The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1872-08-01
SOUTHWESTERN MINNESOTA.
The Minnesota. Yellow Medicine and
Chippewa River acknowledgements
Falls Wntcr Power. ~
sL1TcHr1ELp, MINI, July l6, 1872.

LrTcHr1rLD, MINI, July l6, 1872.
ED1ToR JouRNAL.---0n -, Monday, Ut
inst, ] accepted an Invitation from Hon.
Henry Hill to accompany him to Granite
Falls and take part in the celebration Of
the "Fourth" at that embryo city. We
travelled by rail to Wlllmar, spending the
night there. At daybreak, Mr.. Hill, Mr..
Jewett and myself started with q fue team
across the broad prairies, our direction be.
ing southwest. At eight o'clock A. H., We
reached "Emerson's," place consisting Of
one house, Mr.. Emerson's residence on
homestead. 1t is the last habitation on
the prairie till one gets within about eight
miles Of Granite Falls. Near "Emerson's"
is the scene Of the bloody tragedy in which
Coney murdered D. Y. Wethron, in May,
1870, for which murder Coney is now fill
ing out the sentence Of Imprisonment for
life at Saltwater. After cur fifteen miles
morning ride, it was refreshing to find so
acceptable bill Of fare as was set before
us by Mrs. Emerson. We were soon cross
ing that "treeless plain" of eighteen miles,
by which name two years ago the St. Paul
Press designated the whole country west Of
the woods. After going few miles from
Emerson's the canopy Of heaven closes
over an unbroken prairie, and look in what
direction we may, nothing is seen but an
of ~
lilies and phloxes and a magnificent array
of flowers iu general not q tree or shrub,
or fence or house or stable, or any cattle,
horses or living thing appears in the wide
sweep of vislon-nothing but flowers at
our feet and the blue sky above. As on
the "wide waste Of waters" one is lonely
for want Of a view Of land, here one is
lonely because of nothing but land; yet
the view, to my mind, is one Of grandeur
and beauty. Once accustomed to the prai-
ries, it is no wonder the pioneer is up aud
away when the Accomplishments of matur-
er civilization hem him in, and compel him
to draw in his elbows, and beat recall to
his t1ocks and herds whose unfenced 'spas-
ture fields" are disturbed. It WAS two
years ago last March that Daniel Holt, Of
Greenleaf, a pioneer surveyor and we'll &C.
quainted with the "Big Prairie," while
crossing the prairie on foot and alone was
overtaken by the most fearful storm Of the
winter, and was frozen stiff and stark. He
was found near house, almost at the end
Of his journey, his faithful shepherd dog
dead by his side. He started from Emer-
sons when the sun shone &nd the snow
was melting, but in few hours the most
fearful and terrific storm swept over the
whole country west Of the 'sBig Woods"
Some fifteen miles southwest of Emerson's
we reach Hawk Creek, on either side Of
which the country is settled for long dis
lance. This creek has two branches which
unite and form one stream which flows
southwark into the Minnesota river, q
short distance from the mouth of the Yel-
low Medicine. The soil is rich in the vi.
cinity of Hawk Creek and produces fabu-
leus quantities Of wheat and other cereals.
Before reaching Hawk Creek mound rises
up at the right hand to On altitude Of pcr-
haps seventy-fve or hundred feet. This
is ca lied "Governor's Mound" Gov. Aus
tin and Hon. Henry Hill when exploring
this country a few years ago, like the
army we read Of, marched up this mound
and then marched down again. Mr.. Hill
named it Governors Mound. 1t is the
highest point of land in that section Of
country. Between Hawk Creek and Gram
ite Falls, within the last two years, the
country has gradually settled up.
About four P. NJ, July I'd, We reached
Granite Falls, situated on both sides of the
Minnesota river about fourteen miles be-
low the confluence Of the Chippewa and
Minnesota rivers. Standing on the bluffs
on the east side Of the river beautiful
landscape is spread out before you. The
river winds around here in a "serpentine"
course, leaving the portion of the town
site west Of the river in the shape of a
horse shoe. Timber lines the shores at
intervals. On the west of the river, at the
falls, level plateau extends for about a
mile back, when prairie bluffs appear.
Beyond this the big prairies again stretch
away to the westward.
The town site Of Granite Falls was
plated less than year ago. Hon. Henry
Hill, of Litchfeld, is proprietor. In DC.
tobcr last the frat improvements were
commenced, by Henry Hill. J. NJ. Waldron
and s. G. Anderson, the first proprietors
Of the mill and water power. Mr.. Hill is
now sole proprietor. Since then a large
Touring mill has been constructed, which
already has ground over 10000 bushels Of
wheat in grists brought from region Of
| sparsely settled country round about, from
which what wheat was raised amid the
/ drought Of last year was supposed to have
been taken out Of the county and sold or
ground. The mill has two run of stone,
another run being contemplated. There is
a natural fall Of six feet at the mill, and
this can be raised so as to have eighteen
feet fall. The river up and down for half
mile is succession Of rapids, affording
| total natural fall at and near the town
site Of say twenty feet, while three miles
below at Minnesota Falls, Gov. Austin'a
town site, is still other rapids affording a
fall Of say ten feet. Besides these, there
is nothing comparable to this water power
within radius Of fifty miles. The river
bed ID solid rock, and 50 are the banks in
most places. At Granite Falls the dam il
q short one compared to the average
width Of the river, projecting rocks short
ening the distance, as well as strengthen.
ing the dam. Mr.. A. c. Powers, formerly
of Clearwater, is running the mill for Mr.
Hill. He is highly competent miller.
Mr.. wethron, son o. the one before
mentioned as murdered by Coney, has q
store on the cast side of the river. Mr.
Simpson (the one Coney attempted to muir.
der) has store on the west side. C. e.
Lathrop, late Of Cayuga county, New York
(vho lives on claim in the vicinity
broke ground July 9Th for the cellar Of {
hardware store. A. G. Luce, late of south
ern Illinois, is building a fine residence OF
the east side, to cost $2,5co. Mr.. Luce
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