Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1854-03-04
Prom the GOrnavillo Herald.
VALLEY OF TIE ST. PETERS.

AOu huNt lItQutully uohtu me 10 give you II ueS-
cription of the Valley of the St. Peters River; but
never could find favorable opportunity until the
present.
The Valley Of the st. Peters, with that of its
tributaries, is an extensive one, and is the only
portion of Minnesota with but few exceptions that
is good for anything at all. The St. Peters rises
among those innumcrable lakes and marshes which
skirt along the base of the highlands that diyi lo
the waters which flow south and west into the
Missouri, from those which flow south and east in
to the Mississippi 1t runs in southeasterly di-
recton through two parallels of latitude then east
when it receives the Blue Earth Riyer--whch
seems to push in north and easterly direction
until il gently empties itself into the Mississippi
about six miles below the Falls Of st. Anthony
more crooked river there is not on the face of
the globes there is not eighty rods of straight riy-
er, do not believe, from its mouth to its source.
As you ascend the river there is a succession Of
small lakes for miles some of them very beautiful
ON each side of the river separated from the riy
cr by ridge of land above high water wark, with
here and there channel cut thro' it, by which
these lakes are constantly fed by the river Be-
yond these lakes the land comes gently sloping
down to the waters edge, presenting to the eye
some Of the finest scenery ever beheld. In many
places along the river the slope to the waters edge
is so gradual that from the deck of the steamer you
can see into the country from five TO ten miles.
The river is navigable about oncthird of the
season for Boats Of the larger class and would be
nayigable the whole season but for two Obstruc-
uons: q sandbar at the mouth, and the Rapids,
about twenty-five miles above; and it seems to me
that a little money judicously expended would
soon remove these. Iowa. Wisconsin Illinois and
Missouri are deeply interested in their removal,
aud 1T is to be hoped that the Representatives from
these States will aid and assist the efforts now ma
king by Mr.. Rice, the energetic and talented Dele
gate from Minnesota, to procure money for that
purpose.
After travelling over different portions Of Min
nesota and entering the Valley Of the st. Peters,
the whole face Of nature seems changed; from the
barren, sterile sand praires, with their ten thous
and naked gravel hills, you enter Immediately up
ON beautiful rolling praties with rich soil, cover
cd over with luXurant growth Of grass and yege-
taton; and from the short, scrubby burr oak, you
behold the tall, lofty oak, ASH black walnut sugar
maple, and elm. No where in the western world
has nature pnrceled out timber and prairie in such
equal proportions it has done in this beautiful
valley, and that too without stint for il extends
for hundreds of miles into the interior. Some of
these praircs are only about five or six miles in
circumference, and are then cut of by q body of
heavy timber, two or three miles wide, then anot
er prniric and so in succession If nature had
been laying off School Districts have seen ma
ny prairics III the Western States which thought
beautiful and grand, but somehow these prairics
had charm, az enchnnmcnt about them over all
have ever seen.
The country was, when visited it a few months
ago, still in the possession Of the Sioux Indians
hhu hhoit SCI Ol beings YOU cOulQ not
well imagine. ! saw ut time some three or
four hundred OF them in one body, and did not
see lne looking man or woman among them. II
observed to one Of my fellow passengers, who was
an old trader, "What q miserable looking set of
beings they are" YES" he replied "they look
bad now; but If you could see them in the fall
when they are tdt you would change your opinion"
observed also that there was marked difference
in these Indians the further you get away from the
Forts; those around the Fort had sore eyes, sick
ly look and limping gait, and l also observed
among some of the younger ones a strong resem-
Dlance to the Anglo-SaxOn race; while away from
the Fort they looked better, and were better in ev
cry respect. This difference is the result Of ciyili
zaon, and is attributed 10 the care and protection
afforded them by the republican institutions of
America, iee my country Tire Republic! Tire
America long may you extend YOUR protecting
hand over the wild Indian of the forestl It seems
as II had got tired of ciyilizng the In
dams by teaching them Geography and English
Grammar, and adopted the surer process of Anal |
gamation. Three cheers for Uncle Sam! Where
is Mrs Stowe! The onion says General Pierce,
VIII break up the present system in regard to the |
Indians. No you don't Mr.. Perce-I am keen to
bet my knife, you don't! You ought to see an In
dian School in full operation, under an agent from
the President, and hear the little yellow fellows
conjugate verb, through all its different moods
ana lenses Great Caesar! what schoolmaster
our Government is
You have often heard that Minnesota was poor
country; but this is only true with regard to that
portion east OF the Mississippi river, for if you take
the country from the northern boundary of Iowa
west to the Missouri, and north to the tributaries
and sources of the Red River of the North, thence
east to the Mississippi and down it to the starting
point you have then scope Of country large
enough TO make of itself one of the largest States
IN the Union, and not equaled by any one in agri-
cultural resources In a few years the Valley of
the 1t. Peters will TEEN with heavy population.-I
The Green Mountain Boy is already there. Mas
sachusctts already has her colony along the skirts
OF that Big Timber" Towns and Villages are
already sprlnging up along the banks of the ST
Peters, long before the Indian had time to take up
his blanket and walk The question is already
asked by the settlers, Where is 10 be our "BiS
TOWN. aud it seems TO me there is but one an.
swer' at IrGrers des Siolr, which is pleasantly stu
a'ed on the lett bank Of the river, surrounded by
one OF the hnest farming countries in the world.
lts proprietor is Mr.. Thompson, gentleman in
every respect, and Il lberality will build town,
he knows how 10 do it.
This town is already in the very heart of the
Valley, and already the Red River trains come
here for supplies, which will give il an immense
trade. Gaena knows all these advantages. and
has an eye on this valley; she will make bold at
tempt 10 tap its trade, and believe her enterprise
VIII do It. Milwaukee is pushing railroad TO
Prairie Du Chen; once there she might comnete
with ualena; but Prairie Du CHEN seems to be the
extent OF her ambition; she don't seem To under-
stand the Geography of the country any further :
while Dubuque--''alasl poor Yorick l"-has hung
herself ON "Ram's Horn" and died without a !
struggle, amid n tempest Of wind and gas
An excellent wagon road could now be got via. '
Decorah 70 Irarers des Siour, and could be travel
ID from McGrogors Landing or Elkador in three
lays, and what great advantage would this be r
''en nov to the counties Of Clayton, Allamakee I