The emigrant aid journal of Minnesota. [volume] (Nininger City, Minn. Terr. [i.e. Minn.]) 1856-1858, 1857-08-29

fringed byqyee
- .he boundary
- g ~beautifnl plains. 1t furnishe
S72zgs 6StScenes which more than any others vii
S1xbt The eye of the husbandman. We stopped fo
supper at Mr.. GibSon's comfortable house, aRdnSr&n
furnished with a good substantial meal. ThfsaA0As
deserves the excellent reputation it has in thisz <1lpesb
After supper we drove by starlight to Shakope<EEA
On going up to the door Of the 'Wasson HH
best hctei ia the place, instead Of meeting as -
ed entire strangers We were pleased 10 recognizes ssY4l y
host an old friend, formerly 4 merchant ius4 4tFpl
street, Philadelphia but who moved out his wh61N@tnl
" to Minnesota, and is now up to his cars Re- -
and prosperity. If the Eastern croakers a&S11 ~
Territory could have listened to his account Oh r.
poets, OF his more poctical description of the 1#I
which his children have learned to score the 4Itdl
search Of wild flowers, they would shut up ~ 44f
able little shops. quit the tainted and pollu4 -
pierre Of their great cities and find in the fr9
tivity and enterprise Of Minnesota that health&f(t III
piness they will never otherwise enjoy. Ms%
S~hakopee is quite a large place. 1t seemsH
to be rather dull at present, and we notices
buildings going up. Property commands a
and 10 doubt is an excellent investment. 81
tain months it is virtually the head of navigae k12143N
Minresota-not that steamboats, do not ascen4 Alka4
Louisville and Carver. but that it is at ShakOn7 W4
GERS for st. Peter. &c, take the stages. ThiG92A1M1
great deal Of travel, and consequently Of bu&1 &1kx1t4
the town. We found the WATSON House S91tNf#&
that the htst our kind host could offer the ~
beds on the hoor Of the par!or. A8@M@sKx
At Slakopee we met orr friend Mr.. Uvert TxZHeI
the principal Real Estate dealer Of the town, xHS8aaFfS6a1I
of energy and good business talents. He is I1BSfYa
terested in the town. and seems bent on urgiS
ward. sWz
N&1aving ~ohakopee at an early hour we drove on tt
syille. This town occupies q fine site. 1t possesse:
Enne Of the best landings on the river; it is at the foot
sS1tf1 RAPIDS, aud is consequently t. the M1inSa1s.
AH5 Wilai st. iaul Is to the Mississippi--tAe ieAI Q
The land lies well, not in monotonous uni
forraity, but rising in gentle swells that will furnish
beautiful sites for residences. 1t already contains tw'
stores, a saw mill, Z girls; mill, sni quite a number o
very tine dwelling houses. 1t needs but u small deere
of we'll directed effort to make it a very important poin
if NOT the most important on The river. -, -
Through the trees to the northwest We cd 58A
glimpsos of Carver, quite = large and Iandsd ~
Il is situated further down The river, and on I'll
side. We regretted that We were not able. d.
time, to pay it 4 visit. *SH
We left Louisville about 10 \. NJ, aud pr
one unbroEen ride to Belle PLANE where we t Z
The great newspaper reputation Of this placd s
us high anticipat;ons that were doomed not q
lied. The town is quite small. We do u
contains altogether two dozen houses. At th =
the site is one Of the most beautiful that q
ceiyc,l.- 1t was properly named belle p1aine.
is situated IN the midst OF woods, is Of consi
Of great fertility, and affords to the eye a cha
We must do the town the justice to add th2
new, being we lelicve not more than d year
if all is done for it that has been promi
doubt rise to considerable Importance.
very handsome Hotel being constructed.
dined at was Il miserable old barn, and utt
any thing except storing hay in.
The road from Belle Plaine to this plac
lies through the Big Woods, and is very
a curious feature of this prairie country
these immense belts Of timber land stred
drcis Of miles over the Territory, FORUM
dark forests wherein the deer and other
their own against the advancing curren}
for years to come. 1t is strange also tol
inrs III these woods, with their log hoj
dotted fields, carrying one back by the
imagination to the forests Of Pennsylyan
IN such instances what CIR forcfathers e
slow march through the wilderness be
the wide savannahs Of Illinois. 1t "
hardest bard dim. from, tao rocks of .tno a.
swamps OF the Miami, it was the SAND t%3f
ton, labor, danger and lily repaid exer
Henderson is poorly situated, in the
Woods aud on d low fat Of land,
at any time to overflow from the Mini
consist, almost altogether Of one Ion
are, We were informed about three hun
town. The location Of the Upitod Sta
al this point, and gives vitality to it,
all the lu.iue>, If the town flows from
Hotel is the Valley House, a poorly
in one Of whose beds we passed a mo-
immersed in filthy feathers, swclter]
room, and bc-ct by more hed.bugs thu
in II henderson. Heaven forbid that D661I G
another NIGHT III that town
Tile I4aotl Office is a curious sight. Il is ioca
moderate sized frame building, the second story q
by LAWYERS, and the first by the United States.
tas;ned several clerks. with all their maps, bod
naners around them Outside Of q railing. which
in these clerks, were q number Of pioneers maki1
appiicatiolla for Government land; filing their
tory statements; proving up, or undergoing BET
scntlemanlv Receiver, Mr. G. Graham, an exam
into contested titles where claims had been
ed NJ. One felt that they were at last on the Il
Of civilizttion-a little further. and we were in
dian country. Here were tIe settlers Of the will
in rouel, garh, and with sturdy demcanors seeurir
Government that land which viii yet he the agr'q
wcalth of the future. Here one could iiierahy-
.lI,ar the rush Of pioneers,
or nations yet t" be;
The first low wash Of waves. where soon
Shall roll a human sea.
a little longer ana all this viii ,e transferred
wcs'. riify years 5rqn now and how Little can
foov population this place will then contain lmagf
Wild. st,au.e scene that now meets III! eyes.
II 49,. :, ,.tnally IN transition. Here on IIEse u
| tie MAPS of sections and quarter sections, marked IF