Minnesota weekly times. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1854-1859, 1855-09-18

ain 1uu'iIlS llAS cPlSue' Hy-uO'
Nor is this legend of the Spirit Bear the only
one that invests Lake .Matoka with peculiar
interest. have heard it told, that several gen.
erations ago, before, perhaps, old grizzly"
took up his quarters here, the Indians discover
ed on or near this Lake, in the winter time, the
first ,cild horses or horses of any kind, they had
erer beheld 1t was small drove that had
strayed off probably from the great herds to the
south, the descendants of those that escaped from
the Spaniards after the discovery of America
They We're probably wintering in the woods
Vermillion, as they could find there plenty of
subsistence in an abundance of rushes in the
bottoms, besides cropping the brush. Be this as
it may, about this Lake they found them; and
esteeming them dangerous as well as strange
animals, they drove them on TO the ice of the
Lake, surrounded, and killed them aN-and
may be eat them too, though on that point the
story is silent. This inference is, however,
cattle the Indians possess are their dogs (Shoon
kah y and as they call horses merely big dogs
(shoonk-tan-kah) why it is more than likely
they made meat also ofthese wild "big dogs"
l should MT wonder if it was Immediately after
this wholesale slaughter of the noble horse,
that /" old grizzly" came about in revenge for
the Dakotas killing those valuable beasts which
Providence designed them to keep and use and
not destroy.
In regard to- HASTINGS itself, can only say,
thst since last Fall, after this time, when it first
took its start, it has fairly "pitched ahead" with
a rapidity and "vim" which can liken to moth
ing within my experience, save St. Paul itself
in the spring and summer Of 1S49. Notwith-
standing all that has gone up in the building
way this season thus far, we expect nearly fifty
more houses to be erected before winter sets in.
Besides the one store and warehouse Hastings
contained at the opening of navigation, we
have two more warehouses, built of stone, three
stories high, fronting the levee on the river,
with stores attached, both of the first Glass;
Besides these are five other stores for the sale
of general merchandise; one extensive stove,
tin, and hardware concern, cabinet ware and
furniture factory three hotels, shoe shop and so
forth. -Four of our mercantile concerns are
heavy for so young place, employing not less
than $4,000 capital each. So great is the in
hux of trade coming and to come from the Cam
non River country, that do not suppose all
our mercantile houses will be able to supply the
demand there will be for goods between now
and next spring. Graham's grist mill, at Yer
million Falls, adjoining Hastings. is loaded
down with grain for grinding-it being the
main reliance not only of our own immediate
farmers, but those on Cannon river also. In
deed, l would not give one per cent. premium
TO be insured that in three years from this,
Hastings will be as large town as St.
Anthony is at the present time.
Blythe way, commissioners have just returned
from locating new road direct from Hastings
to Cannon Falls, at which point it intersects the
ST. Paul and Dubuque Mail Route. This will
shorten the route from your city to Dubuque
next winter, many miles, and changes it to
less bleak and more pleasant route, avoiding
all that high prairie on which the stage had
each time to break the road through the snow
placing it instead on a well travelled line, much
of it through timber and all thickly settled
The new route will be from St. Paul by Red
Rock and Atkinson's to Hastings 20 miles, and
there crossing to the west side of the Missis-
sippi, continue on by way of Vermillion Falls
to Cannon Falls, less than L miles further-or
81 miles at the outside figure from St Paul to
Cannon Falls. Southeast just beyond the lat
ter place, l understand another change will be
made in the route by which good ten miles will
be saved.
Politics are beginning to excite little more
attention in this ncighborhood, than a while
back-though the people are even yet too quiz
escent for full turn out or a vigorous cam
paign. The Republicans of Dakota made
their nominations OH the lst inst; these you
have doubtless published. w. II. Harrison
Graham, the nominee for Council, is the owner
a brilliant man is noted for his clear head and
excellent judgment. He formerly belonged to
the old Whig party. He will make a sound
Councillor, if elected, as the signs are fair for
his being, DIR. c. p Adams, the this end cam
didate for Representative, is young man Of
fine personal appearance, originally from Pen
sylvania, but last from Indiana, where he hail
cd as a member of the old Democratic party.
He is gentleman of some considerable abili-
ty, and fair speaker. The upper end candi-
date for Representative. o. c. Gibbs, is under
stood to be very popular citizen, Of Kaposia
precinct, abundantly competent for the post, He
is brother of Squire Gibbs, Of your pace
The pro-Slavery Democracy of this county tried
to make their nominations also on the lst, but
they had row and adjourned over for fort
night. Henry G. Bailly, a French mixed
blood Sioux, will be their candidate for Council
at least the traps are all set for his nomina-
ton; while David Barker or James C. Dow
will be the candidate for Representative from
this neighborhood. o. T. Hays was sick for a
month back, so they ignored his existence and
cut his name out Of their arrangements. He
iS alive and EicEipg pow hou-ovor ord 10