The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1865-09-08
mlssouRlAA IN MINNESOTA.
A,Trip on the Mississippi River.
Saint Paul to Lake MiMnetonka.
correspondence of,hc st. Louis Republican


EXCELSIOR. LAKE MISsEroSKA. MINI
NJ August, 1865.
Trout fishing over, We bid our hosts r.,
Lake City] and the uncaueht trout oooi
morning, and at 4 p. N. were standing or
tne deck of an up-river steamer. Some 3
the little tugs up here are a great curios.
ity, not much larger than q full grown
gun turtle, and yet they 20 putting and
steaming away eight to ZEN miles an hour
she stuck on sand-bar few miles below
st. Paul about midnight, and there mad.
died and pulled until morning. / laid In
nay berth contemplating the prospect 81
oelng blown toward different fishing
country, and rejecting upon the condition
OF my account up there, if / should be,
when my anxiety was relieved by the mo.
ton OF the boat, telling me we were again
afioat. | am glad to say that few acct.
dents of a serious character ever occur on
on the Upper Mississippi. They certainly
charge enough up at this end of the route
to pay them for being careful. Thanks ia
the railroad men of Minnesota, this mon.
opoly between La Crosse and St. Paul will
soon be pricked by honest competition
A farmer on board our boat learning
That was Missourian made many in.
4uiries about onr State Said be thought
ne should go there. "Why do you wish
TO leave so beautiful State as Mime
sota?" inquired. "Oh!" said he. I"
would like to live in a country where in
winter it doesn't freeze the bottom of a
thirty-feet we'll As ls.s -.
l thought. so, too, and said to him that
Missouri is The place. al ones
st. Paul is an interesting little city of
about $4,000 souls, and still moving on
ward. Many fine out stone buildings are
going up. sta,'22 70 'asUaa.S
The drive thence along the river to Fort
Smelling is delightful. =. -...;..
Lake Como, where my last letter was
dated, is beautiful little sheet of water.
full of small bass and sunfish. and well
supplied with admirable little r0w-boats !:
also fine, fancy little yacht for sailing.
We had very pleasant sport fishing and
sailing on its crystal waters. . -nss
Minnesota has quite a railroad mania
now. Her business men are taking hold
of it in good earnest. One road from st.
Paul to Superior is surveyed, and it is
said the means are provided to build it
within short time. This will be grand
enterprise for the State, for 100 miles Of rail
will place them almost as near New York
by U0ter as Chicago is Another road.
intended to run to the Red River country
in Britishterrit0ry, is now in operation
fifty miles, and will soon be finished to
st. Cloud. sg zq|r
Another from Minneapolis and st. Paul,
southwest to Rochester, where it meets
the Winona and Msnkato Railroad. This
is partly built, and viii doubtless be COM
pleted in year or two at most. This is
the road hope to see pushed southwark
through Iowa to join the North Missouri
Railroad at no very distant day.
Another road is now in operation from
Winona on the river to Rochester, forty
miles west, and it will soon be completed
to MsnkatO, the south bend of the Mime.
sofa river. Thus will the State be pro-
vided with agencies for the further devel-
opment of it's beautiful and magnificent
territory.
Ten miles by railroad from st. Paul
brings Us to the Falls of st. Anthony, over
which, for unknown ages, this mighty
river has rolled and tumbled and poured
it's ceaseless waters. What pleasure to
the lover of nature and feast for the
students of geology! What stories of the
wild past do these fallen rocks, the up
turned strata, and these chiselled walls re-
veal to us! Rather, what can the student
of nature read in them? Alas, that we
cannot understand more perfectly the Ian
guage of nature, and more accurately read
the history of the ages, and the bygone
eternity of time But "man is but a
shadow that pssseth away and is no more. :"
/ will merely note that these falls have
changed very much in the last twenty-five
years. They are not so imposing now as
then. Large numbers of factories are in
operation here, but shall not attempt to
enumerate them. 1t is said these falls
afford 100000 horse power. 1t seems to
me this must become one of the greatest
manufacturing sites in the Northwest. The
towns on either side of the river seem to
be enjoying much prosperity, and are rap
idly growing. Many fine cut stone build
ings are being erected. Nicollet Island,
Just above the falls, is a delightful spot.
a frame bridge between the island and
east shore, and fine suspension wire
bridge from the island to the west shore,
furnish good carriage-wsy across the
river.
The sweet and charming little falls OF
Minnehaha are five miles south of this. O,
course no tourist will fail 10 see them. Yet
they are quite likely to he disappointed
when they do. As well buy fifty cent
picture of them and stay away. WIN he
quite as well satisfied.
But linger on the banks of this mighty
river that cuts our giant Republic in twain
from Gulf almost to Pole. Mighty in IFS
navigable length. Mighty in its volume
Mighty in its connection with so wonderful
country, and 90 glorious nation.
Apropos, l copy few original stanza.
on this river, by-well, no matter who.
friend to the Republican as well as myself
Father of Waters ~ from age to age.
shall sing of thee, divine and sage
From age TO age, TOR icons past,