New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-08-16
THE NORTH WEST.
BY BAYARD TAYLOR.

ny ,uTIPuI sCENERY-TIIE LAKE SUPERIOR
AND MISSISSIPPI ROAD-ST. PAUL AND MIN
NEApOLIS - MANUFACTURES AND STOCh-
RAIsING-DINNERs AND sERENADEs.
M,sNrApoLIs, July 24.-The plan of our jour-
~ ,,on, Duuth 10 St. Paul included q trip over forty
miles OF the North Pacific RaOad which is not yet open
10 travel As we had the favor OF special tra anu
ware accompanied by the officers OF the road as wen as
some gentlemen and ladies of Duluth. there was prom
ie OF Measure less than of information In TINS plunge
,, Tho wilderness Mr. Carleton" Coffin, Gov. Bross,
Mr. Dana and myself took places upon the engine at
starting for better view of the Dalles OF the ST. Louis
River Soon passing the little settlement OF Oneoa
some eight or miles from Duluth the WOODED range
which forms northern ore OF Lake superior grad
ually untes with rising land south of the st. Louis
forcing the river 10 break its way down from the level OF
the great central tableand OF which these apparent
hills are only the outer decliyy The difference OF ee
walton is about 700 fee which the Lake Superior and
Mississippi road obliged to overcome in distance OF
some ten or twelve miles.
This is the first approach to really fine scenery which
we have yet found. At first valley soon be-
comes gorge and the rapids change to cataracts where
the dark brown water is freed into amber foam, like
that at Trenton Falls. The train slowly climbs along
walls Of claysate leaps over deep lateral gorges, or
Greens around the brow high headlsnd, whence
you gain the most charming view of wild waters and
wild hills For distance. the difficulties Of construc
been almost great as in crossing the ALE
ghanies But the is substantially done, and there
is little chance OF accident TO the trains. On the
beautiful little hooks bottom land between the cata
acs fine groups ofem trees and good growth
of grass which OF the settlers were engaged in
moving. Even the stony hill-sides covered with
rich clusters of wild timothy grass, and such general
uxuance of weeds that the excellence OF the soil cannot
be mistaken. notice this fact matter Of duty, but
my memory naturally recalls those delightful pictures OF
hills in sunshine glens in shadow long ladders OF rocks
tumbling forms Of water This is to be the future
ard
mills, and all the varied manufacture which the years
may render possible.
At Thomson, near the head Of the Daes, there is
great OF the finest slate rock which already quar-
ried small scale. The lamin@ smooth and uni
form many sheets of pasteboard. While we halted
to examine the specimens, drank from delicious min
era spring with strong flavor OF ron Here we crossed
the St. Louis and rapidly forwards through level
forests the junction where the L. and NJ Road turns
southwark while the North Pacific continues Its course
nearly due westwardly to the Mississippi We Travelled
rapidly as, imagine all trains must over this portion
Of the road. For anything dreary. more monoo-
nous utterly wearisome to behold cannot be imag
ined Mile after mile Of ragged ugly, stunted forest,
standing in its rot and ruin, only varied now and
then by reedy stagnantOOkng pools or lakes, which
had the effect of blasting the trees nearest TO them.
Much Of the track Is based on piles and all OF 1t deeply
dched at the Sides IN order to secure tolerably firm
road-bed. The only agreeable thing we saw was a bed
wbito pondlies In blossom. could not help think
ing OF these lines OF Walt Whitman Qf correctly re-
member them):
pool the Autumn Forest over toss the psndor' Of
SPARKLE, day and dukOss the moaning Sbbssh of
tie Org limbs
This region of swamp and stunted forest extends for
distance Of seventy or eighty milesa watershed like
those OF Russia or Lapand Where the streams begin to
fall toward the Mississippi the country becomes dry and
OPEN and then follows after crossing that river some
Of nost farming land in the world. We varied the
monotony q little by running through two or three
seorching fires, and finally halted at station
caled sicotte where the pines mounds Of sand
between tue belts OF swamp. This was between thirty
and forty miles from the Junction. There lunch
already prepared in capacous shauty and while we
enjoyed the roast and and agerbeer, Of
the employees Of the company played upon the violin and
sang songs the clearest and strongest OF voices Our
return enabled give cheerful report of this
5elt of swamp scenery were heartily glad when we
again reached the Junction. But this probably the
most difficult portion of the North Pacific Road, ia well
aud substantially built, and much or the marsh Will
probably disappear the forests are cleared away
The Lake Superior and Mississippi Road passes for
many miles through equally monotonous, though
more sandy and bettertimbered region In the after
noon reached Hinokley, named after the excellent
President Of the Philadelphia and Baltimore Road Inc
little cluster Of shantes suggests nothing OF the refine
,ent and culture which that gentemsn's friends
iate with his name On the contrary one Of the cu-
pitts OF party remarked that after seeing the place.
he could understand the Latin phrase hinc lille Hnckey)
laeryuG! The others plunged their heads and ears)
INTO welcome basins of water glad to escape from this
infection and from dust at the same time Then FOL.
lowed an une pectedly good dinner and continued
our way along the borders OF that sandy Of St.
Crox pineries which gave the Hon. Mr.. Knott an OPP
potunity Of making gorgeous Kentucky fun, and
thereby innocently defeating the plans OF his own
friends There bigger joke in the latter circum-
stance than anything he uttered By transition so
nat ita staOea
passed into an Open slightly rolling country with groves
of oak and came at last the evidences Of settle
ent fence not ssthetically. attractive object,
but there general expression OF delight when the
first one appeared 1t already dusk when we reached
Wyoming 80 miles from St. Paul. so that We lost sight of
the best cultivation
had not visited Minnesota since the Spring Of 1859
Twelve years. In of these Western cities, is usually
anonymous with complete change-not merely i'm
proyements but growth into something else; and SO
toupd it, We were installed in hotel of metropolitan
proportions and character; the streets had become mas
sye and permanent in appearance the ragged-lookng,
semsayage suburbs wonderfully transformed into
sumptuous residences and gardens-in short, st. Paul
seemed to be not only fifty older but to have been
remoyed three degrees south Its former bleak
Northern aspect had entirely vanished. The blaze OF
ersniums the smooth lawns the giters OF foun-
tains the richness and OF foliage wherever Ma
ure has been slightly assisted, quite changed, 20 my
eyes, the character the city, do not suppose that the
people ENJOY freedom from business cares IMAM
those any other place in the West but there are
terna hints OF possible leisure which very pleas
ant to one like my SELF who "a rather sick OF hearing
nothing else mentioned except "the material develop
ment Of our great country Sir"
We had welcome Sundays rest in st. Paul, each
finding old friends making agreeable new ones; and
all strengthened for the resumption OF our duties
on Monday morning The day was given TO Minneapo-
lis and its envrons and the duty assumed the form Of
pleasure. On arriving, found carriages waiting and
programme arranged which able 30 carry out,
in spite Of sul,ry First visited the immense