The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1895-05-02

A VILLAGE WHICH PRESENTED NC
Thrilling PROSPECTS,"

"THRlLL,N6 PROSPECTS,"
The Country Thcreahout offered Few Fea-
lures, aud There Was Nothing Worthy
of Euio.y-A Report That Failed Com
pleteiy Prophecy.
The Chicago Of nearly - years ago
did not present IN inviting appearance.
The party Of Heating and Lang left
Fort Wayne in May to discover the
source If the St Peters river The APP
proach To Chicago Is thus described in
the account published III 1929.
I'VE were near the southern extremity
of the lake The view toward the north
was boundless, the eye meeting nothing
but the vast eXpansc Of water which
spread like sea its surface at that
time Us calm and unru1led It's though it
We're Il sheet Of ice.
"Our path led US over the scene of the
bloody massacre which occurred in 1912,
when the garrison Of Chicago was de
stroyed by the Pottawatomies No traces
are now to be seen Of the massacre.
On the afternoon Of June we reach
ed Fort Dearborn (Chicago). Fort Dear
/ born Is ON the south bank, near the
mouth Of the Chicago river The post at
/ Chicago was abandoned a few months
after the party visited it. Its establish
ment had been found necessary TO intimi
date the powerful tribes of Indians
which still inhabit this part Of the conn
try.
I'VE We're much disappointed at the
appearance of Chicago and its vicinity.
We found i'll it nothing to justify the
great eulogium layished upon it by Mr..
Schoolcraft, a late traveller.
THE best comment upon his descrip
ton of the climate and the soil is the
fact that, with the most active vigilance
ON the part Of the officers, it was impos-
sible for the garrison, consisting of 10
to 90 men, TO subsist ON the grain raised
in the country.
"The appearance If the country near
Chicago offers but few features. There
is too much uniformity in the scenery.
The extensive water prospect Is waste
uncheckered by islands and unenlivened
by spreading canvas
1.-THE village presents no thrilling
prospects, as Notwithstanding its antiq
uity it consists of but few huts, inhab-
tied by "a miserable race Of men, scarcely
equal to the Indians, from whom they
are descended Their log or bark houses
are low, filthy and disgusting, display
ing not the least trace of comfort.
Chicago is perhaps one of the oldest
settlements i'll the Indian country. Its
language, signifies either skunk or
wild onion Mention is made of the
place as having been visited in 1871 by
Perot, who found 'Chicgou' to be the
residence of powerful chief of the
Miamis
"As place of business it offers no
inducement to the settler. for the whole
annual amount of trade ON the lake did
not exceed the cargoes of five schooners,
even when the garrison received its sup
plies from Mackinaw.
:" 1t is not impossible that at some dis
tant day, when the banks of the Illinois
shall have been covered with "a dense
population and when the low prairies
which extend between that river and
Fort Wayne shall have acquired popu-
lation proportionate to the produce which
they can yield, Chicago may become one
of the points in direct communication
between the northern lakes and the Mis-
sissippi.
THE Indians were chiefly Pottawato-
mics, but intermiXed with OttowaS and
Chippewas. Among many charges
against these Indians there is mono more
horrible than the charge of Cannibalism.
This has been denied but it has been
acknowledged by the Indians themselves,
and it has been uniformly admitted
by the Interpreters and traders who have
long resided with them.
1T is "a common superstition with
them that he that tastes of the body of
"A brave man acquires Il part of his valor,
and if he can eat of his heart which by
them is considered It's the seat of all
courage, the share of bravery which ar
rives from it Is still greater.
Captain Wells is still mentioned as
the bravest white man with whom they
ever met. He had almost become one of
their number and had united himself to
"a descendant Of Little Turtle
AT the commencement of hostillties
between the British and Americans he
sided with his own cormtrymen, while
the Indians of this vicinity all passed
into the British service Wells was
killed. After the action his body was
divided and his heart was shared, us be
ing the most certain spell for courage,
and part of it was sent to the various
tribes in alliance with the Pottawato-
mics, while thev themselves Toasted up
on the rest Chicago Times Herald