Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1881-03-12
Letter from Minneapolis.

| MfSyEAPoLis, MfNS., March !, 1881.
Minneapolis the largest and most prosper
Gus city of the whole North-west is situated
on the Mississippi river, at st. .Antbony's
Falls, about five hundred miles northwest Of
Chicago. At the census taken ten years
since, Minneapolis had a population of 1900
to-day she shows a record OF over IS 900. The
! cause Of this remarkable and pleasing growth
| is the development of the milling industry
and brilliant future awaits her. Minneap
oils is the most important terminus of the
Chicago and Milwaukee. Minneapolis and st.
Louis, ST. Paul and Pacific and Omaha Rail-
roads and this system Of railroads makes the
city the leading wheat market of the world.
The hardest and therefore the best wheat for
making patent flour. is produced in Mime
sofa and Dakota, and with their millions OF
acres of wheat fields, from which can be
made the finest -four in the world, this is the
place of all others for this business to pros
per- Without doubt this year she will con-
tribute her annual share to the granaries of
the world.
Twelve wears ago there was but one flour
mill here to-day the numerous and gigantic
mills which cluster about the fails are her
wonder and pride. The two largest mills
| 1.-THE Washburn," owned and operated BY ex-
Gov. Washburn of Wisconsin. and 1.-THE
Pillsburv." owned by Gov. Pillsbury, the
present Executive of this State, are the
largest grandest, and most complete mills
in the world. When finished they will each
| tt,rt IA. 4,
Some thirty other mills of smaller size and
| capacity, ranging from fifteen hundred to
five hundred barrels, are always in full oper-
alton
SO much attention has been paid to manu-
| featuring interests. that her wholesale trade
has not been develoded to any great cx-
tent until quite recently. but with her remark
| able railway facilities this trade is rapidly and
steadily increasing. Eastern capital is coming
in fast, ant! new business houses are opening
daily. The sales for last year amounted to
over twenty million dollars. and this year
will be greatly increased.
The CITY has three daily papers and dozen
or more weeklies. The st. Paul and Mime
apolis Pioneer Press Is one of the best news
papers published, and ranks sixteen in circu-
laton in the United States. The Mnneapo-
| lis Daily Tribune. is a new paper. scarcely
a year oil, hut an infant Hercules in strength
and power. The prOprietors have taken
| great care ~ select only the very best talent
| tor editors and writer's, and its ultimate
success is secured. The Journal is n bright
! and spicy evening paper giving especial at
tention to local matters. Strange as it NAV
| seem. all of these papers are republican. and
| although this is a city that boasts of fifty
thousand inhabitants, vet no democratic
sheet is found within its boundaries
! st. Paul. the capital. once the rival of
Minneapolis. is about ten miles east. The
st. Paul 4 Minneapolis short line was
opened last fall. Trains leave both cities
every hour in the dav, and make the run in
the remarkably quick timcof twenty minutes.
A charter has been granted to build horse
railroad between the two cities. This enter
prise will probably he carried out next sum
mer. The State was unfortunate in loosing
her capitol building bv fire, last Tuesday
| night. Both Houses were in session. and so
sudden was the fire. and 50 rapidly did it
burn. that the members barely escaped with
their lives. The building was old. construct
ed in 1853, and had done good service.
| Seventy five thousand dOllars was immed-
ately appropriated to build a new buiding,
at the suggestion of the governor.
| Much has been said and written about the
| repuliatcd railroad bonds of Minnesota
| The legislature has just passed bill which
will settle this question satisfactorily and
| honestly. The bonds will be paid. and
Minnesota will be saved from everlasting
shame and disgrace.