Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1854-04-24
Prairie du CHEN.

.--.~. prairie 0u C1ezeH.
Ii is not worth while now TO compil
for our readers, history Of this vener
able old habitation of Indians and French
When the star of her destiny become
fixed and bright, like the jewel in Dull
cinea's crown, then we may write Q
some worthier hand may engage IN tn
pleasing task. 1t is the practical ant
matter-of-fact appurtenance of Prairie
du Chen that we intend TO render ar
account of; these are the days of facts
and realities, having little regard for, and
possessing less connection with the past.
We know there still exists hankerlng
generation for what is antiquated, but
with the masses of people, the flu
ture absorbs the past, and aims to cover
it up in the abyss of forgetfulness. =
There is plenty of Anticipated material
around this ancient village to satisfy the
student, and we believe there is enough
to attract more than ordinary attention.
from the business man, who loves the
world for what it is worth in dollars ard
cents. With the view to inform the
more practical portion of people, we
leave the cob-webery of history and an
tiquity,-adding few genurai remarks
however, for the information of the Gu
rious reader, who has never enjoyed a
visit TO the place:
There are hundreds of relics of abort
ginal and old French structure, remain
ing as monumental histories~of departed
things. Add to these the numberless
transpirings of nearly two centuries,t that
have been handed down by father and
mother TO son and daughter; even the
titles to large proportion of the lands
were determined upon Evolutionary tes-
timony in 1926, about the time the
Territorial laws of the United States o.
yershadowed the country; also, the
mounds, ancient houses, and burial
grounds, the very far from modern APP
pearance of most of the inhabitants, and
their language; the costly piles Of mill
tary works, to guard the boundary be-
tween savage customs and civilized
laws; there is the Generals House."
resembling modern farm mansion, in
which General Zachary TAYLOR, late
President of the u. S., lived and storm
ed, made laws and punished the viola
tors of thera.--liise Sny hero; the noble
ancestry Of some Of the families, fast
dying out of remembrance or only known
through tradition of several generations.
A fine volume Of romance, with an over
usual proportion Of reality, might be
written of this renowned spot, and e.
nough of the inventory be left to make
library Of books curious to the anti
quarian. Perhaps nowhere in all the
West is SO prolific of material for the
writer of romance and history all these
materials will be in request some day,
and full accounts of them should be writ
ten out and fled for reference.
.-- SITUATION. 4.s ss
Prairie du Chen is situated on beau
-tiful alluvial prairie, on the east side of
the Mississippi, near its confluence with
Wisconsin river. The southern and
broadest part Of the prairie is rolling,
and attains an elevation of about 40 feet
above low water. This natural meadow
extending many miles up the river,
grows narrower above, and the surface
evener. The descentof the river at this
point, is estimated TO be two feet per
mile, which is very rapid. The water
along the landing is deep; the natural
harbors for steamboats, are spacious and
safe. We never saw finer landing for
boats and lumber RATS. The east and
rear boundary of the prairie is bold
front of caIcareous sand rock. averaging
about 200 feet in height. These bluffs
are cut transversly by deep ravines,
which give them the appearance of a
chain of mounds. The valleys between
lead TO the highlands, and serve for roads
TO very good farm lands in the back
country.
COMMERCIAL POSITIONS
From every consideration upon which
20 found reasonable conclusion, Prai-
RE du CHEN is the natural distributing
point, or grand reservoir, into which
will pass, and from which will emerge
most Of the commerce of the northwest
including also, the travel, mails and 9th
er forwardablesmaiter: it must ultimate
ly be the principle Upper Mississippi
stftion for receiving and forwarding tht
living and material products of God AM
man seeking conveyance eastward, south
ward or northward. The demands 0
convenience have already made Prairi,
du Chen the poin. from which twent,
or thirty mail routes dlverge; and Their,
can be no surer indication that the natu
raj claims of commerce will eventual,
make II s like station where To receiv,
and whence to forward the products be
longing 10 the immense upper country
We know that artificial works can max.
station above, for temporary rival
t~..A