The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1874-05-21


Mr.. EpsroR: On Monday, April
27th. Nj. John Lowssy and myssss
having prepared earsslvss with tent
and provisions for weeks trip on the
peairies, started for Pipestone City;
papsr town, she embryo county SEAT "f
Pjpeetone county. We got started at
10 O'Clock :. M. from Rock Rapids the
county seat OF Lyon county, thriving
vsslaeSo0 Rack river. After travelling
= Hock river. through one Of tue
pIeasantest valleys Of the State. sixteen
miles We come 20 the thriving and
vide awake village Of Lawrence, the
capital OF Rock county. MINI. Two
and half miles above Lawrence we
come to the Blue mounds; ridge run
ming nearly eos: and west, and on two
sides there II . precipice OF ROCKS OF
redish granite about two miles 'n
length. Alter travelling along TINS
rrecinice about one and half miles
ve come to . ravine running east ana
vsst.through which runs Mound creek.
deriving its source from numerous
springs. Amer following up the creek
shout eighty rods. We went into camp
Along the creek we find several small
locks or ponds. in which We found
pickerel which would weigh six
pounds.
April 2Sth-We got up early and
started, As we had . hard days work
before u, being obliged to travel about
twenty ,six miles without any road and
having to strike = particular section
twenty-six miles distance. 1t was nec-
essary for me to walk nearly all the
way TO keep Oh = line, ~ Il is almost
impossible to do 80 IN driving colt
without an object to guide yon. we
pa.sed over Is nice country ~ | ever
laid ewes on ;and about All hour brought
~ to Pipestone City. About twelve
miles south of Pipest0ne Is knob
standing up about fifty feet high, and
on the top Of il is n stone which looks
like q man, and can be seen = good
many miles, which we Christened PHI
ct Knob. There is line 1T these knobs
or butres, Is the trsppsrs call them, rum
ming little to the west Of north. Al
. distance you would think they were
two steep for horse t. walk MP, but
come to 70 over them you find that
they are . gentle ascent. The first
thing we zee Of the ledge at Pipessonc,
10 = couple Of rocks about four feet
high, but look like . shsnty from
distance, and as they stand on the
brow OF the hill it makes them look
larger than they really are. The creek
here runs west and the ledge runs
across II at right angles, aud Is atout
two miles long. Here the country
drops off about Atty feet to the west.
and then goes on gentle rolling prai-
RE. The Gre pours overa precipice
Just eighteen feet. This ledge il com
posed OF sort of red granite. the hand
soonest building rock ever saw. BY
digging we can get white sand stone
that comes out in layers about eighteen
inches thick. Below this ledge W. find
the celebrated Pipestope qdarries.
The Yankton Indians have n R-ser-
walton Of nearly section Of land which
takes Ia the most of the Pipestone and
about one half OF the other rock. The
top OF the ledge looks - though II had
been melted. which helps give rise 10
the Indian legend which 10 nearly like
this: The Great Spirit stood on the
top of the ledge when oil the tribes
were gathered in the valley below and
broke Oft piece Of the stone and mouI-
ded II into pipe; after filling it. he
smoked to the four winds, aud said, let
there be peace on this land. He then
turned them all into stone, except two
maids which were in sonle ovens un'
der couple Of large rocks that are on
the south eide OF the reservation. :
There are six OF he ROCKS. composed of
gravel and sand; apparently, tue three
largest are about fifteen feet across aud
the others are smaller. They are sit
ting up on some email stone Of the
granite. After laying here two nights
and one day. looking nj the sights, We
struck west fifteen miles to Fiandrow
au Indian town on the Sioux river,
where the Santee Sioux live, where
we find two stores and hotel school
house and church. We can see the
church from Pipestone City should
Judge that there are about fifty fami
lies Of Indians here all on h p;n-.t.il..
From here We struck down the river
to Dell Rapids. q place that should moi
be missed by tourists; from there We
struck for home via Lawrence, where
we arrived Sunday At o'cls, p m.
glad to see the faces Of friends again
We shall start, Friday, May Sth. fol
Pipestone City again. and from there
TO Marshall. a railroad station, thirty
Ave miles distant, and from there l.
New Ulm, the land Office; after which
shall be ready to locate parties want
ing some homesteads. pre- emptions, OF
tree claims, in the choice lands Of Min.
pesota. Address Rock Rapids. Lyon
county, Iowa. ID. + SWEET.
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