Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1871-09-07


river, fourteen miles from the lake. After
crossing the river to Hancock, we went
up hill over five hundred feet high, to
some copper mines less than mile from
the river. We went. first to the Quincy
mine, which has been in operation about
fifteen wears. 1t is eleven hundred feet
in depth, and has three shafts. Most OF
the mines are stopped on account ct the
Door quality Of the ore. We saw the
n.odus eperandi Ct working the shafts,
and returned to the boat.
At half-past ten in the evening we
started to return down the river by moon
light; but at twelve O'Clock, when within
half mile of the mouth of the river, ran
aground on a sand bar. At four o'clock
the popular Pacific came down and
drew us off She started ahead of us. but
we arrived at Copper Harbor at noon,
considerably ahead of her.
At nine o'clock on the following even
ing it looked decidedly like severe storm
from the northwest. The first appearance
was the sky being of dense blackness,
then it would continually brighten by
sharp flashes of lightning. The wind
began to blow 7trongly, but was not dis
agreeably cold. while the thunder seemed
to mutter and crash deep medley for
an accompaniment. At length the wind
came with fearful force, filling the sail,
which had not been entirely fastened on
account of the suddeness of the storm,
like a balloon LAND its pounding and crash
ing against the mast was heard above the
tempest. The rain fell in torrents, and
with such force that it completely sub
dued the waves, and the continuous
flashes of lightning showed the water as
calm as if the elements were repesing in
stead of holding high carnival by night
In the course of half an hour the storm
spent it's fury, and in an hour the stars
were shining as brightly as If there had
been q perpetual peace among the so
lately warning elements.
Early the next morning we came to the
small town of Bay field, Wis. We stayed
there two hours and then started for Du-
luth, with the Pacific" of the Erie Rail-
road line couple of miles ahead eff us.
After leaving Bayfield, we passed through
the Apostle Islands. These are very
beautiful and are wooded with tall trees,
with here and there a small clearing for
farm house.
The water was as smooth as glass, and
we had splendid run of eighty miles to
Duluth, where we arrived at one o'clock
with the "Pacific" few miles in the rear.
Duluth is situated at the head of Lake
Superior and co, tains ak thousand in
habitants. Many think it is destined to
be very large city. If the terminus OF
the Northern Pacific Railroad in there, ii
probably will be. A great mssy streets
in the middle of them, and no houses on
the sides. There are more "real estate
agencies" and saloons than all the stores
taken together.
The following morning we left for the
Northern Pacific Railroad. As there are
no passenger trains or regular trains OF
any kind yet, we took conveyance con-
sisting of q platform car, with little
house on it, pushed before an engine.
This was the best possible mode of riding
in order to see the country.
Here our song waa,-
| "Hurrah, for a ride with jostle and jar,
| Hurrah, for ride on a crooked bar,
| Hurrah, for ride on a construction car,
Yive la Northern Pacific :"
There Is a hundred and twenty miles OF
track now laid, and twenty miles more
graded and ready for rails. Rnis are now
laid twenty miles west OF the Mississippi
river to Crow Wing river.
We were delayed ty an engine off the
track, 50 we did not reach Brainerd, the
point of intersection of the railroad with
the Mississippi river, till night. Breinerd
is named after the late Hon. Lawrence
Brainerd of St. Alb4rs, VI.
We took a ride through the town on
the following day. A great many streets
are laid out. with the gquares filled with
the virgin forest. There are SIX storeR,
nine saloons and eight hotels in the place
one of the latter bears the n anne "Scan9i-
navian Hotel" We went on the same
"palaoe car" as before, to Crow Wing
river, which is as far as the track is laid.
On the whole length of the Northern
Pacific Railroad that is now built, there
is not public road that crosses the track,
except at Brainerd. and there is only one
house within twenty miles OF the track,
occupied by white people, that has been
built over two years. East of the Mis-
sissippi river the country is low and
swampy, but farther west it il very good.
The Indians, though despised nc
count of their begging and stealing pro-
clivities, still are more willing to work
than we expected to find them. The
way they commenced working on the
railroad was related to US by the overseer
of the cor struction department, who wit
messed the Who'll affair. First, two of
them came and without speaking to or
being spoken to by any one, picked up
shovels and went to work as they saw the
others do. They worked we'll for two or
three days, when thoy were paid off the
same as the others. They then disap.
peared, but returned in two weeks to work
silently as before. After this their num-
bers increased, till now they have a good
many such laborers.
As there is no pine timber west of the
Mississippi river at this point, suitable for
sash and blinds, and there is at and near
Brainerd, it is thought that that place
will grow up to be large city on that &C.
count.
We started on our return to Thomson
early in the morning. When twenty
five miles east of Brcinerd. we came to a
marshy place where the track had sunk