The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1858-03-27
800 frnn hfinneaoia.
LAKE. CrrF, MnNrspTA.
Mani ., 1868

lAff - ~ A'f'
/ 10 hs Editor Of The CahdoHiaH
Lake City, the place from which write
IL situated on the west share Of Lake Fepin
/ the most lovely and romantic sheet Of water
IL has been my lot 10 behold. Lake Pepiu d
an expansion Of the Mississippi River about
twenty-five miles in length, and from two to
four miles IN breadth. The shores Of the Lake
are, for the most part, high and rugged bluffs
covered with a scattering growth OF burr
oaks. These bluffs vary In hight from two
hundred 10 four hundred feet on the eastern
or Wisconsin side on the western Or Mime.
sofa shore, they rise % q much greater hight
for about eight miles on either end Of the
Lake while the central portion - a broad
open prairie Upon this prairie, and In full
view Of the Lake, for full ten miles iu either
direction, stands Lake City with a back
ground Of high, steep, wood-coyered aud
wood-crowned bluffs. The distance between
the water front aud these walls Is from one
TO three miles, Through this wall arc two
winding uyiHr' with regular 6Hd easy grade,
connecting with the open prairie. The dis
lance through these Windiugs II about three
miles. The grade II much easier than from
any other point on the river AZ the icrmi-
nus Of these natural roads on the prairie,
slrelchcs out a broad scope Of country, dot
ted here aud there with spots oftlmbcr, max
ing il very desirable land for farming pur-
poses. These lands constitute the much talk
cd-of and admired Sioux halfbrecd licscr,a-
ton, which title was oyliuguishcd lasl spring
by the issue Of scrip 10 the h,lfbrccds.
These lands have been ordered by the Pres
idcni, "a DO sold on the 9Th day Of March,
-f-5-, ifffr-rillrns of TINS place IN rvrIurr--
ton with the settlers, 10y the way have
been 6ocking TO this portion since the uxtin
punishment Of the Indian tille,-hayc petition
cd Congress to pass special act directing the
President 10 have these lands brought into
market the same us all other other Miuucso-
"a lands that Is 10y prc-cmption, which re-
quircs residence upon the land necessary in
order 10 have the right Of purchase, No
person can prc-cmpt but once and then but
one hundred and siSty acres. In this way
the lands become inhabited by actual settler,
instead Of falling into the hands Of Eastern
Spectators Who never intend to improve
urm' ms state OF affairs has been % very
serious drawbacks To the growth OF Lake CITY,
although lrom It's great natural advantages It
has grown almost mmculously. The title is
now perfected 10y laying "haIibrccd scrip
on The town site gnd having o deed from
Uncle sam
Lake City was "Ioid out " in June, 1886
and thcmooniained three families in Octo-
Der 1857 the inhabitants numbered upwards
of seven hundred souls. There vas built the
last season upwards of one one hundred
d"cll'ng@ond i've steam mills, which cost in
the aggregate upwards Of lhy thousand dol
lars We have sis stores doing good BUSH
ness, with several Of smaller prctcn,ous In
temperance We rival even the goodly village
OF st. Johnshury, and this is the only town
OF over lity inhabitants IN Minnesota where