The Ohio union. [volume] (Ashland, Ohio) 1849-1854, 1854-05-17
Correspondence Of the Ohio Union.
LETTER FROM MINNESOTA.
ST. PAUL, Minnesota,
Monday, May LIST, 1854.

Monday, May Isl, 1894.
EDITOR ONO UNION 81 write to you
from that point which, in Ohio, yon would
suppose was not far from where the Sun
sets; from Saint Paul, capital of The ter
rilory Of Minnesota, and n among the
gre Attest cities OF the West. Ills abou, the
size of Mansfield. As you, or some ofthe
good people in that part Of the world, may
some day emigrate 10 this "neck ofwoods,"
it might be Of some utility TO you 10 know
a little of the route, and The appearance o.
things in general.
A person starting from the interior of
Ohio, should take the Norwalk and San
husky Rail Road and go TO Monroville,
thence on the Cleveland and Toledo Rail
Road TO Toledo. We arrive in Toledo
about eight o'clock at night, and cross the
bay on a ferry boat. The city presents a
splendid appearance at night, as we glide
over the bay and behold the myriad of
lights that line the shore and glisten upon
The surface of the water. The distance
between Toledo and South Bend we pass
over in the night. The country irom
South Bend 10 La Port, looks very much
like 1t does around home. From Calamut
to within a few miles of Chicago, we see
nothing but small pine trees, sand AMI MI.
merous ponds, with any quantity of wild
ducks upon them. Once and a while, we
get a glimpse of Lake Michigan, stretching
far away in the dim distance almost like
an ocean. The fare from Mansfield to
Chicago is ss,75. At Chicago we take the
road 10 Rock Island. The handsomesl
country borders upon the road, that ] have
seen anywhere. In some places, immense
p%rairies spread on, on either hand; in 9th
ers, we ride close beside large rocks that
are piled up fifty, sixty or seventy feet high:
a canal, winding for a great distance beside
The Rail Road, makes it still more beauli'
fol. Near La Selle, a man pointsd out tc
me a large high rock, standing aho~
one fourth Of Il mile from The road, callet
" Starved Rock" The tradition is, tina
at the time OF the first settlement OF ihi
part of the country, a party of whites upoT
this rock were surrounded by Indians, an,
starved 10 death. Ii really looks like
monument raised up in grandeur there, /,
commemorate some event Of those tryin,
times; and it is a fit memento of those VIII
persisted upon its sterile summit. Gene
seeo is very pretty place upon this road
situated in the midst of an immense prai
rie, as beautiful a country and place as on
could wish 10 live or die in. A few mile
from here | saw a couple of deer MAXIM
tracks with all possible speed, away from
the Iron Horse. Arrive in Rock Island, stu
aled upon the bank Of the Mississippi river
about 6 o'clock. Had not time TO 90 ovel
10 Davenport, as the boat left soon afle
we got TO Rock Island. The boat was tn,
Col. Morgan, excellent accommodations
Had the third chance o~fchoosing the soft
est plank in the floor 10 sleep on; hot too
as Erebus, for we were right over the boil
ers, and company in the same room (th,
cabin. drinking, smoking and playing card
all night, and then very little 10 eat wheI
daylight came. Al Gilena we have bel
Ter Accommodations. There is a line Q
first class steamboats, running from thi
place TO Saint Paul. BY the way, it ma,
be as we'll TO state for the information Q
! those who have never travelled this direc
} lion, that they will save time, money an
a great deal Of temper, by taking fror
} Chicago, the Chicago and Galena Ra
Road, instead Of the Chicago and Roc
Island road. | was advised by oil lh;
asked, TO go by way Of Rock Island, bl
| find it was by persons tina, were in som
way interested in taking all the travel til;
: way. The only objection TO the Caller
route, Is % miles staging. But it is ce
= tainly far preferable 10 paying twice
much and riding on the "one horse" boa
that ply on the shallow waters betwes
Rock Island aad Galena. Had a vel
, pleasant trip from Galena 10 Saint Par
o There are towns ~springing up all along d
river, and some are quite large and apps
ID emily lourishing places. In n plaC
N about 100 miles from Saint Paul, the riy
$ is very wide, resembling a lake, and
IN called Lake Pepin. Upon the shore
n, this lake is Maiden Rock" nearly 1
feet high, from the top Of which an Indi
maiden is said TO have thrown herself
ell avoid marrying q chief, that she did
a love. Arrived in Saint Paul on Tuesd
morning. will give you a descripti
Of matters and things here at some fut,
nd lime. remain yours in the
FAR WEST.