The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1892-08-05
CORRESPONDENCE.
Our Minnesota Letter.

MINNEAPOLIS, July 18th, 1892.
To the Editor Of the Bdnner:-DEAR
SIR:-A discussion has recently been
going on, over proposed changes in some
of the local names. One very pretty lake
in the southwestern suburbs that has
seemed to be especially favored by the
Park board in their work of improve
ment, they having erected large pa
vilion there for public entertainments,
bears the name Lake Harriet. Someone
who could see no historical reason for
the name, proposed to name it Loeb Tor
Lake., Linden, in honor of the linden
(basswood) trees that are growing quite
plentifully there. The discussion has
called forth from Mrs. Charlotte o. Van
Clene, a respected and now venerable
pioneer, the following interesting sketch
of the time and manner of the naming.
She says Lake Harriet was named 70
years ago, for Mrs. Leavenworth. the
wife of Col. Leavenworth, who COM
manded the first detachment of troops
that came up the river as far as the
mouth of st. Peters, now Minnesota
River, to establish military post at that
point. Mrs. Leavenworth was beauti-
full, bright-eyed woman, and was much
beloved by all who knew her. The
cheerful courage with which she took up
life on the frontier, with its incident pri-
vations and discouragements, made her
an important factor in the life of Men
dota, and won for her the honor of NAM
ing one of the most beautiful lakes"
Mrs. Van Clene continues, II was a
baby at the time the lake was named,
and am now probably the sole survivor
of that band of men and women who
called these lakes Calhoun and Harriet,
and now sitting alone time seems to
turn backward in its flight, and am
with merry party riding out here from
the Fort (Snelling). 1 clap my hands
with joy as we arrive near the lake. We
go out in the little boats for fish, and re-
turning, we children gather flowers and
strawberries while the feast is preparing
for our enjoyment"
The spirit of practical enterprise so
abundant in this young metropolis,
seems to be taking possession of the
children. daily pass "Young Amer
lea" snugly settled in their booths or
stalls, or whatever you may be pleased
to call their establishments. Perhaps
you will cease to wonder at my hesita-
ton about the name when describe the
architecture of an average one. They
are not all alike, but by far the larger
part of those have seen are abandoned
pine boxes. 1 had been noticing them
standing at the street corners locked up
as if containing something worth pro-
tecting, and l had wondered, but after
awhile they began to paint to their signs,
Peanuts, Popcorn, Lemonade and Ice
Cream, and l saw them in the act of
calling out their offers of refreshment to
the passing travellers.
kbuN I,n Nor hr
pretty well supplied with music, if we
may judge by the number of piano and
organ boxes that l see around. Last
winter noticed a great many house
where they were used for coal bins,
standing beside the back doors.
This is great place for excitement, of
course some of us are waiting for some
thing to turn up, but the majority are
busily stirring at something, whether of
any practical benefit or not. The in
tense activity of the various lines of mid
die men is variously expressed as ''hustl-
ing'' or "rustling." There seems to be
no let up in the feverish thirst for gain.
/ find the sharp competition makes that
spirit necessary at the first and love of
excitement keeps it up after the neces-
sity is past. Everybody that can't spare
the time or money for a vacation, must
have at least a picnic and dance.
They generally take it by classes here,
one day for the butchers, one for the
grocers, one for the mail carriers, etc.
A few days ago 500 news boys had high
time at Lake Minnetonka, which is our
most popular out1of. town resort, and re-
turned in time to distribute the 8 o'clock
edition of their papers.
Another locality that has recently been
invested with a new interest is Rest
Island, near the lower end of Lake
Pepin. As the boats run, it is 70 miles
below st. Paul. 1t was bright moon
light night when / passed there last
year, and was charmed with the sur
roundings, at that time l had never
heard Of the island and am not sure
that it even had name then. quote
from the Manufacturers journal: "Rest
Island and John G. Woolley are two Of