Saint Paul weekly Minnesotian., 1859-06-25

MINNESOTA House. SALTWATER,
June 10Th, 1859.
Undoubtedly the prominent citizens of St.
Paul, and very many Of the city readers know
more about SALTWATER than can tell them,
it being so near, and one of the oldest cities
of the State; but there are new residents OF
the City, and many Of the State, who are not
SO we'll acquainted, and description of how
this place appears to stranger, at this tlme'
will be interesting to large class Of the rea-
ders of the MINNEsoTIAN.
Thirty miles of the south end of ST. Croix
River is dead level, nearly, a straight reach of
water, half mile wide, of great depth, with
no current, and called, from these character
tics, LAKE ST. CRoIx. At the head of the
still acater of this river-lake, lies this City 1t
is thirty miles from Point Douglas and Pres
colt, on the Mississippi, about the same dis
below Taylors or St. Croix Falls, six miles
above Hudson, Wisconsin, and thirteen miles
east and seven north of St. Paul-twenty by
the wagon road, and nineteen by railroad sur,
vey from river station to river station.
am indebted to Mr.. JOHN McKUsIcK
the original proprietor, and to Mr.. F. R. DEL
ANo, an old resident and present City Civi
Engineer, for such facts as have not gathered
by observation; and take pleasure in men
tioning the hospitable, courteous, and promp
attention extended by Mr.. DELASo, in goini
with me to visit points of interest and impor
lance, and giving all required information
in manner to make strangers welcom
most pleasingly agreeable.
Mr.. MCKUsICK came here from Maine {
have not asked the time when) to engage i
numbering. The country of the head-water
of this river abounds in pine, and the chal
acter of this lake-river, so wide, so deep, an
with no current, makes it's head the best plac
for fitting out RATS for the Mississippi mart
At that time, steam saw-mills had not attaine
the perfection now characterizing them
seeking a acater-power, it was discovered th'
,, Bro,cn's Greek, rising three miles west of IL
, Lake, and emptying into it a mile above tn
, point, could be turned from its natural cours
9 at a point mile and half from here, on IL
highest lands back of the City, and by an e
tremely slight ditch thrown into wide, lor
piece of wild meadow of a hundred or mo
n acres and by another ditch equally slight throw
; from this meadow into a dry racine Or hollo
> or "coolie" as they call it here, and then
) into the Lake. At this place there happe1
e to be slight bay, or indented curvature
= = the shore, reaching, from head-land to fot
r land, say mile Almost in the exact midG
S OF this slight bay this coolie" comes dow
= and the stream now enters. A fine watt
: power was thereby obtained, in an eligit
!. place, on which Mr. MckUsIcK built saw-m
e driven by an over-shot wheel of twenty-f
d feet in diameter No thought of Villa
was entertained-no idea Of it dreame
X But the mill being built, dwelling for hims
le became necessary; then another was need
for workman then another one or two
r other workmen; then it soon became poi
20 of of sufficient attraction for a small tradi
st post and then Village existed before it "
J. hardly realized.
le Tine shores of the Lake-River here, on be
sides, are bold bluffs, oyer hundred feet hie
.. with no low, fat land intervening betwe
!: them and the water; excepting, in this slie
;. bay, there was slight stretching out of
- foot of the bluffs, and very marrow strip
low land. In this curve or bay is the cen
. and hssrt of the City, which extends back
:. - the high grounds nile or over, and up a
down the shore oyer two miles.
At the lower end Of the curve, the blu
have been dug down and the edge Of the La
ds filled up, by shovels and carts. In ls'
MS o long time of wet weather occurred, VIII
We soaked and softened the ground thorough
ne ne and was followed by 2 severe storm. VIII
he so swelled the waters in the meadow pond
OF the height, called McKusiePs Lake, that
little dam gave way, and the whole body v
e. precipitated, in tremendous volume, into
T. ravine. The consequence was a land-sli
a which was carried into the Lake and over
e. narrow strip Of low geound, filling and GOV
IN ing up to the depth Of ten to twenty feet,
to but little building had been attempted On
lis ground covered by the landslide, compa
of lively no damage was done. A garden feI
y or two, small blacksmith shop, tand one
y. two slight shop shanties were all the prope
Us buried. But the good done was great.
is made great area Of excellent building groul
y and taught the way TO make more. sla
a. are put down into the Lake at the point
o. to which it is designed to gil, to keep theea
I'd from washing in, and then the stream, up
be the ravine, is turned from its channel, q