Minnesota weekly times. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1854-1859, 1856-03-29
Correspondence Of the Times.

Correspondence the Times.
nv DEAR TIMEs.-lt may not be unin-
teresting to some Of your readers in other parts
Of the Territory to see some winter penc:ings
from the upper Minnesota.
A few days after the northern Indians
came down to attend the payment. little after
the middle Of October. we had quite fall Of
snow. Passing through their camp, which was
in the open prairie, during the snow storm one
could not help plying both man and beast.
The horses were running hither and thilher
turning their backs to the driving storm, while
the poor women were busily engaged in adj
juslng their frail dwellings, or away in the
ravine cutting and packing wood. One could
not, say. bu, compassionate them, for as yet
the payment was in the distance, and the ear
ly snow bctokened the approach Of winter
But that white covering Of the earth passed
away, and we had no more snow until in De-
cember. So though that although the Indians
were kept here for long time, partly through
their OWN fault, yet they had abundant time to
reach their northern home before winter really
came.
Our very cold weather commenced few
days before Thanksgiving, and continued with
out interruption for more than three weeks
Daring this time. i believe there were only three
days when the thermometer stood above zero
at , P. NJ. This was the longest cold spell and
the coolest long spell have known in Min
nesota. And yet at no time was the intensity
of cold as great it has been in some for
mer winters. The greatest cold indicated by
the thermometer at this pace was 90 below
zero, OH the morning of January Sh; the av-
erage of that day being "a. This was our
coolest day this winter. But suspect you
have registered greater cold at St. Paul and
along the Mississippi. This is curious fac,
and one which am unable to account for
Years ago when our thermometer at Lacqu-
pare showed only % and from that to 81 dogs
below zero Oh the coolest morning of the year,
friends at Fl. Smelling were talking of 40
below zero. AT frs, supposed there must be
some mistake in the observations, or that the
difference was owing to difference in the
thermometers. For reasoning priori one
would certainly expect TO find greater cold OH
these broad prairies, where the wind sweeps
freely and fercely, than in the same latitude
in PARTS more sheltered. But so it is not A
priori reasoning is at fault here. The story
which the thermometer tells here in its meas.
urement OF cold, is not so great, by from five
to ten degrees, as that told on the Mississippi
Mr.. Editor, low do you account for this
But leaving this fact to be accounted for by
those whom it may concern let us notice some
other matters. Within Il few days past the snow
on the prairies here has mostly Disappeared; bu,
during the winter it has beeea very good debth
for sleighing. On the Coteau d.s praries it
is said to have been deep. The great fact
which all our neig hbors have been anxiousy
waiting to have transpire was the the appear
ance OF buffalo. Like the A,henians of DID,
our Dakota neighbors are asking "what
news 2" When Waziya has blown for days
together, they expected to hear that the herds
OF buffalo had been driven down by the Storm
Early in the winter an abundance were re-
ported not far from Big Stone Lake. Then
messenger brought news that they were
plenty on the Coteau dos Prairie, near the
heads Of the Big Sioux. Again we heard that
some stray bulls were killed near Fl. Rdgely,
on the north side of the Minnesota river.
But what was better still, a messenger came in
all breathless, and announced that any amount
OF buffalo had been seen on the Chippewa
river, not many miles from Lacquiparle.-
Then what visions Of buffalo robes and fresh
meat passed through the minds of our friends
The children rejoced and were anxious to
HE away to that good land. And when the
dogs seemed to catch the enthusiasm aud to
wag their tails by way Of anticipating the
good time coming. So my it be-, We said
But so it was not. Many families moved up,
and then moved down again. The buffalo
were still away at the head of the Coteau,
and likely to remain there for all Waziya's
cold breath could no.
Yours truly, S. r. RIGGS.
HAzLEwoop, Feb. %, 1856.
For the Times.