Connecticut western news., 1874-06-05
Through the West.
fCOntinued.1

lCOnC1nueQ.l
 Our last stopping place was at Belle Plain. a small town of 800 inhabitants. on the St. Paul 6 Sioux City railroad, forty seven miles southwest from St. Paul in Scott county, Minn. There is nothing in this town worthy of note, except that it is situated on bluff or table lands some 100 feet above the bed of the Minnesota river, and for five or six miles in each direction is beautiful, rich and fertile prairie. The town is surrounded with belt of timber some four miles wide, and as consequence timber is plenty and fire wood cheap; for instance, green maple $2. 50, and seasoned $500 per cord, while basswood only brings $1.50 per cord. Leaving Belle Plaine, we proceeded to St Peter, also a town on the the same road of Z, 800 inhabitants. This is one of the most beautiful towns we have passed through in our travels. It is 75 miles southwest from St. Paul, on the Min nesota river, and located in what is called the Minnesota valley. The city IS some thirty feet above the river, and consequent ly IS never injured by the rivers overflow ing. On either side-that is, on two sides, there are bluffs 100 or more feet high, while in the opposite direction extends the valley as far as the eye can reach; and handsomer CT better farming lands cannot be found.
 Wood and timber are plenty; the farm CTS are in good circumstances and the mer- chants prospering. The greatest drawback to this section of country is, it being so tar north that the winters are long and stock has to be fed some seven months ot the year. St. Peter is quite manufacturing town, using both steam and water power. It has five or six churches, five hotels, the best of which is the Nicollet House schools. an insane asylum, some fifty stores. and is the western terminus of the Winona & St. Peter railroad. If any of the read CTS of TIE NEWS visit St. Peter, by all means put up at the Nicollet House you will find large, pleasant and well furnished rooms, an accommodating landlord, and the table is supplied with all the delicacies or the season, and prices reasonable.
 we old aoleu to St. Peter and it's attrac- uons on Saturday, the 18th of May. and proceeded to Mankato, distance of eleven miles; and as no trains depart for the east until Monday morning. we are compelled 70 stop here over Sunday, although we are through with our business. Mankato has a popuiation or 35eO inhabitants, and is what you may call lively town; two railroads passing through it add greatly to it's busi-
 When the Indian massacre took place in ls6z tnls place was threatened. and had to be guarded by troops. Some three hun dred Indians were taken prisoners and brought to this place for trial, the result of Wnlch was that thirty eight out of thethree hundred were condemned to be hung. If remember correctly, it is not more than nfty miles from here that Dr. Humphrey and his wife Susan Ames of Salisbury and cniioren were massacred. We are now writing not more than twenty rods from the spot where those 38 Indians were exc cu.ee. They were arranged on square plas!orm some SIX yards each way. pole psssing up through the center, while the rope . snas suspended the drop passed up over the pole, then down on the onnosite side and out under the platform and ses cured: A square frame work was erected over the drop, and to this were the rones ued that encircled the necks of the savages. At given signal the rope was severed With an ax, and S8 red men (worse than) devils were dangling in the air. Each wore a blanket, and after hanging half an hour were cut down and thrown into govern ment ambulance and deposited in a trench tz11o rect, few rods distant on the west 0ank or the Minnesota river. They did not rest there long however, as that night inc most of the bodies were carried swav hv physicians. There is much more that might be said in this connection, but this letter is already too long.
 Yours truly,
 R. B. MITCHELL. MantorYille, Minn., May 18th. -a-s. To be continuedI