The Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. Territory) 1849-1855, 1854-01-05

othe Editor attic P.oncr.-Dear Sir: I notice
in the Pioneer Of December Slh, an article the
roads of Minnesota, in which you speak of road,
from the OF the Red Cedar near Iowa line, to
st. Paul. Now it is probably known to hut few of
your readers, that such road, for two Thirds Of it's
length would pass through Of The finest ag,cuI-
. tur.l regions in Minnesota, vet such is fact
Place your pencil on Iowa line, due south of MIMI
sofa, and draw line north to the Cannon; and YOU
will trail the of the Owotanna called BY the
Dokaias the Strait river, from TIE fact, that unlike
mos, streams in oar Territory, lis general course
from lis source 10 its junction with the Cannon, is
trait. The valley Of this stream, the O-wo-in. nj,
forms natural channel for road from the head Of
the Red Cedar, Turkey, Iowa, or Root rivers. To
Mr.. Farribauts trading post, near its junction with
the Cannon and from FarribauIis to ST. Paul. there
is already good road, with the exception Of
two, marshy places, that little expense would Gx,
as make this, one of the best roads in Mime
sofa. Mr.. Far.ibaut informs me, that there is no
difficulty in driving from his place, direct to Fort
Atkinson, the Turkey river; and as far south as
have been, mp the O. tan-na, which is So or 40
miles, found il very good road only two or three
sloughs, needing bridging. That such = stream as
the O-wo-an-na, should escape the notice of expor-
ers is really strange; for is larger than the YER
million, and fifty miles in length; vet, there
is not scratch even on our maps, denotilg lis
whereabouts. Opposite its mouth the north side of
the Cannon, the Big Woods extending through to
the Minnesota river; and branch Of the same woods,
turning south, extending up the Owo-an-na, on the
east side, nearly quite to the Iowa line. This strip
Of timber. is from five miles wide, and is made
up of maple, ash elm, Eastwood, hickory, butternu,
and poplar. The stream is rapid, aiiordins abun :
dance of water powers, and the nnmeroGs chrysta
brooks, pouring their waters into il from the tnbe
on the cist, and the prairie on the west, make il
one Of the best watered portions Of Minnesota
Here is large tract Of country, with an abundance
OF wafer, timber and prairie; the three principal
things that the EN- grant is in search of and which
rarely found together; and all three are Of the
very best quality. Let road be staked out up this
stream, and through Fort Atkinson, or some point
easy OF access from Dubuque or Galena, and those
emisrants, who would be deferred from coming 10
Minnesota, with their stock and farming utensils
by steamboat, would rapidly I'll up the valley of the
Owo-tan-na. and the whole OF that best part Of our
Territory, Stretching across southern Minnesota
from the great bend Of the Minnesota river; east, TO
the Mississippi.
The best interests &C Territory require that
we should have at once good Wagon road from
St. Paul to some point in Iowa, leading the Mis-
ppi; and if the route have pointed on, is not
the BEST let point ont better, at all events
let us If possible have the road. Yours Sc.
St. Paul Dec, 9th 1853.