Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1883-11-29
S'P.PAUL NEWS.
A GERMAN VIEW,

German GHests-His Opinion of 1.-The
Future Capital of the Northwest"
The New York Bellestrisches Journal of
November 81, contains an account OF st.
Paul written by DR.. N. Mohr, of Bremen,
who visited this city with the Willard
party, which we translate for the benefit of
the readers of the GLOBE:
The traveller who leaving the Rocky
mountains to the westward has become
satiated with the prairies End wheat fields
of Dakota must feel his heart bound with
pleasure when he steps out on the terrace
of Grote's Tivoi by the Mississippi bridge
in st. Paul. The outlook is exquisite
One begins at once to endeavor to recall
what similar scene it suggests in Germany,
whether on the Rhine or on the Elbe. 1t
seems so home-like to us-and yet there is
an unfamiliar atmosphere about 1t which
makes the picture douhly attractive. The
mighty river, whose source is not
very far distant, comes to this
point from the south and sweeps
gracefully along the high bluff
on which st. Paul stands. soon however,
resuming its original direction south
wards At MINNEAPOLIS it suddenly takes
the northerly course. 1t breaks through the
high hills which strike it there and forms
the we'll known ST. Anthony's falls, whose
water power gave birth to Minneapolis and
furnished the foundation of the wonderful
development of that city, which progresses
at an equal pace with st. Paul, and thanks
to these waterfalls has built up milling
industry without a counterpart On the
left bank, upon which St.aPaul stands, the
bluff de5cends abruptly to the water, while
on the right bank is a gradually rising
plain. A suspension bridge at a dizzy
elevation connects the city with the oPpo-
site bank. The heights are covered with
trees and the fiat land presents
varied aspect of houses,
woods and fields Numerous
islands, some bearing foliage, others mere
sand bars which disappear when the Mis-
siss1ppi is at its normal height, checker
the surface of the stream.
This lively and extensive landscape is
enjoyed from the Mississippi bridge. If
person, however, Is DESTROYS of sitting
down comfortably and enjoying a glass
of beer he visits the above mentioned
Tivoli on the terrace, which stands on the
rocky height directly over the stream.
Here our ears are greeted with the German
language, and one might often fancy that
he had exchanged the bank of the Missls-
sippi-that stream which recalls SO wildly
to remembrance the deep impression it
ha in, oobnOIhOu 4bo
Amazon, the Gauges and the Indus, for
German Kneipe. Bnt the surroundings arc
after all somewhat unfamiliar. A stag's
head, a mountain sheep, ETC., recall our
mind to the fact that we are in the vicinity
Of the far west
l was returning from the Yellows
park, after a sixty hours continuous jour
ney, in the latter part of September, when
found myself in st. Paul. Four weeks
previous we had arrived here to take part
in the opening of the Northern Pacific
railroad. All was festivity and prepare
ton. A solemn breakfast. with speeches,
a trip through the city and visit to the
railroad company's offices had occupied
our time. Two days later, after we had
hiS0 lAaN ISbO az
lake, a splendid procession took place of
the industries and trades of st. Paul, which
was followed on the same day by similar
festival demonstration II Minneapolis
Now, however, saw the city in its every
day garb. The excitement and decora-
tons of the festival had long disappeared.
But the city notwithstanding did not pre-
sent bad appearance. A lively activity
and traffic is in progress in every corner
and every section. 1t seems as though
the hands of that commercial profit, which
pours IN from every side cannot be filed,
and in fact the city is growing wonder
fully. st. Paul probably has $4,000 inhab-
itants-at least that is the figure at which
its population Is estimated. The last cen
sus in 1880, v hioh stated the population at
$4,000 was entirely inaccurate. It is be-
lieved that if the names in the directory
were increased one-third result more
nearly correct would have been arrived at.
When it is borne i'll mind that St. Paul in
1855 was but Il town of 1000 or 5000 in
habitants it will be admitted
that the most sanguine ex-
peotations of the increase and the
luluNe ueNeIOpnent OF bn9 place are far
from Missionary. In those times" Ger
mau fellow countryman who had lived
in st. Paul about thirty years and who
spoke with justifiable pride, said to me,
Il saw every house erected that then stood
here"' AT that time St. Paul was wholly
dependent upon the river trade, and when
winter closed navigation, and covered the
Mississippi with ice, 1t was an important
question-nay vital question, whether
navigation would be reopened
few weeks earller or later, and
when the first vessel should arrive from
the south with fresh supplies. All St. Paul
streamed to the river bank when the longed
for vessel came in. 1t brought the token
that the long winter blockade was broken.
LOCATION OF ST. PAUL.
The location of St. Paul at this point is
not merely fortutous. Nature had pre-
pared here site for city. The walls of
rock which encompass the left bank of
the Mississippi sink to the waters
edge at the point where the centre of
St.Paurs business activity is now situated,
thus making kind of valley to which the
streets on both sides descend. A variety
OF surface is in this manner produced
which relieves st. Paul from the deathlike
monoteny of the average American city.