New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1854-08-01
SOUTH BEND. INDIANA.
Carsscodence Of The ~ Y. Tribune 49,.
SouTH Brsp Ia, Monday July 3, 1854.


probsb,y no section of our country surpasses North
sru Indiana in beauty, fertility heathfulness oil eli
mate and the general intelligence and thrtlness OF its
inhabitants. Throughout the whole extent of the
ytern tier of counties the traveller IL delighted win
the alienation Of timber lands, OAK openings and
n,ares interpreted with many crystal lakes of sur
aassjng beauty and drained by the Pawn Pigeon Elk
Kart St Joseph and other rivers Along the line of
that great artery Of trade and travel the Northern In
daIa Railroad, repose, in quiet loneliness, divers
thriving villages among which stand foremost South
Bend and Laporte. The former of these towns from
which now write, deserves more than passing no
flee; indeed its history written, book would be
formed Of very readable character.
The place where stood the first house built on the
present site Of South Bend was pointed out 20 me
by the man who built and occupied it, Alexis Coquil-
hard II was built think, in l'22 for the American
Fur Company, otherwise John Jacob Aston At that
time South Bend was an Indian trading post of first
magnitude and Mr. COquilard the agent for this and
several collateral posts. Here annually sold
large quantities OF broadcleths, beads, tOmahawks,
scapng. knives and rhisky which latter article, be II
known 10 all whom il may concern was the foundation
Of Mr. Astor's fortune aud ramied all parts OF the
magnificent superstructure. Every dollar OF that al
most unparalleled accumulation has inwrOught with II
curse which will sting and blight and blast till the
shades of a race ruined by ayarlce and wrong shall
have been appeased. The old trading house stood
upon the high bluff overlooking landscape of sur
passing beauty Below and to the right and left the
deep but rapid waters Of ST. Joseph muTmur it were
q perpetual Tequium of the departed braves whose
light canoe in primeyal days. bore free and careless
hearts over their crystal surface Beyond, the adj
jacent village OF Lowell nestes in dreamy quetude
skirted by gently sopng hills and groves which almost
realize the poets dream of Arcadia. As you repOse
hsessy upon the green sward, enjoying the delightful
view percLance the deep, mellow tones OF the bell OF
"Notre Dame du Lac" break in upon your revere
and make you dream Of heaven.
South Bend has something over 3OCO inhabitants
II is the seat Of Justice for ST. Joseph C0uny-has
five churches an academy and schOOhouses sutnclent
to accommodate all the children aud youth within It's
borders. There is an Odd Fellows Hall, Masonic
Hail. Temperance Hall, and very fine Hall often
used for Lectures Concerts, &c There is 10 place
within the Corporation alcoholic drinks are sold,
other than berr, except the shops 0i the druggists
new Court House is in course OF construction, which,
when completed, will cost over SiOOOO, and VIII sur
pssg in beauty and adaptation any other like structure
in the State The stone of which it is constructed
are brought by railroad from Chicago but where they
are quarred have not ascertaned. There are many
elegant private residences here's; the style OF building
ia exceedingly tasty and picturesque. Many oil ,ne
houses and business blocks are constructed Oh !eo"
brick la Milwaukee, which made here IN great
perfectness and abundance. Shade trees, as locust
maple elm sycamore and oak abound afOrding pre-
destination of beauty, and exemption from the nerce
Yave of the sun altogether pleasant TO contemplate
The lots are ample and generally well stocked with
fruit trees, sbrubbery and flowers. branch OF the
State Bank of Indiana is located here The Bank OF
South Bend, instituted under the general banking law
is also supposed to have local habatlon as well as
name here; but il partakes much of the character
of the will thewisp that the oldest nhabtant has
not been able to fix its status, and by many it is re-
garded as sort OF legal fiction. Possibly some east
ern specuatOr, instead of "a brick, carries the
specie speciales and chooses in action OF tins lnsttu-
ton in his hat The circulation however, being
secured stocks under the statute is probably worthy
Of confidence. The business OF the place is quite ex-
tensive. am told there are about forty business con-
Germs of different kinds, exclusive OF mechanical, all
doing fair business and of excellent credit and re-
sponsbility.
The water.power afforded by the St. Joseph River
at this point, is perhaps unequaled in the Western
States east of st. Anthony. The mechanical and man
ufacturing business carried on by its means 10
quite extensive and rapidly increasing There are two
Touring mills using nine OF stones three saw-ms
two wooden factories one foundery oil mill, three
turning factories, tannery one chair factory one
furniture factory, one forge and some other establish
ments of minor Observation-Disclosures using power
sufficient to about thirty run of mill.stones and
leaving at least nineteen twenteths of the water
employed.
On the east side of the river is the village of Lowell
10 which / have referred above. The village pos
sesses advantages for manufacturing, which, II i'm
proved would fully entitle il to the name which 1t
hears The prOpretors have at an expense of several
tbou,and dollars dug some half mile IN length,
sr rn,, led to sell mill sites and water priv
ieces Of most desirable cieracter, "hen we consl-
der that there can scarcely be question as to the p.y
ftableness OF almost any branch of mechanical or man
ufacturing industry which may be established here, "
is safe to predict that large portion OF this water
power will soon be appropriated, and that the popula
ton and wealth of these sister villages identical in in
tcrest will thereby be greatly and permanently
increased
About one mile from Lowell is the Catholic Uni.
versty of "N0tre Dame du Lac, an institution OF
present and rising importance. This together with
the Manual Labor School OF the " Brothers of ST. Jo-
seph" with which it is closely connected has body
of 60 acres OF excellent land, with the proper build
incs and usual appliances for teaching. The Rev r.
Sorin an accomplished French priest, is the Father
Superior" M -.
This glorious country looks now the thing it is-a
garden. A ride yesterday across Terre Coupee ena-
bled me to fully realize the productveness of prairie
soil Immense fields of golden wheat just ready for
the sickle alternate with prOdgious breadths of maize
and oats of growth of which had before heard but
had regarded as fabulous. From what | have seen
and can learn by inquiry, am satisfied that there
promise of such abundant harvest IN Northern III
diana as has never before been realized. All occupa
tons have their difficulties, and the farmer is by nc
means exempt. With fields grooming beneath the
cereal burden and high beyond parallel in the hstor!
Of the country our agricutursts find it difficult to oh
tain laborers 10 secure their crops Two dollars :
day am told, is the wages offered for harvest hands
with demand far beyond the supply The wheat har
vest has commenced. t.
TEMPERANCE IN kENTUCkY-LECTURE