Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1870-09-06
Letter from Madison-Minnesota Seen
ery-St. Anthony and Minneapolis
-Ft. Smelling and Minnehaha,

river on solid rock foundation, it
is the personation of thrift and en-
terprise. In passing from the levee
to the hotel the characteristic which
struck us first was the fine stone of
which the blocks are made. 1t is a
hard looking, finely veined grey
limestone susceptible of considerable
polish, aud when we'll worked is
preferred by many to the granite
which is also used here. The city
is built on q bed of this rock, and
when a cellar is excavated, its walls
are not only formed, but enough
material at hand to build the re-
naming mason work of the struct-
ure. The streets of the oldest part
of the city are inconveniently mar
row, reminding US Of Boston, or, as
our more travelled friend suggested, of
the street of Constantinople. The
residences on the bluffs about the
city are not only very fine, but ex-
tremely homelike, the ample yards
and broad piazzas generally graced
with some of the occupants of the
house, and portray scenes of comfort
and enjoyment especially attractive
to stranger. The young man who
thought Baltimore would be the finer
city, if all the handsome buildings
of Washington removed to it, sug-
gested to US that st. Paul could not
be complete unless it possessed our
fine Capitol; but after its departure,
where is Madison, alas that lays
hotels and railroads on the shrine of
this noble edifice.
After q nights rest, we start on the
usual routine of sight seeing, leaving
st. Paul one beautiful morning after
shower, which had cooled the air
and improved the roads. The first
part of the drive was exceedingly
tame as far az the scenery was con-
cerned, but when within few miles
of ST. Anthony we were cheered by
the finest view of the Falls to be
on the river. After this we visited
in customary order the Silver Cas-
cade, Fawn's Leap and Bridal Veil,
each though losing some of their
beauty from the scarcity Of water,
was still especially charming to our
lake accustomed vision. We slipped
of the mineral waters at the spring.
took in another inspiring view, ac-
cepted presents of petrifed moss of
small boys, who subsist on their gen.
erosity in the water and stones and
then on to the city.
The almost deserted village" ap-
pearance of st. Anthony is marked
contrast to the hum and whir of its
fortunate sister Just over the river
and it seems almost inexplicable that
within so short a distance, none Of
the business of Minneapolis ripples
into st. Anthony.
Crossing the bridge we ride round
Niccolet Island which divides tht
river into two channels. On thu
island are one or two fine residences
and the largest variety of fores
trees we have ever noticed in thu
West. Passing over the other par
of the river we are in the broad
streets of Minneapolis, which were
better named Millapolis, from the
number and variety of mills which
grind and and saw and wcavo BY
the aid Of the great water power.
The falls here have been gradually
becoming less and less until the anx
ious mill owners are obliged to builC
an artificial precipice to stay an,
replace natures, else lose the COOS,
that lays the golden egg for them
Capitalists hesitate now to lay GU
money here, and if their proiec
prove failure, one day we may Sc,
Minneapolis shorn of her glory
Many people prefer this city to st
Paul as residence, but the rugged
ness of st. Paul is it's chief attraction
to US.
Our next point is the fall from
which the city is named. We driv
to an unpretending little cottage be
fore whose gate are many carrige
and find ourselves within q stone
throw of Minnehaha Falls, wher
my youthful Hiawatha brought tn
red deer of the forest and laid it q
the feet of the fair Dacotah. An,
at this same modest cot, oh, human
| ity whose better feelings must b,
won through your stomach, you cal
have the best of dinners, fresh fisl
from the depths of Laughing Water
ETC., etc.
1--WE may live without poetry, music and art;
We may live without conscience and live without hear
We may live without friends and live without books
But civilized man cannot live without cooks"
Nature patiently waits until afte
dinner, she can afford delay sine,
her claims to celebriety are Just anC
recognized. Minnehaha minus th,
sightseeing crowds, minus the pic
ture. gallery and boy with agatet
and debris of lunches, is perfectly
charming to lover of quiet beauty
There is little trace of Longfellow'l
Minnehaha here except the fall O
waters and that seems to hav,
shrunk away as if inundated by
the bold gaze of admiration.
ShhS Suu WRITES Us away
and we cast o parting look at the
sllvery waters that shine through
the foliage, and on to Fit. Smelling
from which we gain the finest view
we have had, stretching miles and
miles embracing bluff and ravine,
water, fields and city. It's favorable
situation as fort is lost 10 us whose
creed is "Let US have peace" and
we ignore portfolios and revel in the
bountiful feast here spread before
our Dyes, and are 10th to leave it for
our homeward drive. Stopping only
to look into Fountain Cave which
doubtless has mystery some future
day will explain, we return to our
comfortable quarters more than sat
isfied with our day.
And now as we write from our
beautiful city, we look back with
nlaacurn 70 tha fau 1auo mo onapt