The weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1852-1858, 1858-03-27

skirted with timber on the east, and there Il
a good sized grove on the north end.
There are other Lakes, and groves OF tim
Der extending to the Big Woods, distance
of about - miles.
The soil of the township is Of the very best
quality, and the surface is very level; all the
Lakes have fine sandy beach, with banks o.
from six to twelve feet high and in fact the
northern and eastern part of the township is
all that could be desired for farming coun-
try.
The next township east Of this is just
about as good, but there is scarcity of tim
Der in the eastern part nor are there as
many Lakes but the soil is of the very best
quality, being black loan, with clay sub
soil. The timber is mostly oak with mix
ture of elm and Eastwood. There is town
site about the middle of this township called
WeStport there is one log house in it; be-
Eeve it is owned by St. Anthony compa-
ny.
Township lbs, range sc, is also a good far
ming country it is we'll timbered and water
ed and the soil is tirst-rate. Gr0re Lake is in
this township it is about three miles long
and one-third of mile wide. The South
branch of Suul Rirer also heads in this town
ship.
This township will make splendid farms,
being well timbered and watered, especially
on rhe north and east parts. The town sites
in this township, are-Groce Lche City and
Mansfield. Mansfield is on the northeast end
of Grave Lake. l believe there is log shan
ty there.
The township, Immediately north of this,
has already been described ; we will there
fore proceed to township l27, range &c. The
north vest corner of this township runs up
into the Big Woods. But the timber is not
very good so near the edge Of the prairie
being mostly aspen or "popple," it is however
free from under brush.
There is Lake on the Northern boundary
Of this township, about two miles long, and
half mile wide it is mostly surrounded by
timber, with the exception Of a small portion
of the South West side, where the prairie
! exten DIS to the Lake.
Some of the timber on this Lake is pretty
good but the most Of it is scrubby oak,
with underbrush, black oak &c.
The soil of this township is of the''yery best
quality being black loan about two feet
! deep, with clay subsoi there are, also
plenty of good meadows, producing excellent
hay !; there are no town sites in this town.
ship.
Township 12o, range Sc, is mostly timber ;
the southeastern part is quite bruShy, with
openings, whilst the northwestern is good
timber. The soil is tirst-rate, and surface gen.
orally level-no town sites.
The next township west from this, is town
ship l2S, range 81. This township is all tim
Der to being mostly ash, maple and bass
wood, with mixture of elm and aspen.
In the North part of the township, and
the south part of the next township north ARE
three beautiful Lakes these lakes are the
source of Long Prairie riUa they are close
together, and almost in the form ola triangle,
leaving about 200 acres Of land in the middle
The larger one is about four miles long, by ,,
broad the others are, each of them, about
:; miles long, and one wide. They have fine
sandy beach which gives them beautiful
appearance and are surrounded ~ timber
Of the very best quality. The timer
is mostly sugar maple, Eastwood, and elm,
with a mixture of irOnwoOd and hack berry
&C. These Lakes also abound in fish, such as
bass, picke,el &c, and the water is Is pure,
and good tasted as any spring water.
The country 1gest of these lakes is, first;
timber for q couple Of miles and then, a
mixture of timber and prairie and finally,
all prairie the soil is not as good on the
| prairie as it is in the timber.
Township 12S range thirty-tivc is also TIM
Der.
In township 12S range 81 is Lake Osokis.--
This lake is partly in this township, and part
| ly in the next township,east an arm of it al
so, runs up into township 1919, range "a.
Lake Osahis or Sank Lake is about 10 miles
long and four wide; it has fire sandy beach
and is mostly surrounded with good timber;
at the south end is prairie. There is 4 town
| site here called DE Sofa it has log shanty
omit il believe it is owned by Putnam and
some others, Of Little Falls.
Proceeding East from Lake Osakis, we pass
through Il fine country covered with timber,
consisting of sugar, maple, oak and bass
wood for 10 miles which brings us to Long
Prairie.
Long Prairie is probably we'll remembered
by many of the first settlers here, as being
the Agency Of the Winnebago Indians they
were removed six or seven years ago, to their
present agency, little east of Mankato.-
There are seventy-tive or eighty houses on
Long Prairie, all of which were once occupied
by Government officials, traders, workmen,
&C., but since the Indians have been remov-
ed the place has been almost entirely desert
ed, and it now has an old and delapitated appe-
rance. The place is not built in blocks and
Street like our towns, the houses are all jum-
bled up together, Indian fashion, without re-
gard to order or anything else. Many OF
these houses are good frame ones, and are
comfortable enough for any family to live
in.
The place was bought, some years ago
rom Government, oy a Cincinnati Company,
by whom it is still owned. They have an
agent who resides there; there are also, two
or three families, and an Indian trader there.
The Indians in this part of the country are
Chirpewas; they are civil and well behaved.
The prairie, from which the town takes its
name, is about fifteen miles long, and from