Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1880-08-26
Cassville and Ride on Devils Lake.

Messrs. Needham and Suttle m anci- |
ally it has been at least creditable
20 them. They have under the dis
couragino patronage received, at
least acquitted themselves well, if
the proud consciousness Of having per-
formed their whole duty, and their
patrons have sought their homes sat
isfied.
Among all those who have so
iournsd here for several months past
we shall miss the genial Archie Me-
Arthur, of Clayton City, Iowa, the
most, and should not wonder if at
least enc more person weuld miss
bis presence, but then, Archie says
he'll come again. Mr.. Macarthur is
going into the practice of law at Nc
Gregor, Iowa.
Cassville will again suffer consid-
cradle loss Of voters this fall. A
number of our old settlers are billed
for the promised land, Iowa. They
go of course in the fond hope of bet
tering their condition, and we bid
them God-speed. On the subject OF
seeking new home in the far west
your correspondent listened to a
graphic description of the promised
land last week in Sank county, in
this state. The relator was either a
northern German or q scandinavian,
had travelled over the west in quest
of a new home, and had just returned.
On being questioned by some of his
old friends-nsighbors l suppose
"John, how do you like the west ?"
"Whsn are you going to move ?" he
went on with his description in this
wise: Western Iowa is a splendid
country; good crops of small grair,
just the country that suited him, but
the fact that SO many wanted to sell,
and so very cheap, suggested to him
the idea that there might possibly be
a niger under the fence somewhere,
and that it was perhaps better for
HIM to look little out. Then he
touched on all drawbacks; scarcity
of water, bad water, scarcity of fuel,
high winds, and concluding to seek
further, he went to and through Da-
kota, Nebraska and Kansas, and in
the description OF each he first per-
trayed the sunny side, and made his
auditors bolieye that that particular
country would be the future happy
homo of John, but in each State 8
dark side was portrayed the dark
side of western Iowa, together with
rivers drying up, being dry for ssye-
raj months in summer, and though
part o good grazing country, stock
had now to be driven ten to twelve
miles to water. Cattle suffered with
hoof disease, etc, finally winding up
with "Shentlemen, my trip has cost
me $l72, and l am satisfied it is
spent to the best advantage that
have ever spent dollar in my life.
I have learned that Wisconsin is the
best state in the Union, Sank county
the best county in the state, and Bar.
aboo the best place in Sank county.
Shentlemen, | am going to stay with
YOU" A similar description of the
west and conclusion similar to that
of Johns was detailed to your GORE.
spendent by Mr.. NJ. w. VanAusdall
of Patch Grove as early as 1857, on.
ly that he thought Grant county
the best county on Gods foot.
stool. and your correspondent
firmly believes it Is. John SAYS,
Thousands of homes are offered for
sale and thousands of people would
come back here if they had the
wherewithsl."
And DVw, hill. terry lug ia Sank,
| must give you short description
OF Devils Lake. Have you ever seen
it? Devils Lake derives its name
from-well, some of our countrymen
honestly believe that the resting place
or abode of Old Nick is somewhere
beneath it. The lake to all appear.
ance is the crater of an extinct vol
cano. 1t is nearly on the top of q
high hill--in the side of the hill. On
Friday last (the 13th) there were
probably ESQ tourists at the lake. II
was as smooth as glass, and bore not
ripple or It's surface, excepting
such as were caused by the yawls
They have miniature steam yacht
belonging to the hotel keeper, / be.
: lieve, aud q number of yawls and
t skiffs, and on this day every craft was
|, on the lake. Your correspondent 90.
cupisd fifty cents worth Of space in
the little steamer. We had lead
line 600 feet long, and in sounding
brought up some d,minutive snail
/ shells, aud some very bright particles
of what seemed to be teldspar. In
or near the centre the bottom gave
out. The slops of the bottom is fun.
nel.shaped. The water is clear, and
on a clear day like this you can see
, bottom to q considerable depth.
There were probably a dozen crafts
on the lake, tempting Gas an old
Frenchman present weul have i'll the
: veritabls old Nick, when all of a sud
den the lake began general uphea.
val; the surface became very rough.
though no win. was blowing. The
waves were irregular, and all hands
pulled for shore. On shore manv
suggestions were made as to the
cause of this cemmotien some had
the lake ooi,a cted by a subterran.
can passage with the sea, and bad
the oommotion caused by tho ebbine
and flowing OF the tide. However,
an old resident Jays these spasms
come NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. are not
} noticed for weeks, while again at
other times they are more frequent.
Residents claim them to be forerun-
ners of storm However this NAV
be, would suggest an idea tina. at
least looks PLAUSIBLE till exploded /:
The whole Mississippi Valley is said
to lie over volcano, and for proof
shocks of earthquake have been no.
ticed in different localities from New
Orleans to st. Paul and above St.
Paul at different times, and probably
the lake assures in tbs rock lead to
the distant subterraneau fires; gases
from these accumulate in caves con-
| nected with thasa 6ssurec ovsr Which