The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1859-09-03
Letter from Minnesota.

ST. ANTHONY, Min, Aug. ~, 1899.
Friend Osn,an Among the first things
that appeal with interest to a traveller from
Illinois in Minnesota is the comparative
advance OF the season and the real produc-
tiveness of the soil. l saw fields of corn
in advance of those in La Sale County
Generally the stand Of corn on the ground
is better than with you. The seed comes
with a greater certainty, and uniformity
The growth of the stalk is not so luXuri-
ent, but the ears set well.
Such fields Of wheat and oats, ! have
never seen. The harvests are superb
This ground gives determination to the
berry and less to straw than with us. If
this season is specimen, the crops of
small grain are very sure.
ST PAUI-20IO miles from the mouth of
the Mississippi River, is very near the geo.
graphical centre Of the North American
Continent. In 1S47 it was laid out as a
town by some seven men there resident
1t now numbers some 1900 inhabitants
and has as fine buildings, public and pri-
vate, rs grace the older towns of old set
tied States.
In st. Anthony, the first permanent res
idence was built in 1871. Now in st. An
thony and Minneapolis-on the opposite
side of the river-are supposed to be about
1000 souls.
Minneapolis is the county seat of this
(Hennepin) County, and has noble brick
Court House whose cupOla commands as
fine view of River, Bluff, and Prairie as
any in the North West.
The Falls of St, Anthony are much i'm
paired in their picturesque beauty by the
undermining and wearing away of the wa
ter Within the distance Of one mile the
water falls full 10 feet, yet the only perpen-
dicular fall is not more than Is feet A
thick mass of strstitied limestone resting
on a friablesandstone forms the river bed.
The sandstone washed out and carried Oti
undermines the everything rock which then
falls and rolls in masses of enormou. bulk.
| saw one near ten feet III thickness and
fifty i'll breadth and thirty in width, which
had been thrown down this spring and
then, after some days, broken in two
through the middle by It's own weight
walked across the block following the
line Of fracture thirteen PAGES
During the sprinG.tiood the Falls receded
one hundred and fifty feet in the centre
1t is easy to believe that not many centu-
rc5 have sui:iced TO remove this wonder
fromFort Smelling, some seven miles below,
70 ST Anthony.
toned we discover indications OF taste en-
ergy and wealth, that are most gratifying
There are but few hotels in Illinois that
viii equal the Winslow House, IL St. An
thony, either in cost dimensions or style
Private residences on all sides afford Gimp
of :. love for the beautiful displayed IN
slight or expensive decorations In archi-
lecture, in which many OF the western cit
les are deficient These towns are not
grudgingly laid out there l. room IN the
streets-rOOm in the lots housessre scat,
,ered-many noble mansion greets you
from the suburbs
Financially all Is PROSTATE. Speculation
has run wild and men must now wait lit
tie for time 10 heal their mischief but the
land is here, aud the Improvements, and
nothing can stay the ultimate prosperity
of fine and healthful country.
As place Of summer resOrt-.or those
resident in the bilious climate farther south
it IS attractive Here are wiid-, innu-
rncrable lakes. and uncultivated pra;ries
The Wild duck and pigeon brood unmoles
ted and fine fish abound in all the waters