Between St. Paul And This Place Is A Tri-Weekly Line Of
Stages.
The coaches are of Concord manufacture, spacious and
comfortable; and the entire equipage is well adapted to the
convenience of travellers.
Next season, the enterprising proprietors,
Messrs. Chase and Allen, who carry the mail, intend establishing a
daily line. I left the Fuller House in the stage at about five in the
morning. There was only a convenient number of passengers till we
arrived at St. Anthony, where we breakfasted; but then our load was
more than doubled, and we drove out with nine inside and about seven
outside, with any quantity of baggage. The road is very level and
smooth; and with the exception of encountering a few small stamps
where the track has been diverted for some temporary impediment, and
also excepting a few places where it is exceedingly sandy, it is an
uncommonly superior road. It is on the eastern bank of the
Mississippi, and was laid out very straight. But let me remark that
everybody who travels it seems conscious that it is a government road.
There are several bridges, and they are often driven over at a rapid
rate, much to their damage. When Minnesota shall have a state
government, and her towns or counties become liable for the condition
of the roads, people will doubtless be more economical of the bridges,
even though the traveller be not admonished to walk his horse, or to
"keep to the right," &c.
Emerging from St. Anthony, the undulating aspect of the country
ceases, and we enter upon an almost unbroken plain. A leading
characteristic of the scenery is the thin forests of oak, commonly
called oak openings. The soil appears to be rich.
Seven miles from St. Anthony is a tidy settlement called Manomin, near
the mouth of Rice river. But the first place of importance which we
reached is Anoka, a large and handsome village situated on Rum river.
It is twenty-five miles from St. Paul. The river is a large and
beautiful stream and affords good water-power, in the development of
which Anoka appears to thrive. A vast number of pine logs are annually
floated down the river and sawed into lumber at the Anoka mills. The
settlers are principally from Maine. By the treaty of 22d February,
1855, with three bands of the Chippewa Indians, an appropriation of
$5000 was set apart for the construction of a road from the mouth of
Rum river to Mille Lac. The road is half completed.
We took an early dinner at Itasca, having come thirty-two miles.
Itasca is quite an unassuming place, and not so pretty as its name.
But I shall always cherish a good-will for the spot, inasmuch as I got
a first-rate dinner there. It was all put upon the table before we sat
down, so that each one could help himself; and as it consisted of very
palatable edibles, each one did help himself quite liberally.
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