Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1869-09-30
RUTLAND, VT, THURSDAY MORNING, SEPTEMBER 30 1862

Minneapolis is rapidly doing. We foun
here, to our great delight, the family Q
D. r. Barber, Esq, Rutland Count
merchant, who took thirteen years ago
"the tide in the affairs of men which
taken at the food, leads on to fortune.
Following the long line Of emigratio,
which at that time was overwhelming
the west, he settled in the county, new
and an experiment, but throbbing in al
hundred arteries with the life which ha
since made it the most vigorous Of ouI
virgin States. Growing up with it, ant
sharing its fortunes of change and vicissi
tude, its hours Of darkness and hope
they have lived to see it take
proud pre-eminenoe among the oitie
of the West. Land secured early in the
settlement of the town has developed init
rich soil, and yields this year abundan
crops of wheat. Besides several improv
ed farms, Mr.. Barber is just turning tn,
sod upon some new prairie, which, in {
few years, will bud and blossom as th,
rose in what the first writer's about Min
nesota used to call this "polar region" L
is doubtful, however, if we see in this
latitude much colder weather than used
to visit us in the Green Mountains years
ago, and which has grown no warmer
with time.
In company with friends we drove ove1
the city, accompanied by Mr.. B. and
family in a fine carriage and span. fol
which the West is especially remarkable
Here we rode leisurely along the banks Of
the lakes, Harriet, Calhoun, Lake of the
Isles, and Cedar Lake, only carriage
drive between these whose outlet makes
the wondrous falls of Minnehaha, second
edition of Niagara, as old, as grand, and
destined to become the still greater ad.
miration of the world. Thousands OF
names are annually registered at the no.
tells near to the falls and in adjacent
towns
Foot marks are worn into the rocks
under the fall. and the arches OF the
bridge across the river below are covered
and interlined with names from all parts
of the county, New England taking the
lead.
These fails were named as early as 1880
by Father Hennepin, French mission
ary, who was taken captive here by the
Indians.
The Chippewas, according to tradition,
bestowed upon them the name of "Kaka-
bikah," meaning severed rock, and the
Sioux invested them with the title of
"Irara," to laugh, from which undoubted-
ly has come tho name Minnehaha, which
has made them the theme of poetry and
lore.
Now, IL we were scientist, we should
like to tell you all about the fossils and
constantly collecting and
produced by the action of the water upon
the limestone strata. We forbear, how
ever, till we learn the fate of this.
The Falls of St. Anthony named by
Father Hennepn, after st. Anthony Of
Podna, the patron Saint Of his travels, add
their mighty thunderinSs to the continu
Gus din Of Il hundred circular saws, rap
idly converting the forests of Minnesota
into lumber, whose transit north and
south, swells the commerce Of the river
from the Lakes to st. Louis. AZ a conse-
qucnce Of the great traffic at every point,
trade is better than in the strictly agri-
cultural states,moncy casy,public improve
ments more visible, and taste for fine
arts more fully developed, than in some
other portions Of tho North West. st.
commands as town, delight
full situation, and is the center of rapid
ly increasing population. am indebted
to an old book, Sketches of Minnesota"
by +. s. Seymour, for the fact that the
water power here was opened to improve
ment in 1847, and that the first Mills
were introduced in 1s48. To-day hun
dreds of men are at work upon the Falls,
in no profane sense, the i'm
mense flow of water, making it tributary
to still more enlarged manufacturing en-
terprises. BY this means one Of the most
beautiful sights in nature will be shorn of
its grandeur, but with population of
thousands annually pouring in upon US,
hungry mawed and stalwart, we must
look little more to the grosser elements
of nature, and open prairies, and feed and
house, and protect the exiles driven out
Of home, and cast shelterless among US.
Fort Smelling stands on an elevated site,
fine view Of both rivers,
fortified by nature with impregnable
rocks, and enclosed by formidable wall.
It has the form of a hexagon, and presents
an imposing front, Soldiers are stationed
here to pass their daily rounds, saluting
officers, and admitting visitors to the
grounds, drawing their rations, fddling
and browsing away their time, waiting
for brush with the Indians perhaps, or
orders to the south. A few weeks ago
they were sadly needed at De Lutb, IA
settlement on Lake Superior, where q
crowd of Philadelphia roughs, whose re-
fined civilization makes them devils, be-
sides the most barbarous of our 'front.'
iersmen, instigated a!riot for the murder
of peaceable citizens.
But I draw to aTclose alarmed at the
unseemly length ofithis epistle, proposing
to return to the subject at some future
time.
A SERMON WELL APPLAUDED.-In .
country parish in Scotland the minister
and 9he ruling elder went over the muir
to visit an old parishloner on "cateohis-
ing" visit, and the walk being long
one, their appetites were pretty keen
when they arrived. Before commencing
the serious business, they suggested that
the onward man" was clamorous. Janet
went to the "press," and plac-