Minnesota and Dacotah | Page 3

TERRITORY OF DACOTAH.
Organization of Minnesota as a state-- Suggestions as to its division--
Views of Captain Pope-- Character and resources of the new territory to
be left adjoining-- Its occupation by the Dacotah Indians-- Its
organization and name
POST OFFICES AND POSTMASTERS
LAND OFFICES AND LAND OFFICERS
NEWSPAPERS PUBLISHED IN MINNESOTA
TABLE OF DISTANCES
PRE-EMPTION FOR CITY OR TOWN SITES _______

PART I.
LETTERS ON MINNESOTA. _______
MINNESOTA AND DACOTAH. _______
LETTER I.
BALTIMORE TO CHICAGO.
Anecdote of a preacher-- Monopoly of seats in the cars-- Detention in
the night-- Mountain scenery on the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad--
Voting in the cars-- Railroad refreshments-- Political excitement-- The
Virginian and the Fremonters-- A walk in Columbus-- Indianapolis--
Lafayette-- Michigan City-- Chicago.
CHICAGO, October, 1856.
I SIT down at the first place where a pen can be used, to give you some
account of my trip to Minnesota. And if any one should complain that
this is a dull letter, let me retain his good-will by the assurance that the
things I expect to describe in my next will be of more novelty and
interest. And here I am reminded of a good little anecdote which I am
afraid I shall not have a better chance to tell. An eminent minister of the
Gospel was preaching in a new place one Sunday, and about half

through his sermon when two or three dissatisfied hearers got up to
leave, "My friends," said he, "I have one small favor to ask. As an
attempt has been made to prejudice my reputation in this vicinity, I beg
you to be candid enough, if any one asks how you liked my sermon, to
say you didn't stop to hear me through."
Stepping into the cars on the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad a few
evenings ago-- for I am not going to say anything of my trip further
east-- I saw as great an exhibition of selfishness as one often meets in
travelling. This was in the rear car, the others being all crowded. The
seats were spacious, and had high backs for night travelling. A
gentleman entered the car and proposed to sit in a seat in which was
only one child, but he was informed by a feminine voice in the rear that
the whole seat was taken-- so he advanced to the next seat, which was
occupied by another child, a boy about eight years old-- again the same
voice, confirmed by one of the other sex, informed him in very decided
terms that that also was wholly occupied. The gentleman of course did
not attempt to take a seat with this lady, but advancing still further, in a
seat behind her he saw another child the only occupant. His success
here was no better. The fact was, here was a family of a husband, wife,
and three children occupying five entire seats. The traveller politely
asked if it would not be convenient for two of the children to sit
together. "No," said the lady and her husband (and they spoke together,
though they didn't sit together), "the children want all the room so as to
sleep." The traveller betrayed no feeling until the husband aforesaid
pointed out for him a seat next to a colored woman who sat alone near
the door of the car, some little distance off. It was quite apparent, and it
was the fact, that this colored woman was the servant of the family; and
the traveller appeared to think that, although as an "original question"
he might not object to the proffered seat, yet it was not civil for a man
to offer him what he would not use himself. The scene closed by the
traveller's taking a seat with another gentleman, I mention this incident
because it is getting to be too common for people to claim much more
room than belongs to them, and because I have seen persons who are
modest and unused to travelling subjected to considerable annoyance in
consequence. Moreover, conductors are oftentimes fishing so much
after popularity, that they wink at misconduct in high life.

Somewhere about midnight, along the banks of the Potomac, and, if I
remember right, near the town of Hancock, the cars were detained for
three hours. A collision had occurred twelve hours before, causing an
extensive destruction of cars and freight, and heavy fragments of both
lay scattered over the track. Had it not been for the skilful use of a
steam-engine in dragging off the ruins, we must have waited till the sun
was up. Two or three large fires were kindled with the ruins, so that the
scene of the disaster was entirely visible. And the light shining in the
midst of the thick darkness, near the river, with the crowd of people
standing around,