Daily Iowa State Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1856-1859, 1859-07-29

Carriages came fiocking down TO the boats
early for those who had not already visited
the Falls. and st. Anthony. Some hundreds
made the rounds that day. Between St..
Paul and st. Anthony. the traveller has .
nne view Of the country back from the river
some Of which 10 in high state Of cult
walton. About half way distant from either
Plaee,is Nursery. owned and cultivated by
Mr. Ford, formerly of this city. He has a
beautiful place, and is succeeding admira-
bly, in his business. The ladies on the "Ben
Campbell" were indebted to him for some
very beautiful boquets Of his arrange
ment. just on the outskirts Of st. Anthony
stands the observatory" some $50 feet
high, where we were invited to pay dime
aud climb. y and as one of the best views Of
the country is to be had here. most every
one forks out" and "goes up" St. Antho-
ny or bo9sn@Nd Minneapolis on the
West side Of the river. are, perhaps the
two handsomest towns ON the river above
Davenport Here are seen the Falls Of st.
Anthony. called by the Dakota Indians
Notwithstanding Water-and Min
ne-o nah-Falling Water. By the Ojibwas
they are called Kakah- -Bikah-the Broken
Rocks. These Falls are fast wearing away !;
In fact, there is not much more than swift
rapids at this time.
Tho traveller visiting this point, expect
ing to find grand fall of watsr. will be
sorely disappointed. yet the surrounding
country is much handsomer than at Minne-
ha-ha. The very high water of the season
has done much to injure the beauty Of
these falls. having carried away some 800
feet of the rock forming the bed Of the
river. 1t is sand stone, and the water
washes out the sand. and high water carries
away huge masses of it. At this point is
one Of the greatest water powers in the
world. There are now some twelve or
fifteen mills and manufacturing establish
ments in operation, and the bank on either
side can be sluiced for q mill race, 90 that
there is room for hundred more. st. An
thony contains from six to eight thousand
inhabitants and is smart business town
has one Of the best notes.-the Winslow
House-in the whole northwest, with only
business enough to keep 1t in operation
portion Of the year. It was built snd fur
nished at q cost of about $3.50. 1000, and is
truly magnificent in all its apartments. The
building is heated by steam, the cooking
done by steam. and everything is arranged
for convenience and economy. Through
the politeness Of the gentlemanly clerk. our
party were shown through the building.
and none could suppress the exclamation.
How like the Burtis House!" There 10 .
very handsome wire bridge across the
river at the upper end Of the town; the
truss bridge below the falls was mostly
washed away this last spring, during the
high water. 1t was built at cost of $780,
OOO Minneapolis also boasts of it, fine
site, large hotels, beautiful churches The
name is an Indian ard Greek compound
MINI cha" being the Sioux term tor water.
and "polis" the Greek word for city" city
| Of water"
From this place We took our way back
through rich farming country to the falls
of Mime ha-ha, or =" The Laughing Waters"
1t flows short distance from the Fort
Smelling and Minneapolis road, and is the
great attraction of the country. We can,
not do better than to extract from the
"Guide" . description of them:
at is beautiful at all seasons of the
year. We have seen it when struggling to
be free from the icy bands Of winter-whsn
the pendant icicles on every side shone like
diamonds in the sun; when the bosom Of
the earth for miles around was covered with
its cold, chaste, mantle Of snow; when
the murmur of it's running was almost
silent, even amid the silence of nature
when upon the banks the tall ghostly
sentinels, the trees, leadess and sere, waved
their long branches DER the frosty scene,
| in grand but voiceless woe; when the
verdure of the past was gone. and the gran.
deur Of ruin was around. We have seen it
when chatting its banks. and swelling with
pride. and dashing proudly over its preci-
pice, in all the turbulent dignity which the
| genial spring had given it; when the hard
grasp Of winter was loosed, and it was in.
viting the tiny rivulets near and around it
to join in the current sweeping to the
Father of Waters" contribution that
would aid the mighty river to bear upon
its bosom the "rich srgosies" of the Yves
tern land; when around it sprang the rank
prairie grass; when its music might be
heard for milee away, and only drownded
by the roar Of its mightier brother above;
when Elm and Oak and Birch, and the in
Vulnerable species of trees upon its banks
were rejoicing in the beauty Of their own
summer garb, and waving now in glee and
pride, while the cool breexes wantoned with
their boughs and shook gently their stately
trunks; when the wild flower decked it,
sides" and the verdure came again, and tho
beauties and spl6ndor Of earth found voices
there.
Reader visit it, be not too eager an ex-
pectant. You will meet no Niagara but
be prepared to zee one of the quiet beauty
spots that Providence has given 10 in the
North West Walk behind the transparent
sheet Of water, for there b room for dozens
there. Stroll up and down its sides-gather
from the ravine specimens Of agate and cor.
neliaD, and for your Herbarium Gull some
Of those exquisite wild flowers, blooming
in beauty" Sit down awhile. and hear In
the murmurs of its flowing the whisper
ing Of those spirit tones" that tell Of it,
Great Creator; think once more Of Niegara,
and learn that there may be thaDksgiv-
ing - deep, If not - loud, in the offspring
Of the West-ths simple outlet Of Fairy
LAke-ss in the mighty cataract that draws
supplies from Erie and it, aida
| If you love the beautiful, - connected
with the unprstsndiDg. . well . you DO
the beautiful In connection with the grand,
you win admire "Ths Laughing watsrs'
Weagain visited Fort Smelling on our way