Page:History of Goodhue County, Minnesota.djvu/322

 262 HISTORY OF GOODHUE COUNTY pose that its beauties in his mind had more of a practical than an aesthetic value. Visiting the valley several times he discovered that near the center was an ideal site for a town: that the road from Red Wing to the southwest, if straightened, would cross the Zumbro in the center of his proposed townsite, and that there was a natural crossing at that point. He also discovered that by straightening the St. Paul and Dubuque road it would also cross the center of this valley. Keeping all this to himself, lie found a man by the name of Aaron Doty, who would preempt a quarter- section in tin' valley ami share the land with him after the title was obtained from tie- government. Meantime he had traced out the rout'' for the change of the Red Wing and Mantorville road, and stationed himself somewhere near the center of the presenl town of Roscoe. in order to intercepl some of the many teams which were passing from towns and points south toward Red Wine-, lie was able, now and then, to persuade one to try the new route over the trackless prairie. In this way. after a while, there was a wagon track that could be followed in the direction he desired, straightening the former road. Ii was late in July or early in August of 1856, Smith and Doty had the walls of their shanty luiilt to the heighl of some ten feet. It had ;is yet no roof. A few boards leaned againsl the inside wall furnished them a rude shelter during the rain and at night. Occasionally a way- farer would stop and share the hospitality t>' Smith, whose wife had come over from the woods to keep house for her husband. Doty, who was unmarried, boarded with Smith. The sun Aas approaching the horizon one afternoon when three weary travel- ers called at Smith "s shanty and asked for a drink of water and some food. They were informed by Smith, who was delighted that his new road was beginning to be traveled, that he could accommodate them. Smith's wife soon spread before them on a rough board table such viands as Inn- larder afforded, consist- ing of wheal bread, molasses and cold boiled venison, some coffee, black as ink, without milk or sugar, and a refreshing drink of cold water from a spring near by. These three travelers were the sub-committee whom we left journeying toward Red Wing. They anxiously inquired the distance to Red AVing. and also the distance to the nearest stopping place 071 the road. Smith having no accommodation for them over night. They concluded to go on as far as Moer's. who had a log house where Luther Chap- man's house was later erected. Smith, with his shreAvd in- quisitiveness. had drawn out of these men the object of their journey and the fact of their failure to find what they were seeking for. Learning that they were the representatives of a colony and had been upon an unsuccessful search for a suitable,