Wisconsin herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1846-1849, 1846-02-14
For the Wisconsin Herald.
The Chippewa Country.

ne GMIPPcWa OOuHtIys
Mn. EDlroR IL noticed in the las. weeks
Herald. an article in regard to the country
North Of the Wisconsin,. As this seems to be
a subject open TO remark, and as have some
little knowledge of small portion Of the
country in question, derived from various ex
cursions therein made during residence of
something over year at the falls of Chippe.
wa, embrace the privilege Of Offering briefly
my views thereon.
The only pain that | am aware ever resulted
to me from this source, was received n wading
through its swamps, and in breaking. crawling
or tearing. in the best way possibly could.
through it's almos; impenesrable forests of
quaking asp. And the only amusement, has
been received from Witnessing the strenuous
efforts of a few, in endeavoring to convince
the public ,ha. it 10 rather the bes, country in
the world. If the people Of Prairie du Chen
are DESTROYS of getting road from that place
to La Poinie, to assist in increasing the bust.
ness of their town i. is all very well. since
il is thing perfectly natural. And if they
wish to bridge Lake Superior and extend it on
to the North pole. have no objection, but l
certainly cannot see the necessity Of SO often
asserting that it will run through the fairess
portion of Wisconsin. and partic ularly through
the future seat Of Government Of the State
that is to be. waiting only the very short Pc
Rod of time until that seat of Government is
located at the falls Of Chippewa, thing just
about as probable as the other is correct
That one portion OF this much talked of couh-
try is valuable for it's mineral, and another for
it's timber. there can be no doubt, but that il is
we'll adapted to agriculture. and destined soon
to contain majority of the population of the
Territory. would not believe even though it
were asserted by all Prairie da Chen. with
the strongest kind of backing. Between the
Mississippi and Kickapoo, and nearly as far
north as the head waters Of The las. mentioned
river, the country is too broken and on the
Chippewa the soil is. Of too ligh. nature to
be well adapted to farming purposes. Aside
from the quality of the soil and swamps, which
cover very respectable portion of the Chip.
pewa country, there were fros.s every month
in the year of my residence at the falls, which,
unless change has taken place in the seasons
since that time for the better. would make corn
and potatoes very uncertain crop at tina. place,
however well these articles may be raised a,
Prairie du Chen.
But since Mr.. Bronson has chosen 10 locate
the seat of Government a, the Chippewa falls.
and has also made This point the head of s,eam
boat navigation. it will be an easy matter TO
ship all kinds Of produce necessary for the
Of their place. in case Of fail.
ure Of the crops. For my par. am aw are Of
bu, two kinds of navigable streams, those
which are navigabe in fact, and those made
by law. The FIRST kind is the only
one wherein the navigation is Of much advsn,.
age TO any party, and this stream unfortunately
does not belong TO that class. The facts in
The case are, our future seat Of Government lie
JUS, about as much the head Of navigation on
he Chippewa river as Barber's mill is on
Grant river. Almost every year, during the
spring freshes, a steamboat might run mp 10
The falls, provided the curren: was not 80 strong
IS to prevent her from performing the trip be.
fore The water fell. and the res. of the season
,anoes of light draf: might go up and down
with safety.
ORAN F. SPENCER.