Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1874-08-22
Correspondence of the Beacon.1
Letter from Lake Mime tOnka.
b" MINNETONKA House,"

WAYzATo, MINI, Aug. 10, III.
DEAR BEACON On leaving oul
dear home, we promised our many
relatives and friends that we would
write to them relative to our trip,
health and matters of interest with
reference to this State &c, and now
finding it impossible to write to
them all separately, address them
through your liberal columns.
All are aware that in entering IL
pom all enterprises, or going on a
journey, the worst is the beginning,
so June 18th, We made a start, out
on the tide and our fate is in the
hands of Him who controls the des-
TIMES of mortals whatever our fate
may be our purposes arc good and
we shall ever remember our many
dear relatives and friends left at
home.
We arrived at St. Louis, the great,
growing and prosperous city of the
West, at 6 Il. M, July lst., and as
we could hear nothing talked of but
the great Bridge celebration to come
off on the 4th, we soon decided to
remain here to see it.
The display of the procession was
beyond description. The manufac-
turing interest was magnificent.
Every branch of trade was well
represented. The procession was
fifteen miles in length. The crowd
was immense, estimated at 300, 900.
July 9th, we left for Chicago. The
crops in Illinois were reported as
never better and harvesting had
fairly commenced, and many a grain
cutter did we 10 glistenning in the
fields of ripened grain, the corn
looked well and will excel any pre-
vious year, and many a thousand
bushel did we soc penned up by the
road side. This made our minds
go back to. ante belIWm times in our
once happy and prosperous state.
We passed many beautiful and
enterprising towns, one by the
name of Carlinville, which boasts
of having the finest courthouse in
the United States. 1t has just been
completed, at a cost of $1,000, 900.
We arrived at Chicago, the com
mercial metropolis Of the north
west, at 8 p. m. Remained here
one day and left for st. Paul on the
18th. Scenery on the route very
en- the upper Mississippi river
is almost equal to the scenery on
Tho Hudson river. Arrived at St.
Paul on the 9Th, at 6 p. m. st. Paul
s situated on a bluff rising from ff-
y to one hundred feet above, and
les on the north and east bank of
he Mississippi River, is about 700
oct above the level of the sea and
bout 2,l00 miles from the Cult of
deXlco 1t IL noted for its elegant
residences and also as a
commercial center for this State and
theirs bordering. j
Twenty-Five miles west of st. Paul !
Lake Minnetonka, the present t
ONE Of tho writer and his family. :
will not attempt to give you a full
escription Of this beautiful lake. as
would occupy too much space. :
Lake M~innetonka is some TWEEN
miles long, one to five wide, !
car as can be, aboHnds in the fin
y tribe, Is magnificent body of
alter with over 200 miles OF shore.
is entirely surrounded by q mag
belt of Timber The islands, Z
which thcre are many, are also 4
'yercd with beautiful timber. One Il
these is called Crane island so :
He'd from The great number of
'aRes constantly on aud around IT.. v
: the steamer passes these birds q
So in hundreds. 6lling the mir with a
.elF alseordaat noise. Inc island