Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1854-05-29
Frosn Muscoda to Ricl.land city.

heller shelter transits. We can there
fore justify ourself by setting up in bar
the plea, that editors like men and wo-
men, may bore everybody just as much
as they have mind to about their dear
themselves.
On bright morning in the early days
of May, we intended to leave Muscoda
with Col. DrMecK, and 60 to Richland
City-across the Wisconsin and nine
miles above. Hardly a drop of rain had
fallen for three months we have never
known such parched time in Wiseon-
sin. At nine o'clock, the skies became
suddenly dark and dropsied, a
muttering rumpus was echoed from down
towards Prairie du Chen, and we be-
lieve every soul big enough dip its an
gel wings in celestial molasses, begun to
pray for the doors Of Heaven to open.--
We saw that all wanted us to get soa-
king. Moons wished so sentimentalIy
Jim is always sentimental in dry wea-
ther. Well, it didn't rain though, SO we
started and got to the Wisconsin river,
opposite Richland City, (why it is ca
ty, we don't know The wind was
sweeping, and to cross seemed out Of the
question. At the lower ferry, WAL
LACE proprietor, raft of the boys came
over with boat and took us across
for the fun of the thing, not the pay, for
how could half dollar pay six men for
two hours work? The Wisconsin is the
swiftest stream we ever saw RATS make
far better Roadway down than steam
boats do upwards. Ferry-boats pass a
long ways down while crossing, and
have to be polled up half mile or SO to
the landing always. All the Wisconsin
river ferries have this difficulty TO en-
counter. Arrived over and put up al
the only tavern in The city. One is bull
ding however, on large scale, and will
be open in the fall.
The land upon which Richland City
is situated, was wild common FIVE
years ago, when it was entered by Mr..
WALLACE, and some time passed by be-
fore the site was laid off into lots
There are several stores now, steam
saw-mill, warehouses, various shops,
doctors and other machinery. but no law
yer, Justice of the Peace or liqusr shop.
They say they have no difficulty in ell
forcing the Maine Law or any other law.
Indeed there is not a liquor saloon in
Richland County, the population being
over 1000; and hence, all the law bu-
siness of the late circuit court was dis
posed Of in about two hours. If the in
tluence be not legitimate, the fault is moi
ours, for it always happens so that law
ing and qnarrelling are multiplied or d.
minished in proportion to the amount Of
liquor consumed. The persons compo-
sing the opposition always can be CUES
sed at as exactly as the friends of pro-
hibition so it is matter Of the many
against The few, the latter being gener-
ally successful as the case is in most ci-
vilized communities.
Richland City has a population of a.
bout 500 we should think, and about 100
dwellings and business houses, nearly
half of which have been erected this
spring, and most OF them of higher
cost and finish than is common in bran
new village. Therei is an exhaustless sup
ply of tim Der near at hand, --some of the
largest trees we ever saw were 10 the
flat below the village.
We left next day for Muscoda by the
river route as it is called, intending to
cross at Richmond some eigh. miles be-
low. BY some unaccountable mistake,
the Col, who was foreman of the crowd.
took the slough road that is, road
having succession of deep sloughs eros
sing 1t at right angles. There ought to
be a guide beard at each end of that
slough road, warning every body of the
dangers ahead, and as we subsequently
found, also in the rear. As we pro-
crossed these mud channels increased in
number and depth, so we had TO turn
back and recross all we had gone over.
1t was miserable time that, and had we
had any other than hired horse, and a
frst rate one at that, we'd a turned
round long before we did. At the Citv
sSe got new directions then got on =
good enough road, and after travelling a
mile or so, came TO the base of a hill
near the top Of which is a hole made at
immense outlay Of time under the diree-
non OF clairvoyant, who pretended to
: have discovered hidden treasure there
The work was done some three wears a.
SO, and many believed al the time. the
real object was the manufacture az so-
gus money. The operators were how
ever the victims of Gel,,sin~ eS tba-