.
Hastings is one of tho most prosperous towns on
the river. 1t is situated on high ground, and for
hundred miles back Of it is splendid farming
country. Three years since, there were not q
dozen habtations here; now, it has population
Of 9. 500 to 5000 souls, halfs dozen good hotels
~ stOres-not shanties with few goods and big ad.
vertsements, but large, handsome buildings, ana
stocks of goods equal to those OF the best
stores in the East There are hundreds OF well
built and finished dwellings, similar 10 inc houses III
New. gland and fair supply OF churches. lhe
streets are well laid out and plank sidewalks are
sirsady extensively built The Baptsts are build
ing University here, at an expense OF SlOo,ooo
The people of Hastings subscribed $50, 600 to Sc
cnre ITS location in their city. The Preparatory
Departn ent, costing $4,000, is under contract 10
be completed the 0esent year.
have spent a week at Farbault, which lies ~
miles west Of Hastings. This place has also grown
from log house or two to large and prosperous
place within three years. 1t occupies beautiful
situation between Straight and Cannon Rivers sur
rounded by fine farming country. II Is MIDWAY
between the Mississippi and Minnesota Rivers ana
in time must become a large inland CITY Inc
Cedar Valley and Minneapolis Railroad IS located
through it, Coming from Farlbault yesterday, we
met Major Browns Circus Company on lneir way
from Mortified to Faribault. Three years since,
the lodges of the Sioux stood Whefe r arioaut now
stands. Hastings had, perhaps, ITS dozen log
cabins. the smaller inland towns had scarcely an
existence even in name yet so rapidly has the popu
lation increased that the circus companies make II
nr, ftable business to travel from place to place
and give their exhibitions.
TIE Crops here, SO far as / can ascertain, are
very good, in some locations, the want Of ram
has Injured the Corn; but Of late We nave had
copious showers, and things look fine. The
Grasshopuer pest is felt somewhat severely IN sons
plsce,. gentleman from st. Peters described
their coming there few days since as Ike snow
form. He estimated the cloud Of grasshoppers IN
the air To- be 30 or 90 feet 10 thickness, and extend
inc "a far "a the eve could reach. At ST. Marys
thew aiphted, and the people feared the utter de-
strIcton of everything Of the vegetable kind Men,
women and children turned out and worked lnces-
sanity TO save the gardens at least from destruction.
They stretched ropes and swung them across 10
staIt the hosts along All at once the mass rose,
nd them
yesr they were at Pembina. 1ney progress.
from northwest to the southeast, and n s.a
season will probably visit the river counties. rev
weeks since, was up in Wright County SOME SOME
fifty mile. west Of St. Paul The land was awe 1--WE
with them. In many cases they had des9utsa
entire crop of some settlers, and they had aeso.e
their farms and gone with their families TO ser en-
ployment in the river towns In these ca -. Rio
ever the sufferers were mostly settlers !, sSe sg
Woods" and their entire crop consisted S u
acres ony. and this the ravenous iniecs ae'ou,.
root and but am told tia, ,. Ga ,Hs for the
farms their devastations are not 70 Of The crea.
crops are very large, and the instinct Vi ''0 '''''
ture ia 10 " move On" . , IN :.