Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1867-09-04
MILFORD, Aug. q, 1867.

DEAR SENTINEL A drive of twelve
miles from Fort Atkinson through most
delightful farming country landed nae at
the Milford House, well conducted tem-
perance hotel, kept by r. Wilson. It
seems like an oasis in desert to find
public house where whiskey is not to be ]
found. The tables are we'll spread, the
rooms are neat and tidy, the bed-clothes
clean, and everything is quiet and order
ly. In the third story of the house the
Good Templars have very comfortable
and tasty hall capable of seating three or
four hundred people The Jefferson
County Good Templars' Convention as
sembled In this hall at three o'clock this
afternoon with George G. Smith, Esq,
of Oakland, as President, AID Geo. ".
Bird, Esq, Of Jefferson, secrstary.
There are some Of the NEST beautiful
farms to be seen along this route, I ever
witnessed anywhere, and judging from
the numerous stacks Of gram with which
| they are covered, these farms must be
very productive. One farm consisting
| Of over two hundred acres, under improve
ment, neatly divided up into spacious lots,
situated IN the town Of Jefferson, and
owned by well-to do farmer by the
name Of Fleming, a scotchman, was IN
deed good to look upon. Some fifteen Or
twenty stacks Of grain surrounded we'll
| filed barn, and everything setokened pros
perity. 80 .Il@ ea 1l%
There are fine fields of corn all along
the route, and ten or fifteen days more of
good weather will place the crop beyond
the reach Of damage by frost. The pota-
toes have experienced a hard struggle
with the nauseous bug, but after all there
will be an average crop if The frost holds
off till October. saH .ase
/ Aztalan, known as the sAnclent City,
of which [ believe the present. name is
the Indian equivalent, lies about two mi es
south Of here, and in passing through the
place ], alighted, and, clanberlng over the
fence, assembled one of the several ancient
mounds which abound there. The high
est one in range of ten which could
discover from this elevation, in a direct
line, as straight as an arrow, running
north and south, attains an elevation OF
perhaps twenty-five or thirty feet From
its summit, the bright waters of the Craw-
| fish River, winding its way through the
/ valley few rods below, may be seen
| glancing in the sunlight, wherein years
agone the red man OF the forest lay in
ambush for the nimble deer, and other
game which there abounded These an
cIent mounds are indeed source of much
speculation. Some suppose them to be
the burial places of the aborgines who
formerly occupied this region of the coun-
try. Others think they are the remains
of ancient Notifications, erected by race
of people long since passed away There
seems to have been some considerable
pains taken In the construction Of these
mounds. First, as to their being formed
in direct line, corresponding with the
course of the river, which flows near. the
base of the elevations. Aad second they
appear to have been constructed entirely
from the soil Of the earth, as represented
lby the remains of the adjoining deposits
The mounds are free from The gravel and
/ pebble stones to be found elsewhere just
beneath the earth's surface 1t is report
! ed that In recent excavations human bones
have been found deeply irnbedded in some
bf these ancient mounds, from which it is
| inferred that they are simply the burial
/ places of an extinct tribe, which must
have suffered vastly from intestine wars,
postilence or famine However this may
be, they are objects ofinterest to thought
full mind, and lead one back to past ages,
until, in bewilderment, be may exclaim,
"Mysterious are the ways Of Providence,
and past finding out"
Aztalan is situated on the old military
road leading from Milwaukee TO Madison,
and shows many signs of its antiquity.
/ Its houses, and stores, and workshops, all
look old, and its cemetery, just north of
the village in its moss-covered marble,
shows the finger of time on its once pol
ished surface. The first settler of the
place came there in February, 1886, in
the person Of Thomas Brayton, and the
second one followed in June, 1887, in the
| person Of II. H. Sedgwick, whom We were
happy TO meet in the Convention here.
He is still resident of the "Ancient
0lty, aHu IS d liVe, working memDer OF
Ancient City Lodge, No. 3l5, l. o. of G.
T.. " go
/ The Convention did little else this af-
ternoon than the appointment of Commit
tees on Resolutions, Finance, etc, and
calling on the lodges of the county,
numbering fifteen, for verbal reports as to
their condition, numbers of members, 4 !.
The Convention will assemble again at
I half past seven o'clock this evening, W en-
public address is expected. George c..
Smith, a thorough-going temperance man,
makes good presiding officer, and I'M
derstands parliamentary tactics to dot.
's@ Yours editorally,
pickles" OF THE CHIEF.