SKETCH OF PRESCOTT, AND PIERCE COUNTY. BY OLIVER GIBBS, JR., AND C. E. YOUNG, OF PRESCOTT. Pierce county lies immediately south of the 45th parallel of north latitude, between the 92d and 93d degrees of longitude west from Greenwich, and is, consequently, west of the Fourth Principal Meridian. It is bounded on the north by St. Croix county, east by Dunn, south by Dunn, Lake Pepin and the Mississippi river, and west by the Mississippi and Lake St. Croix. Its boundaries secure to it the longest navigable water front of any county of its size in the State. The surface generally has a south-western slope, and is diversified by rolling prairies, bluffs and intervales, with groves and forests of excellent and beautiful timber. It is watered by several streams flowing into the St. Croix, Chippewa and Mississippi. Pierce county, though bounded by two lakes of surpassing beauty, (St. Croix and Lake Pepin,) has none within its own limits, or marks indicating their former existence. Its scenery, however, forms a view of ever-varying magnificence and beauty. The abrading forces which have changed its original features, have scooped out broad valleys, leaving as boundaries on every side rounded and graceful mounds, towering above the general surface from seventy to eighty feet. These mounds really occupy but a small portion of the surface, although from their number, a first view would give a different impression. Seen in the summer months, their tops covered with groves of timber, and their sides with rank and 8 matted vegetation, bedecked with the bright hues of wild flowers, contrasting with the fresh and green shade of the surrounding prairies, no objects in Nature afford more perfect scenes of all that is lovely and attractive. Many of these mounds are worn into semi-circular forms, with gentle sloping prairies in front, stretching down to some rippling rivulet, and then rising with easy grade to similar mounds at the distance of a mile or more. These places, numerous all over the county-paragons of rural beauty-are the favorite selections of the pioneer settlers. The log cabin is found in places which art could scarcely adorn, or cultivation add to the quality of the soil, sheltered from the wintry winds, situated upon the margin of groves, with ever-living water gurgling up in freshness and purity near its door sill. In such sequestered spots, but just invaded for the purposes of settlement, the wildness of primitive life is best seen in contrast with the coming change which will speedily transform the country into a great garden. The cultivated field, loaded with the virgin crop, is but a mere point in the extended landscape. The geological structure of the county is worthy of special notice, since the quality and durability of the soil of any given district are determined by the composition of its rocks, and the materials washed down from its highlands. A vertical section through any of the mounds or ridges immediately east of Prescott, would exhibit the following as the descending order of superposition of the stratified deposits: Blue Fossiliferous (shell or Trenton) Limestone, about..... 30 feet. Lower Magnesian Limestone (of Owen). 50 " 250 Abrading forces have worn off and carried away a large proportion of the two first named superior deposits. They are found only as outliers in the numerous mounds or ridges which ornament the county. But very few hills of drift are met with, and if ever deposited in quantity, the material has been subsequently removed from the surface. The soil of Pierce county has been formed of decomposed rocks and crumbling ledges, which, washed by rains, constantly add their fertilizing elements to the lower levels, mixing with the clay and fine sand there accumulated, and possesses an unsurpassed strength and productiveness. As we journey inland, the land rises moderately for twelve miles, until we cross the Trimbelle river, when the blue limestone is largely developed, and doubtless marks the limits of an extensive and dense forest of hard wood timber, which covers the interior of the county, some fifteen miles through, east and west, by twenty north and south. Beyond this forest, and some thirty miles east of Prescott, the sand-stones reappear, and still farther eastward, the primary rocks will be found in place. It will thus be seen, how extensively limestones are developed throughout the county, and from a gentle rolling surface, how thoroughly every portion of its soil is impregnated with one of the most essential elements to profitable agriculture. In this respect, no portion of the West can claim a superiority. Although the county has no interior lakes, it is by no means destitute of water and lake scenery. Lake Pepin borders it on the south-a sheet of water celebrated for its beauty. Its shores are rock-bound, often vertical, and rise to a height of from two to four hundred feet. "Lovers' Leap" is a precipice of this description, on the eastern side, and near the center of the lake, which is thirty miles in length. The Mississippi river, with its deeply worn channel, winding its way amidst numberless islands, cannot be seen without awakening an enthusiasm in the breast of the beholder. And Lake St. Croix, deeply embosomed in hills, margined by sloping prairies and verdant groves, its bright waters flashing in the sunbeams, is an object of ever varying interest and loveliness. This lake, also, is thirty miles in length. Fish, in innumerable multitudes, embracing a great variety of species, swarm in the lakes and rivers, and are to be had "for the taking." All the interior streams abound in speckled trout. The lovers of wild game-of water, wood, or prairiemay here gratify their taste, however nice or fastidious. Starting from Prescott, eastward, after reaching the second bench, about half a mile distant, we enter magnificent oak openings, which margin the Mississippi and Lakes for about six miles in depth. The openings then dwindle away into a lighter growth of timber, and finally terminate in prairie, which continues for about six miles, to the banks of the Trimbelle. From hence, for fifteen miles eastward, the country is covered with a dense hard-wooded forest, abounding in stigar maple, oak, ash, walnut, butternut, basswood, elm, white elm, cotton-wood, &c. Passing this, we again enter the prairie, which some ten miles further eastward, terminates in light openings, and finally merges in the pinery region of the Chippewa. The prairie country abounds in groves; and timber, for all purposes, is plentier than in the southern counties of Wisconsin, or Iowa and Minnesota. The whole surface of the county is gently rolling, with no large level prairies, or pestilential marshes. There are no deep and abrupt ravines in the interior-no quagmires-but broad and grassy "coolies," graceful swales, and a due proportion of "hill and dale and sunny slope." We have spoken of the quality of the soil-a deep and rich mold, with a subsoil of clay, fine sand and lime, in intimate mixture, we will now speak of climate, &c. It is a common, yet a very absurd opinion, that the climate of the North-West is much colder than in the same latitude in the Eastern States. The altitude of the country generally, is only about eight hundred feet above the Atlantic-not much higher than the table lands of New England and New York. The great lake of the north, the largest in the worlda sea of fresh water-tempers the northern blasts, as the At lantic does in the Eastern States. The interior of Wisconsin and Minnesota is a lacustrine region, filled with countless lakes, and threaded by great rivers, all of which aid in preserving a uniform and even temperature. That there are extremes of heat and cold need scarcely be stated-but that the average annual temperature is colder than in New England, remains to be proved. All the old settlers-New Englanders-claim that it is warmer. The fall season is the most agreeable of the year. Cold weather comes insensibly on, with a bright sky, and the smoky haze of Indian summer. Winter comes on with snow, when, for some months, sleighing is excellent. The north-west trade-wind, having crossed the Continent, has parted with its humidity, and is bracing and agreeable. Long winter winds, however, are uncommon-but a dry atmosphere is not a cold one to the human system. The culminating point of winter, takes place sometime between the middle of January, and 20th of February, when the weather becomes milder, until spring opens. For the following figures, we are indebted to one of our oldest settlers, J. M. BAILEY, Esq. The coldest day in six years, was Jan. 22d, 1854-temper ature, 35 degrees below zero. The greatest amount of snow |