The weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1852-1858, 1856-10-04

cIrsdpr-col. STEVENS ysRM. 81
We soon reached Glencoe shd proceeded
to Tie farm ofsCol. Stevens on the west side
of. the town adjoining the town site. Glen
coe bids fair to be town of considerable
importance--.It is the~Nsunty -seat~ofuMe.
Leod County, and contains between 100 and
200 inhabitants, all of whom have settled
there within the last few months, with the
exception of a few persons that were put
there by the prepretors, at an earlier date t.,
bold the town site. IA STEAM saw-,nillihais
been in operation a few weeks which now
obyiates-the NECESSITY Of hauling Lumber
from Carver and Minnetonka. There are
about twenty dwellings here, besides num-
Der OF shantiest in which, families reside.
There is also a very good hotel completed at
a cost of $4,000. The town site CONTAINS
fGR acres, and is most eligibly located on the
prairie gently sloping towards the south,
with the creek meandering through it on the
south side. Glencoe has a good START the
right kind of population, and we bel eve is
destined to 60 ahead. There are numerous
groves of timber of thrifty growth scattered
about the prairie, disconnected from the
main woods, looking like small islands, and
at a distance they seemingly approach SO
near each other that the passage between
them resemble glens; hence was suggested
the name of Glencoe. i1''-f T@i@''f'& - 7''.'
On account of the rain at intervals during
the day, we were compelled to stop till the
next morning, which gave us fine opportu-
nifty of examining Col. Stevens improve
ments. He has opened fine farm Of lGO
acres, and has expended nearly $4,000 upon
it this season. The whole has been fenced
in, and about 100 acres Of crop raised on the
sod. He has about forty acres of corn-the
best sod corn we ever saw-severaI acres OF
potatoes, 'beaps, onions, cabbage, &c. His
oats had already been harvested. The Col
onel is building very fine house, the lumber
for which has been hauled from Minneapolis,
IN which he will soon have his family. IL
has also been at great expense and takes a
great deal Of pride in his stock, Of which he
has many cows, helters, &c. of the best
bloodcd animals in the country, some OF
which were imported. His Albany and full
and half bloodcd Durhams woul,l command
IL. B. .t.-g ?.
premiums in fairs Of considerable preten-
sions. The Colonel deserves a good deal of
credit for the enterprise he has manifested
in commencing such fine improvements at a
time when there was scarcely dozen set
tiers in the county; and when he shall have
fully carried out his present plans, there Will
not bea better farm of its size in the Terri
tory. He has always been foremost in ex-
ploiing, and has expended a great deal of
time and money in advancing the settle
ments west of Minneapolis. His accurate
knowledge Of the country and his well
known liberality to all needy cmigrants has
led to personal acquaintance with almost
every settler; and to him more than any
other man does the credit belong Of opening
up the counties of Henncpin, Carver, Nc
Leod, and others. 2'''' -'--'-- '.''z.' ..'.
Mcleod county has now population of
about 800, and will poll about geo votes this
fall, if the voters are all out Last ycar
they polled but twelve or thirteen, and these
were thrown out by the Register of Henne-
pin county. Can he do it again? l his
county is destined to be one Of tie most
thickly settled and best agricultural counties
in the Territory. The soil is black loan
tothe depth of two or three feet, with a
clay subsoil, and there is an abundance Of
timber and water. Tie emigrant cannot fail
to findjust such claim as he desires, whcth-
er prairie or timber, or proportion of botl
In the afternoon the members of our party
held a meeting with view to a more com
plete and perfect organization Messrs.
Coolbaugh, Davie and Clark, of Minneapolis,
Mcleod, Hunt, Doty, McCurdy and John
son, of Glencoe, joined our forces with an
other team. Col. Stevens was chosen as tile
leader OF the expedition. Various appoint
ments were then made by our commander
to. complete the organization, such hunting
party, a fishing party, a tent party, a boat
party, &c. Gen. Harms was appointed to
the command of the naval operations, Dr.
Anderson was appointed surgeon and bota-
mist, Mr.. Wihtefield, to sketch such scenery
as he thought would be interesting Messrs.
Mcleod and Doty were designated as guides,
and the post of commissary was conferred
upon 'ourself We accepted it under the
surposition the party was already well pro
visioned; but whenit was intimated that as
the party had grown considerably larger by
recent accessions, and that a few bushels of
potatoes from Col. Stevens fed would be
desirable which it would be necessary for
us to dig, we inclined to another opinion. p
I At the conclusion Of our meeting a vote
T for President was proposedand taken, which
resulted as follows: s"' ''i'i "7'i9s''" 81
Fremont 16 ''
Fillmore .u... -.... i. G.i.il94 ~ Q.
-JeDucnanan.. .. -. .....yg ..,. DIi go
The nextmorning, Sept Is, we were up
very carly and making preparations for. re-
fnawing, our journey. 1t, had cleared up dil-
FIRING the night, though the wind continued to
blow from the north with considerable Sc