The weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1852-1858, 1855-12-15
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MoR1Az, November 26, 1856


a@- MoR1AH, November 26, 1856.
DEAR MINNEsoTIAN:---The scene hat
changed to an open two-horss, two-seatet
buggy, rattling.over hubs Oh which the sur
has refused to shins, Ind awakening many .
sharp idea in the head during the three hours
Of nine mile ride I'd ss a.s
HopKINToN. IS
This town had its name from the Original
settler, Roswell Hopkins, who, with a COM
pany of hale young men, about 40 years age
penetrated the dense wilderness and felled
the first tree of that mighty forest. Among
those was an uncle Of mine who had chosen
for his patriinohy, two years Of his minority;
and with the true steel of the axe, and in.
domitable perseverance for d capital, he here
laid the foundation of an immense fortune
which his children inherit and enjoy, An
acre of land was the reward of days labor,
and thus was acre added to acre and farm to
farm, and in process Of time, as the forest
disappeared and fine farms appeared instead,
and villages sprung into existence and men
of wealth arisen, he had become the veal
thiest of all-the result of industry and en-
ergy. ' -
look with astonishment upon tokens Of
the immense labor expended upon this regi-
on of country. Stumps are remaining which
will require yet another generation to re-
move. Attached to the same farm perhaps,
is beautiful dwelling furnished with all the
taste and elegance of a city home. am told
that the cost of wild land is from eight to
ten dollars per acre, and that the expense Of
the first clearing is as much more. A lot of
cleared land which we were riding past was
pointed at from the last stump had been re-
moved, with the remark that it had already
cost SIC per acre, and it would require at
least $40 more to bring it into any thing like
tillable state. "Why not, then,'' said I,
''leave this for that which is already tillable
at the Government price, ten shillings per
acre ?" 'That is not so easy a natter" re-
piled my friend. GA farm Of three or, four
hundred acres is not easily disposed Of here,
without sacrifice, and we must submit to
hard digging though there be stone enough
on the farm to fence it off into ten acre lots"
Many and many are wishing they could dis
pose of their property that they may 60
West, and everywhere there are the most
favorable impressions in regard to glorious
Minnesota. ..s. ..--..
One among the many pleasant incidents
during my visit in this county has been meet
ing gentleman at the house of a relative,
where he too was one, who, for the last 10
years roamed over the vast prairies of the
Indian Territory; crossed and recrossed the
Rocky Mountains, has been the friend and
frequent travelling companion of the celebra-
ted Kit Carson, and tells more incidents OF
wild Western life than I have ever heard be-
fore. The most wonderful tale that he re-
lates of his own endurance is: having been
forsaken by his mule, which conveyed away
I'LL Ills OutuG, uc WdlhCu wv AiA~S AAA A1AA~S
days, and without food. He says he could
not have held out an hour longer when he
arrived in sight of Fort Laramie. This l
think is almost, if not wholly without par
allel. He is conversant with several of the
Indian tongues, the Sioux among others; and
as such an event as two persons to meet from
so remote region-and the extremes of the
Sioux country, was not of frequent occur
renee, in memory of which an unnamed child,
at our suggestion, took the name of "Wino-
na"
But adieu to st. Lawrence, its kind friends
and pleasant scenes, henceforth to form
sunny nook in memory. Now again are we
pleasantly ensconced with "The Old Folks
at Home;" where, like Gagged bird, we ex-
pect to sing away the snow-clad months OF
Winter, awaiting the return of Spring, when
we will unfold the wing, and fly away to
Minnesota. Adieu for the present:
FLoRILLA FLEETWOOD.