The weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1852-1858, 1857-10-24
VOLUME 7.
Of the Ainnesofidn:
a Trim 70 the Sauk Val

CORRESPONDENCE Of the Mnaesofidn: !. '.'-
Trip TO the Sank valley.
p-om C, ow River to Lake Henry--Lake George--Re,
River Trsil-Banks of the sauk EverIits oeantfu
Rver-Fary Lake-the loveliest In Minnesota.
SEPTEMBER, 1857.
A lovely morning in September found my
self and party Of five gentlemen ready for
Start to the valley of the Sank River, an,
the surrounding country. Well provided
With plenty ofprovisions and every other re
qiisite necessary to make US comfortable, we
eft st. Paul with strong anticipations OF
peasant journey. Having decided on taking
what may be termed the inland route, we
soon reached the ferry at Fort Smelling, hav.
ing found the road thither none of the best
while the descent to the river was very steep
ig not positively dangerous for a heavily load
Cd team. However, we reached the river in
safety, and having crossed over, found the
rad up almost as bad as the road down ;
by help of yoke of oxen, VIC assembled
the plain above, jogging along by a
good road, with here and there an excep-
ion, until we reached the Minnesota River
a. place called Bloomington, from which
TIE road to Shackopee was, for the most
part, very sandy. Bloomington does not
appear to grow very fast, and l very much
doubt if it will ever be rival of St. Paul, or
eyen of Shaakopee Being very heavily
lopded, we were not able to reach the latter
Ice until nearly eight o'clock and. as soon
d possible after supper, we retired to our
couches, which were hard enough, in all con-
science, for bona fide anchorite in fact, l
woild much rather have slept in the
barn, on lock of hay. We were all placed
TO in bed, and yet, for such accommoda-
lions, and a very Indifferent supper, we
we've charged one dollar EACH
he next morning we departed before
sunrise, and reached Carver in time for
breakfast. This was tolerable one, and
"a ther too poor l thought for the price,
which was half dollar. There is no sort of
doubt that if the tavern keepers on the Min
ne9ota River know nothing else, and they
are lueptS IN the art OF charging.
leaving Carver we plunged into the Big
Woods and here our troubles commenced
for he road being very narrow one, and
oyershadowed for the most part by trees,
Ito travelling was very slow and disagreea-
ble-now tumbling over stumps, and now
sinking almost to the hub in mud of most
adhesive nature. So slow was our progress
at we were compelled to camp about two
miles this side of Young America, not having
made much over twenty miles. The soil in
these woods is cf great depth, and of an ex-
ceed,ngly rich character, and the prevailing
t'nOer is oak, sugar-maple, elm, linden and
ocoasonally hickory and black walnut.
The next day was repetition of the last,
only that the mud holes were deeper and
more numerous than before. We passed
through Young America early in the morn
ing. md found it was growing fast, and
VIII probably become quite smart little
place.
Il was almost dark before Glencoe was
reached, SO that we had only passing glance
at the Improvements which have taken place
since ny last visit, about eight months ago.
However, enough was seen to prove that
Glencoe is growing town, and learned the
next day that it has about doubled in build
ings and population within year past.
The next day proved to be SO rainy that
we thOught it best not to proceed any far
Their, and the consequence was, that We spent
rather a dull time, not being able to go out
OF doors, and no amusements of any kind
could be obtained within. Unfortunately
too: parcel of pamphlets had put up for
the trip was found to be among the missing {;
so there was no help for it but to call up all
the philosophy we could muster, and, al
though long one, the day finally wore away,
and at its close the western sky gave prom
lse Of "a glorious morrow ...J .,
This representation was verified and the
next morning we started for Harms City, and
thence for Hutchinson, reaching the latter
place in the evening. Harms is situated on
Mcleod or Marian Lake, pretty sheet of
water about three miles long. This place
grows very slowly, but there is a good house
there now kept as hotel, but which I'M
derstand, is now deserted for fear of the In.
dams, very silly fear by the by There is
Comfortable improvement visible at Hutch
inson, out not so much as expected to have
seen. 3'.f--aG5 -oJfcieo -.l
Here ye camped, and the nextmorning start
Ell early and passing over very bad road,
reached Red Cedar City, where found just as
many houses as were to be seen last year !;
that is, exactly one' Nothing appears to be
doing here, and in fact it is a miserable locs-
ton, nothing around but sloughs and swamps
and what could have induced any one to Law
ont town here can scarcely imagine. The
country is low and decidedly uninteresting,
end it was quite relief to get out of it.
Proce eding in a northwestern direction
we soon ca me to higher and drier lands, and
passed Two or three lakes, which were by no
means pretty or interesting, as they had for
the most part marshy borders and muddy
bottoms Small groves break up the monot-
ony of the landscape, which Improves as We
advance. A stray log cabin is occasionally
seen but as a general thing the country is
wholly unsettled between Red Cedar and
Diamond Lakes. At the latter town has
been laid out but with the exception of one
settler could see no appearance Of growth
or improvement. Diamond Lake is pretty
sheet Of water, but the country around is
'7'! orc Ken and full of sloughs, and there is
only a limited supply of timber: =, e
About live miles farther on lies Comedian
Lake; at least this is tie name at its eastern
extremity, while Green Lake is it's Jcgnomep
at the western. 1t is certainly foolish BIN.
siness to have Two names for one lake. and Il
is almost equally foolish to repeat the sam.
name in the same territory. AS there is at
least one other Comedian and one other
: Green Lake in Minnesota; the best thing the
people at both ends can do is to agree upon
some new name, and thus avoid the confu-
sion which must otherwise ensue. But by
whatever name this lake may be called it is
very fine one, being abnut six OF. seven