The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1859-11-11
Our Own State.


JOHN H. STEVENS, is filled with original
matter of local interest, and is particularly
valuable for its notices of agricultural pro-
gress in M'Leod county. In politics, it is
decidedly Democratic, and while it urges
the party with which it is connected to
make no factious opposition to the Repub-
licans in their attempts to govern the State,
but to assist them as far as they can consci-
entiouslv, be greatly fears that the plans of
the Republicans will become lamentable
failures.
There were no less than twenty-seven ar
rivals of emigrants at Glencoe in one week,
and fifty men, women and children, with
their teams and droves of cattle, passed
through to the town of Hale, in that county.
They came originally from Bohemia, but
lately from Wisconsin.
Several parties from Wisconsin, and a
couple all the way from the Old Bay State,
came on few days since, to spend the win
ter in trapping for furs in MLeod county.
The weather there has been such as is
never known anywhere except in Minnesota.
The prairie fires have lighted the heavens
every night in a picturesque manner-and
burnt up good deal of hay-thirty tons
belonging to one man. A Mr.. VIM. Arms,
has raised mammoth onions, some of them
measuring fifteen inches in circumference.
The Mankato Record is another good
Democratic paper, which is also very valu-
able for the attention it gives to local affairs.
1t states that the Indians are committing
depredations in the vicinity of Spirit Lake.
The facts are as follow:
Week before last, several trappers west of
Belmont were fired at, and driven back to the
settlement, by the Indians. They have also
burned hay and grain, and killed cattle be.
longing to the settlers. The indications are
very strong that the Spirit Lake tragedy will
be re enacted this winter unless precautionary
steps are promptly taken by the State or Gen.
eral Government. The citizens of Jackson
County number only about one hundred, and
are much scattered. Generally they are indus.
trlous and intelligent; and the hatred evnced
towards them by the Indians is not caused by
their personal acts, but by general hostility
towards the white race, and our Government
particularly: Judge Hill, who heretofore has
spared neither time nor money in furtherine'
the interests of his fellOw-settlers, has gone to
st. Paul, and will lay the matter before the
State authorities. The expense of sending an
expedition there, and maintaining it during the
winter, which is necessary for the safety Of the
settlers, If done under the auspices of the State
government, would necessarily be very great,
considering our resources; it is, therefore. to be
hoped that the Governor will lose no time in
submitting 1t to the consideration of the Presi-
dent. About two hundred and fifty govern.
ment troops are now stationed at Fort Ridgely,
about seventy-tive miles from Belmont, and we
doubt not, If properly stated, detachment of
thirty or fifty of these can be secured to winter
at Belmont or Spirit Lake, and render such pro.
lection as the interests of the settlers demand.
Unless this is done, the force must be supplied
at the expense of the State otherwise, a re-
currence of the Spirit Lake massacre is inevi.
table.
We learn that on Tuesday night, during the
burning of the prairie north of this place, five
houses and quantity of hay and grain were
destroyed by fire. The buildings were unoccu-
OF good class. As far as we can learn much
damage has been done by the prairie fires this
fall. the losses being principally hay and
grain-Lb,d.
Sheriff Clark, of Jackson county. last week
arrested and lodged in the New Ulm Jail, a
man charged with setting fire to several stacks
OF hay near Belmont, Jackson county. He was
discovered In the act OF starting the fire, and
attempting to make his escape. was shot at
and received flesh wound in the shoulder..--
Ibid.
We learn from the Hastings Independent,
that an affray occurred few days ago at
Castle Rock, Dakotah county, in which
LEONARD ALDR1cH, one of the most inAuen-
tial farmers and citizen Of that county, was
seriously shot. 1t seems that Mr.. AL
DRIcH had bought a yoke of cattle and
a wagon of man named Coma, of North
tield-that the man came over to Castle
Rock for his pay-that ALDR1cH not having
the money, Coma said he must have the
property. ALDRICH consented to this, pro-
viding Coma would pay for some repairs
which had been put upon the wagon. This
Coma would not consent to, and endeavored
to take the property, which resulted in the
difficulty and the shooting.
A gentleman from Maine, says the North
field Journal, has in contemplation the nav
igation of the Cannon River, from the
Mississippi to Cannon Falls. He purposes
putting on small steamtug, to which he
will attach latboats, or barges, for trans
porting freights, &C., up and down the
river. The boats will draw but about ten
inches of water, and he thinks be can at all
times obtain that depth.
The Winona Republican says that the
receipts Of wheat at that place are larger
than at any town in Minnesota. There are
some ten or twelve houses here competing
for all that offers, and grain is consequently
arriving from distant parts of the interior
A very heavy proportion of all the wheat
raised in that part of the State yet remains
in the stack, so that the traffic is by no
means near an end. Many farmers who are
able to do so, will hold on to their crops
until the spring, hoping for material ad-
vance in prices.
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