Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1854-10-26
For the Green Mountain Freeman.

= bauSer otase, Will give yon rev iOehis
concerning its locality, business transactions,
&c. First, however, will speak Of its early
history. More than one hundred years ago, the
French fur traders had established trading
post on the west side OF the Wisconsin River,
opposite this city. This old post is still owned
and occupied IVY the Indians and half-breeds-
French and Ipdins-tho Indians refusing to
surrender their claim, at any price, to several
hundred acres adjoining their old homestead.
There are few very aged persons (half-breeds)
living at this ancient station. One old man,
whose activity would indicate that he was only
20 or Is years of age, is known to DO ll6 years
old. There is also an old woman that is said
to be some older than the man.
About thirty years ago, Fort Winnebago was
built on the east bank of the Neehah or Fox
river, nearly two miles west of the site of this
city The Fortis beautifully located on bluff
which rises twenty-five or thirty feet above the
river. You are aware that the Wisconsin is the
river of this State. Taking its rise far to the
north, in the COPPER regions near Lake Superior,
it runs nearly south till within about twenty
five miles of this place, when it bears to the
east, and sweeping around ridge of highlands
called the Barraboo bluffs, turns again in
south-westery direction, and empties into the
s. Father Of Waters one hundred and twenty
miles from this place. The Fox River rises
about thirty miles east of here, and after run
ming nearly west until within one and half
miles of the Wisconsin, it turns and takes
north-westerly direction, and discharges itself
into Green Bay.
The Wisconsin is u large, dirty-colorcd, tar-
bulent stream The Fox is comparatively SMALL
deep and sluggish but its water is as clear as
a crystal These rivers make their nearest ap-
preach to each other on the south side of this
town. The land between them is quite low,
though it can hardly be called a marsh. When
the Wisconsin raises to its highest point, it flows
over this neck of land into the Fox. In low
water the Wise onsin is four feet higher than the
Fox A canal, just at the foot Of the bluffs, on
which this place is principally built, large
enough to admit of the passage of small-szcd
steamers, connects these two rivers. This canal
was built by the State, though the lands which
were sold to pay for building it were first coded
to the State by the General Government, for this
special purpose. By dredging the Fox river it
will be navig.blo for steamers, indeed it is nav
igablc now, for they occasionally find their way
up tho Fox, pass through the canal, and down
the Wisconsin to the Mississippi. The Wiscon-
sin is navigable except in very low water; bars
of quicksand constitute the only distractions.
LAUNDERING is the principal business on both
streams. Millions of feet are taken up the Fox,
through the canal, and down to Dubuque, Ga
lena and St. Louis, There are moro than
thousand men engaged in the Laundering bust
ness on the Wisconsin.
Formerly tho business OF the place was done
at the Fort, but now nearly all the business is
done on the north side of the canal, near its
west end The town is built on u sandy bluff,
north of the canal which rises from twenty-five
to forty feet above the water There are three
daily stages connecting this place with Madison,
which is forty miles south of here Then we
have stages running between this place and Fon
du Lac, on the cast Packwaukee and the Fox
river country on the northeast; Stevens Point
and the Pine Region on the north; La Cross and
the new settlements between here and Mime
sofa on the northwest; Baraboo, Reedsburg
and other places on the west. The Milwaukee
and La Cross Railroad is located through this
place. A portion of the road is already finished
and on other portions the work is progressing,
oven in these hard times for Railroads. Anoth-
er Railroad is to connect us with Madison, and
in a few years the Iron Horse will be found
putting far up tho Wisconsin river, even to the
mining country. Portage has population of
from 1900 to 1000, and there is probably no
town in the Union of its size that exceeds or
even equals it in the amount of mercantile bus-
mess. 1t is what a hoosier would call a D." right
smart town." Its growth has been rapid for
it is not three years since the Indian title was
extinguishcd. One year since Fort Winnebago
and seven sections of land adjoining, were sold
to the highest bidder. In few years the Fort
will be a mass Of ruins. Most of the distin-
guished American Generals have "done duty'
at this place. Among them were Taylor, Scott
and Worth. The remnants of the once power
full tribes Mcnowanees and Winnebagoes, still
linger about here. Three times have the Gen
eral Government removed them beyond the
Mississippi, where they encountered the opposi-
ton of the warlke Souxs, and as often have
most Of them wandered back, like beggars. to
their old hunting grounds, sad specimens of q
! disheartened and spirit-broken race Many of
the aborigines may be seen in our streets every
day, and among them are some noble specimens
of the human race, but they feel that their
doom is sealed. They live without hope. All
honor, say, to Gen. Houston, for defending
the rights of tho red man in the U. S. Senate.
suppose that everybody in the eastern States
is expecting that thisState will turn up Re.
publican" at the November election. Every
body here will be disappointed if it does not
In the first Congressional District, the Repub-
licans have nominated Judge Wyman Spooner,
who formerly published paper in Royalton,
and aftorward in Chelsea, Vt. Judge s. is
State Rights man, and was formerly Free
Democrat
In the second District, G. G. Washburn, Esq,
is the Republican candidate. MIR. W., was
formally a Wing, but entered the new Anti
Slavery organization in this State, with a hearty
good will he has two brothers in the present
Congress, one from Maine, and one from lii
nois In the third District. Hon. Charles Bill
linghurst, Editor of &C Jeae0u Burr Oak is
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