The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1860-10-26


During the week ending October Is, there
were five hundred and seventy pre- emptions
made at the q. s. Land Office in st. Peter
nearly one hundred per day. 1.a1
In the Steele, Waseca and Freeborn dis
trict, the Democrats have made no nomina-
tions. A Peoples Convention has nomina-
ted for Senator, Mr.. Thurston, of Freeborn,
and for Representatives, VIM. F. Pettitt. OF
Steele and E. A. Smith, of Waseca.
The Land Sales progress steadily at the
st. Cloud Office. This is the way they do
Uncle Sam:
On the first day an improved farm was set
up. The claimant was there to bid. Every
bid brought it up one. two or three cents, I'M
til it was knocked down at $4,000 per acre:
The purchaser had no gold, and the farm is still
to be sold. Next day eighty improved acres
were offered, but no one bid against the claim
ant, who bought it in. Bidders appear to be
working by the day, not by the job and the
time is likely to pass without their accomplish
ing much. q
EVERY year since we have been in Minne>
sofa, we have chronicled half dozen fatal
accidents, occurring in precisely the manner
narrated in the following, from the st. Cloud
Democrat:
DISTRESSING ACCIDENT.-Joseph B. Chafins,
formerly of Wilmington. Maryland, was acct
dentally killed on the 7th inst, while on
hunting and trapping tour near Lake Reno,
some seventy miles west af st. Cloud. Mr..
Lamonte was his partner, and they had camped
temporarily with Mr.. j. N. Dodgson on the
edge of a small lake west of Reno. The morn
ing of the 7th Lamonte and Cheffns started
around the lake in search of game,whle Dodg-
son went around in the opposite direction, thus
becoming separated. After hunting for some
time, Mr.. Dodgson was approaching the place
where all had agreed to meet, called, and heard
response, and saw one man walking on the
further side of the lake. He walked on, and
presently observed an object moving gently in
the tall grass about one hundred yards in ad-
vance. Surprising from the color and motion
that it was badger, he crept up softly until
within fifty PAGES, and still he was more and
more convinced that it was a badger looking
towards him. He says no circumstances in the
world could have convinced him at this mo.
ment that the object he saw was not badger
sitting at it's hole, other than the sad result
Having approached near enough, he took un-
errng aim and fired, and Immediately Mr..
Chefin's dog jumped up and ran away from the
spot. This alarmed Mr.. Dodgson, and hurrying
up he was horror stricken to find his best friend
breathing his last 1t seems that Mr.. Lamonte
had forgotten his Ratchet at some point, and
went back after it, while Cheffins laid down in
the tall, dead grass, with his head resting on
his hand and elbow. and having on q gray
wooden hat, thus met an instant death from the
hand of one who has been his partner in bust.
ness, and warm friend for several years. M.
Dodgson is in great distress of mind from the
n Ia nf fhosr Tha h2lv
was inferred near the source of the North
Fork of Crow River.
We learn from the Statesman that Messrs
Fisher and Skaro departed from st. Peter
on the 10th, with two Hatboats, bound for
New Orleans. They took away 1000
bushels of potatoes, about 200 bushels OF
onions, and 400 or 500 bushels of oats.
They design increasing their load at the foot
of Lake Pepin.
VALENTINE Cook, of Plainview, Waba.
shaw county, raised sixty-three bushels Of
Rio Grande wheat from an acre and half.
We call this an extraordinary yield-forty-
two bushels per acre.
The Democrats of Blue Earth have NOM
mated the following county ticket:
For Auditor-Samoel N. Walker, of Man.
kato.
District Attorney.J. E. Tourtellotte, of Man.
kato.
Court Commissioner-A. D. Pinkerton of
Shelby.
Coroner-.-N. s. Rowland, of Lime.
County Commissioners Henry Goodrich, j.
Q. A. Marsh, 7. R. Coulson, A. B. Barney, DR..
Francis.
THE prairie fires in Faribault county have
destroyed a large amount Of property. One
farmer lost six hundred bushels of wheat,
another, three hundred, and several others
smaller quantities.