The emigrant aid journal of Minnesota. [volume] (Nininger City, Minn. Terr. [i.e. Minn.]) 1856-1858, 1857-08-29
Down the River.
On board the Northern Light, |
Aug. II, 1857,


Down the River.
On board the Northern Light, ]
Aug. II, 1857,
cDITOR-l left Nininger some ten days ago o
Iowa, and am now within u hundred miles {
on my return. We sweep along at Il fine rat
BY steamer, taking into account the low stat
p, and the many insidious sand bars our pilot
pid. Indeed, it is a wonder to me how sue
can thread their ways safely along a channe
20 shallow, and subject to such variation a
Mississippi at low water. Our boat, as
~ the largest Of the packets that run to s,
80 feet in length, and broad in proportion
6ll the Galena river as we came down frou
lena, its high decks projecting far abov
be stream.
lna deserves the praise of doing a grea
capital. 1t is one place, in this degener
.enUsorld that does not, unfortunately, bell
Our boat had an inviting and comfortable look
seemed clean and neat, the table is very good
nd all hands were attentive and obliging. Capt. Lod
ick, though have something against him for not land
lg me at Nininger, which | mean to settle, not by abuse
ny telling hin, plainly his excuse was one that al
.-csent and obligihg officer should Lsve been aslanes
!, offer. In other respects I found Capt. Lodwick to b
gentlemanly and attentive commander, who seemed tt
the respect and good will of all his passengers
to him and his boat, but the next time he must
3 when want to stop at Nininger, or l will take
bat ] have said.
md the towns along the river all rather dull-no,
(asiness doing, nor very much building going on
feel, to some extent, the partial paralysis that
bck the country generally this season j; some Of
kel it pretty severely. Winona, and some other
bees, which have grown too rapidly, like mash'
seem to the passer by to feel the pressure most
They have been seized with a languor such
lakes an overgrown boy-therc is more size than
about them. But u few years time, and the
ll influence of struggling and effort will cure and
hen them. l must say that in proportion to its
age, your own town, Nininger, is one of the mos,
is and prosperous looking places l have seen
now but it is the most so, if the number and char.
the buildings going up be a true criterion of your
Eand go-ahead character.
nque and Davenport have both improved consid.
since | saw them one year ago. They are prom.
faces, and l doubt not, will have a steady growth
rmanent importance. The former is the larger
Dst city-like place, and is likely to keep the lead.
bition it has taken. One grand improvement
there-a new hotel almost twice the size of the
House, st. Paul, and about to be opened. The
ice, | see, has been removed to large and commo.
looms near the bluff, on the principal street lead
ok from the river.
export is the p~rettier place Of the two; l have
liked the site Of that place its grand ascent from
Ter, the noble and graceful swell of the bluffs, the
Scent view of the river and surrounding country it
together with the charming country by which it
relied. Both places have excellent steam ferries,
oats passing from shore to shore every few min
= AS l crossed on those boats | thought Of the little
~bne-horse apology of an affair that does the agreaa-
I'VE the mark !! to persons wanting to cross the
st. Paul. The last time I crossed at the latter
ID6I was afraid the putting, anorting creature, in its
to do its best, would bust his biler outright, and
at would be the last Of it, which you know would
a serious loss to the community.
Between Dubuque and Davenport | passed over some
the finest country | have ever seen. | had crossed
xsuntry hi tha-~a saad a year hatosa. and At the
Me had to stop the carriaG time and again to gaze at
re magniicence and exquisite beauty of the far-swelline
Of the prairies, interrupted here and there by
improved farms bearing golden crops. A second
Of the country but confirms my former impress
ons, and it is now so well settled and improved that
richly laden with crops, border the road almost
1erywhcre, presenting to the eye less Of natures un-
beauty, but more evidences Of human prosperity.
i%nlenty, health, and happiness. 1t was mid-harve-; Is
pver the reglon-reapers We're to be seen and
attling in almost every wheat field, aud better
p the whole | think | never saw. The oats in
places were too heavy to hold up their heads, and
had to be used to cut them where they were most
Iowa is a great agricultural State; hard to beat,
:, after having prospccted quite a number Of its
es pretty thoroughly.
10 Davenport l went up to LIE Claire, some IL or
les distant. The place is small, but has gained
Importance from being at the head Of the rapids,
ming about Rock Island or u little above. 1t is quite
he for the lumber business. Logs are often sold
at a reasonable price rather than run the. risk of
the sale Of them altogether by hayi9eesshe RATS
10 pieces upon the scragged rocks projecting from
bxeam a little below the town. Two or three fine
saw mills are busy at work in the place, and are
= lucrative business. Another important feature
be little town is, that it contains a place for draw
put and repairing steamboats,, Of all sizes, and is the
hest point up the river where such work can be done.
noticed the Equator, q boat that plies up and down
Minnesota, and two other boots, there for repairs.
winter several of the Galena Packets laid there ali
etime, getting ready to start at the earliest moment
pring. The place contains about 1900 people, and
Readily increasing in population, though not rapidly.
From LeClaire, | took the packet for Galena, passing
EClinton, Fulton, Lyons, and several other not very
ely towns on the way. Clinton has done well, how
pr it is only about two years old-has built up rap
a railroad running west to Dewitt, the capital
Clinton Co, and bids fair to be upon an important
ilroad if the road is extended, as the citizens Of the
expect it to be. The place seems to be now lying
.!nparatively quiet-like many other places, waiting for
better time.
We went slowly up the river it was night, and
asleep when we crawled up the Galena or Fever
yer. We then had to lay over full twenty-four hours,
ben We started for ST. Paul on the MarlA~-A I-4-A.
sYt. Lodwick.
We have been compelled to travel rather slowly on
connt of low water. The weather is fine, and the load
passengerspretty full. At Winona we found a Sioux
with Ms wife, two children, in a canoe, watching
tahl passage on our boat. They carried their : traps
boAf, ginning, evidently tickled at the idea of being
rried along 50 rapidly, in such q large canoe, and one
Oh such big paddles as ours had. The Indians canoe
y made by following out a log, aud must be taken on
too.s One Of the deck hands, in attempting to
48.Ais skH in polling the canoe up the side of the
wrigged from side to side, in trying to keep
balabned, until at lst he upset, and was
ncontidently into the river, to the amusement
ole crowd. r. D.. s.
To Correspondents.
klictta Nhow, Potsdam, St. Lawrence County.
ge believe a change is about being made in the
an ge,nents at this place. There is a good op.
here for a school teacher. You can obtain any
b. on the subject from James r. Case. Esq,