The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1859-07-07

xunieh-0sAki> Lake-A Chance Tor Pre- Eup,or.-
The German Settlements Of the Sank vAliey-sabsath.
day Pie,y.
Edi,oria' cor-,spoa3sacs Of the Ptoser and D-noc,@
Oaks LAKE, June q, 1853.
There are two main trails by which the
traveller from st. Cloud, on the west side
Of the Mississippi, to the confines Of sunset
on Red River, reaches his destination. The
FIRST is what is called the "Old Red River
Trail" which describes the arc Of huge
circle, along the dividing ridge between the
streams flowing into the Minnesota and
those tributary to the Mississippi, turning
northwsrd into the Red River valley at
Dayton, where it crosses tie Otter Tail
River. This trail, which has sometimes
been used Is summer route by the Selkirk
caravans has, no wever, proved to be rather
moist for ordinary travel. Although pas
sing Tor the most part over q high rolling or
level prairie, the innumerable sloughs and
morasses which pocket the depressions make
it impracticable, except in very dry seasons.
As this route was selected apparently to
avoid crossing the streams, the experience
Of its failure should teach the explorers Of
new roads in Minnesota not to look for dry
grounds on the summit levels, when it is
usually found in regions Of less original
photography. 1t is remarkable charsc-
teristic Of the dividing ridges Of the Mime.
sofa river systems, that the ridges are uni
formly upside dorm, presenting, with q
general couvexity Of outline, an indescriba-
bic concavity Of detail /; so that our water
sheds are in fact sort OF vast sinks Of
lake, bog, and pond, from which the water
epouts out in streams and rivers where it
takes notion.
The moral thus deduced from the old
trail is perhaps the only further service it
will ever perform for the traveller Red
River-ward, and may dismiss It with the
geographical note that its eastern section,
from Richmond lot course you know where
Richmond is--if you do not, it will be an
interesting acknowledgements Tor you to
find it out,) where il crosses the Sank, to
White Bear Lake, is fat, rich plain,
which, after q short shower, o Malay dirt
eater would probably consider in the light
OF q dietetic alienation from hssty pudding
to water cruel. The western section, FROM
White Bear to Lightning Lakes, puts on
plausible aspect Of being a high rolling
prairie the ridges swelling upward with the
advance westward till they terminate in the
range of hills known as the Leaf Mountains
whose distant heights embiue the SOUTH
eastern skirts OF the Red River valley. But
this part Of the trail is said 10 be almost a.
bad as the other, in the present state Of The
soil, the lightest carts sinking up to the huh
even on the submits Of the ridges, while ]
am told that lately, 10 one OF the numerous
sloughs, narrow wheeled American wagon
was swallowed completely out Of sight, and
is supposed, after thorough digestion in
the Piutonic stomach Of old mother Gea, te
have come out on the under.side Of the
world in the shape OF celestial go-cart tor
the delectstion Of the Grand Llama. Tht
old trail cannot be less than $50 miles long
from st. Cloud TO Breckenridge, and thu
whole region through which it passes il
desperately destitute Of wood feature
by the way, which characterizes the
entire right bank Of the Sank, and the
whole of the immense rolling plain between
the Chippewa and Big Stone Lake, OF which
the soil is excellent throughout, but una
valuable for immediate uses from this wan
OF timber
The other main trail selected for &
stage route by BURBANK * Co., who, yOr
are aware, have the contract for carrying 9
weekly mail from ST. Cloud to Fort Aber
crombie, and which winds spirally like q
grapevine round the twisted stem Of tht
Sank River-over it and under il, and or
both sides OF its intended to be, and In
general terms may be described, ~ the
chord Of the arc aforementioned running
as nearly as certain typographical cir.
cumstauces, and the tortuoeities Of the
Sank will permit, straight from Saint
Cloud to Dayton, the point d eppu, foI
all the disputed heads Of navigation on the
Red River. An edge Of prairie extending
along thu left bank Of the Sauk, affords q
fine natural avenue. Skirting the huge
body Of timber which closes in the horizor
to the north. and connecting the chain Of
incboaie settlements which line the wooded
edge o, the river, this road, which has Just
been straitened out and bridged, and par
..u- l:~>utsc0iexi NJ the rad pla<xa n,