New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1865-10-07
mYNNEsOTA AND WISCONSIN.
Editorial Correspondence of the N. Y. Tribune.
OE THE UPPER MISSISSIPPI, Oct. J..


Minneapolis was not full exhibit Of the products
Of the State, and, indeed, could not be, in the
present infancy of her Railroad system. Its chief
value TO strangers lay in the evidence 1t Afforded
of the climatic and agricultural possibilities OF the
adjacent region. Very good Grapes OF the hardier
popular varieties, thoroughly ripe and sweet
superb Tomatoes, luxuriant Eggplant, giganuc
Watermelons, &C., are easily grown here, but the
grape-vines require protection 10y coverin9) from
tho extreme cold of Winter. The largest Squashcs
exhibited weighed over 80 pounds, and were Oh
good quality; and Mini esota is justly proud OF her
Potatoes. OF quality unsurpassed, the attested
Weld seems enormous am assured that Dushe'
has in some instances been dug from four hills ana
that 400 bushels per is not an exaggcratoh Is
attcsed by the ruling pnce-2O cents per bushei,
when Corn is So aud when Potatoes are selling az
La Crosse, wis., at 50 cents per bushel. believe
money could be made by buying and shipping them
hence by the boat-load.
Since the Fair closed I have hastily visited the
st. Croix region, dividing Minnesota from Wiscon-
sin-or ruthcr SO much of it skirts the beautiful
Lake St. Crox thirty miles long by one or two
vide. which links the st. Crox river with the
Mississippi THIS region should all belong to Mil
ncsota, aud there is an agitation begun for trans
for, making the Chippewa instead OF the 81. Crolx
the boundary. The intermediate district mas it'e
or no intercourse with Madison or Milwaukee, hay'
ING some 300 miles to travel TO reach either, while
St Panl, the capital OF Minnesota, just at hand.
II tho transfer could be effected, and the two pro-
iects of Railroad connection between the Upper
Mississippi aud Lake Superior be thereby iused
into one and pushed ahead, it would give new I'M
petus and q better development to most I'M
portant region
Pine Lumber first attracted Eastern enterprise
to this quarter fome twenty years ago. one con-
pany Of Maine capitalists bought loo,Ooo acres OIL
Pine on the Mississippi and its tributaries ABOVE
the Falls, erecting at Minneapolis what are now
,,obablv the most effective saw-mils in the world.
A loc is drawn in from the boom above, slit into
boards and slabs in q minute By gang Of saws,
the rough edges trimmed off bys circular saw
in half q minute more, tho slabs ana scanuihg
cut I'D into frewood in another half minute, and
the boards meantime slid down "fume" to the
still water below the Fall, where they arc male up
as they arrive into cribs for rafting 80 that, from
the log in the boom above TO tho raft IN the river
below. there is scarcely time to count hundred.
believe Was told that these mills managed by
Mr.. ID. Mouison) make $500 feet OF boards per
day; and there others at this point; so that the
two young cities on either side, with an agsre-
rate population of over 5000, cannot burn the
tho slabs 80 fast as they are produced, though the
mill, deliver them cut to fireplace length at every
door for fifty cents per load. At Saltwater on the
st. Croi1, / noticed two great fires constantly
burning TO destroy tho slabs that 10 one will take
as gift. Here is great steam saw-mili which
burns nothing but lis own sawdus', and has large
surplus of that The great Minnesota mills run
night and dsy, save that for three or four months
in the Winter they are still, whilc the five hundred
men they employ re absent in the Pinenos, cut
ting and drawing logs.
laundering is game, and Of course a. poor bust
moss The years lo63 and4 were intensely dry, and
tho streams SO low that many logs colld not be run
out This season has been wet, and logs are super
abundant. On the 81. Croix, they came down IN
such profusion o, TO form lam sixty feet deep
at Taylors Falls running some Of tho weaker own.
crs Like oil other hazardous pursuits, this attracts
thousands by its possibilities Of sudden wealth
tiles. The poor lumbelnan fails TO get out his logs
promptly, and is made bankrupt by tie delay; or
he gets them out, saws and runs them, only TO find
the market So gutted with boards that must be sold
that lie cannot meet his liabilities. Only great
capital and shrcwd, far-seeng management can ride
safely tie wild pillows which sweep across the lun-
brnans course; ard this region will breathe freer
| han ;,a last a. tran IL ont
ard sold.
For Wheat is q better staple, ard one that gives
more steady and gain ful employment TO indus
Try. And am moro and moro impressed with tho
Wheat growing capacities which arc here just be-
ginning 10 DO developed. At Hudson, at Prescott,
and other points the Wisconsin side, as well as
at Hastings and Ill tho landings in Minnesota. the
cry is Wheat Wheat Hudson iss pretty East
ern village, strung along tho Wisconsin shore OF
Lake St. Crox and tho shire town Of St. Croix
County, whose staple 10 Wheat. WheG-laden
wagons surrounded the sorehouses at an carly hour
yesterday morning, awaiting the turn OF each to
have its load weighed, empted and paid for and
they still swarmcd there when we left at nigh'iail
Every steamboat goes down the river with all tho
Wheat on board that she will take, and couple OF
Wheat-ladcn barges made fast to her sides. Little
villages of three to six s,orchouSes talk Of shipping
their Half Million bushels each. The crop cannot
nearly all be throshed out this Fsll-in fact, some
of it yet stands in tho shock; nor could it DO
brought away, il ready, before the river freezes;
but shall be disappointed il Ten Million bushels
do not pass La Crosse going southwark and east
ward OF tho crop Of 1865. Yields of 30, 80, and