The weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1852-1858, 1857-11-07
orrespondence Of TIE. lfinnesotian; ....' ~
A Trip to the Sank Valley.

4
MEssRs. EDITORS - The next morning
we started on our return to Saint Paul,
resolving as soon as We struck the Red Riv-
er Trail to follow it until we reached St.
Cloud, and thence down the east side OF the
Mississippi. We concluded to try and reach
the Trail by much more direct route than
that by which We came in, and accordingly
followed the high ridges on the west of Sank
River at distance from it Of perhaps five or
six miles. The country we passed over was
very rolling, but exceedingly fertile. All it
seemed to lack was timber, but as any guam
tity of this lay within sight and about six
miles off, the whole will soon be taken up, as
-she ssis -sioA, and NJ country
can be imagined better adapted for fine graz
ing farms. In any of the low lying portions
tremendous growth of grass is found where
six tons of hay can be cut to the acre, and
| quite number of small lakes or more prop
erly ponds are scattered around, to say moth
ing of two small streams that wind and twist
, about in the most circuitous manner imagin-
able, SO that almost everybody's farm would
have water in some shape Oh it..
Such is the character of the country for
about twelve miles below Sank Lake in a
| southwestern direction, when we struck a
number of groves among which are several
small lakes and here we experienced some
difficulty in navigating through until we
came out On the prairie beyond. This is
much more level in its general character than
that we left on the north of the groves, and
sunk gradually down in the direction of
Lakes Henry and George. From the groves
to the Trail which we struck half way be-
tween the two lakes was about seven or
eight miles, and fiat uninteresting piece Of
prairie it was.
At Lake Henry we dined and, having
now good road, logged along pretty fast
reaching the Sank River just after sunset
Here we found tolerable place for camping,
and made immediate preparation for the same.
Wood was scarce, and grass still scarcer, so
that we had rather poor supper, and still
poorer bed, being obliged to lie on the
ground with nothing to protect us from its
hard Jumps but our blankets, consequently
We passed rather uncomfortable night.
I should have said something of the coun-
try between Lake Henry and the Sank Riv-
er, which will now refer to very briefly =
1t is an undulating prairie, without tree to
be seen from the grove at Lake Henry, to the
woods on the Sank River. The soil is excel
lent, the growth of vegetation luxuriant, but
not single stream of any size does the Trail
cross and only two or three very small mud
lakes are to be seen along the route. The
distance is variously estimated at IL, IA and
Ii miles and think, myself, the last is
about right. Only few claims, and those
adjoining the Sank River are yet taken up !;
consequently vast tract of country lies rea-
dy for the new conner to select from, and as
this Red River Trail is sure to become great
thoroughfare, it will pay any farmer to come
in and take up his 160 acres, for he will get
high prices for all he can raise for some years
to come. The Big Woods are close at hand
and therefore fine wood and fencing arc not
far off; and these arc all he will require
which will not be on his farm. 1 have no
doubt that in two years from this time every
claim will be taken up along the Trail be-
tween Sank River and Lake Henry. Let any
doubter make note of it, and come to me
for an old hat when the time expires, if it is
not so.
The next morning We found out we had
camped not or the Sank River proper, but on
sort of slough, or little lake connected with
it, and that in fact the river was about half q
mile further on. Here we found ferry, and
boat, such as it was, being barely long
enough and strong enough to take on one
wagon at time, while the horses swan
alongside. The Sank River here is quite fine
stream with about five feet depth of water
in it, and perhaps 200 feet across. At this
place is laid out the town of Richmond, on a
nice level piece of prairie surrounded on all
sides by the woods Here are some four or
five houses of squared logs in various stages
of progress, but think neither of them was
quite finished. The settlers around are most
ly Dutch or more properly speaking, Ger
mans.
We are still on the Red River Trail, except
when some settler has turned the road off by
fencing up, and in this case, the road is inva-
riably rough and caused our driver to use
very naughty words, and say very hard
things about the rascally Dutchmen.
Until we reach Cold Spring, another new
winds alternately through small prairies and
groves and never keeps far from the Sank
River, of which we caught a glimpse once or
twice. The appearance of the country, as a
general thing, is very pleasing, and some
parts reminded me of old Connecticut. 1 re-
fer more particularly to the masses Of gray
granite rocks which are strewnabout in wild
confusion. especially in the neigLborhood Of
Cold Spring. str.l
This last mentioned place is another of the
embryo towns, and is chiefly noticeable for
shocking bad bridge over q swampy brook,
and which 1.-THE bridge l mcan) is disgrace
to the proprietors of the place, as they are
without excuse, seeing they have saw mill,
ard could therefore easily make passable
bridge at all events whereas the present one
is neither passablc, nor scarcely jackassable
Two or three times expected our wagon
would surely be smashed up or our horses
foundered however by good luck, and no
thanks to the people of Cold Spring, we
scrambled over it without any serious calam-
L L Il.