Minnesota and Dacotah | Page 8

their summit resembles a
huge fortification. Nor, as a general thing, do they present a bold or
rocky front. The rise from the river is gradual. Sometimes they rise to a
sharp peak, towards the top of which crops out in half circles heavy
ridges of limestone. The ravines which seem to divide them into
separate elevations, are more thickly wooded, and appear to have been
grooved out by the rolling down of deep waters. The most attractive
feature of these bluffs-- or miniature mountains, as they might be
called-- is their smooth grassy surface, thinly covered over with shade
trees of various kinds. Whoever has seen a large orchard on a hill side
can imagine how the sides of these bluffs look. At this season of the
year the variegated foliage of the trees gives them a brilliant appearance.
It is quite rare to see a bluff which rises gradually enough to admit of
its being a good town site. Hence it is that settlements on the banks of
the river will never be very numerous. Nature has here interposed
against that civilization which adorns the lower Mississippi. It appears
to me that all the available points for town sites on the river are taken
up as far as the bluffs extend; and some of these will require a great
amount of excavation before they can grow to importance.
But there are several thrifty and pleasant villages in Minnesota, on the
river, before reaching St. Paul. The first one of importance is
Brownsville, where, for some time, was a United States land office. It

is 168 miles above Dunleith. Winona, 58 miles farther up, is a larger
town. It is said to contain 5000 population. There is a land office there
also. But the town stands on land which, in very high water, will run
too much risk of inundation. Passing by several other landings and
germs of towns, we come to Wacouta, ninety-eight miles above; which
is a successful lumber depot. Six miles further on is Red Wing, a place
which delighted me on account of its cheerful location. It is growing
quite fast, and is the seat of a large Methodist seminary. But the town
of Hastings, thirty-two miles above, eclipses everything but St. Paul. It
is finely located on rising ground, and the river is there narrow and
deep. The boat stopped here an hour, and I had a good opportunity to
look about the place. The town appears to have considerable trade with
the back country. Its streets are laid out with regularity; its stores and
buildings are spacious, durable, and neat. I heard that over $2000 were
asked for several of the building lots. A little way into the interior of
the town I saw men at work on a stone church; and approaching the
spot, I determined to make some inquiries of a boy who was briskly
planing boards. First, I asked how much the church was going to cost?
About $3000, he replied.
"Are there any other churches in the place?"
"Yes, up there, where they are building."
"What denomination is that?"
"I don't know," he responded. "I only came into the place yesterday."
I thought he was doing well to begin to build churches so soon after his
arrival. And from his countenance, I have no doubt he will do well, and
become a useful citizen of the state. Hastings has its democratic press--
the Dakota Journal, edited by J. C. Dow, a talented young man from
New Hampshire. The population of the town is about two thousand. It
is thirty-two miles below St. Paul, on the west side of the river. There is
nothing of especial interest between the two places.
The great panorama which time paints is but a species of dissolving
views. It is but as yesterday since the present sites of towns and cities

on the shores just referred to showed only the rude huts of Indian tribes.
To-day, the only vestige left there of the Indian are his burying-grounds.
Hereafter the rudeness of pioneer life shall be exchanged for a more
genial civilization, and the present, then the past, will be looked back to
as trivial by men still yearning for the future.
LETTER III.
CITY OF ST. PAUL.
First settlement of St. Paul-- Population-- Appearance of the city--
Fuller House-- Visitors-- Roads-- Minneapolis-- St. Anthony--
Suspension Bridge.
FULLER HOUSE, ST. PAUL, October, 1856.
THE circumstance of finding a good spring of water first led to the
settlement of Boston. It would not be unreasonable to suppose that a
similar advantage induced the first settler of St. Paul to locate here; for
I do not suppose its pioneers for a long while dreamed of its becoming
a place even of its present importance. And here let me mention