USA > Minnesota > Minnesota as it is in 1870 : its general resources and attractions for immigrants, invalids, tourists, capitalists, and business men ; with special descriptions of all its counties and townsand inducements to those in quest of homes, health, or pleasure > Part 16
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197
BLUE EARTH COUNTY.
463 ; pianos, 26; merchandise, $129,127; money and credits, $136,923.
INCREASE OF WEALTH .- Personal property, 1860, $99,- 945; 1868, $1,051,329 : real, 1860, $736,345; 1868, $2,659,087. Live stock, 1860, horses, 182; cattle, 960 ; sheep, 109 ; hogs, 612.
LANDS, SCHOOLS, CHURCHES, &C .- 4535 acres school lands unsold ; railroad lands, $5 to $10 on long time ; improved, $15 ; wild, $3 to $10 ; timber, from $10 to $30. Average value of lands, as assessed, $5.34. Schools, 121; scholars, 5210 ; year's increase, 840 ; school houses, 77; value, $31,558. Churches, about 15 ; organizations, over 30. Masons, 1 lodge ; Good Templars, 3 or 4.
TOWNS AND VILLAGES .- MANKATO is the county seat, with a population of about 3500 - about two-fifths Germans, balance mostly Americans. Being located at the practical head of navigation for most of the boating season, 80 miles by rail from St. Paul, and 150 from Winona, and at the junction of the railroads from St. Paul, Winona, Sioux City and the Iowa line, the river outlet for the southwestern counties, with a rich and growing country tributary to it, it promises to be a place of some importance. With 2 flouring and 3 saw mills, 1 sash and blind factory, 3 steam furni- ture factories, and several run by horse power, a foundry and machine shop, stave and barrel factory, capacity 500 per day, woolen factory, pottery, fanning mill and agricul- tural implement factory, an oil mill, pump and plow fac- tories, breweries, tanneries, brick and lime kilns, wagon shops and other factories, its manufactures amounted in 1868 to $282,000. With 13 dry goods stores, 12 grocery, 3 furniture, 4 jewelry, 3 drug, 3 clothing, 2 shoe, 4 hardware, 2 book, 2 auction, 3 provision, and other stores and shops, its mercantile business amounts to about $800,000 per annum.
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198
BLUE EARTH COUNTY.
In 1867, 81 buildings were erected, including 26 business houses and 2 churches, costing $173,600; in 1868, buildings were erected costing $140,725.
. The N. S. Presbyterians, Episcopalians, Methodists, Baptists, Lutheran, Calvanistic Methodists and Catholics have churches costing over $25,000. The Catholics are erecting a church to cost $75,000. The O. S. Presby- terian, German Evangelical and Universalist churches worship in a hall.
There are 3 weekly newspapers, 5 practicing physicians, and 12 practicing lawyers. Suits on the calendar, about 50 ; new appearances, 25. Minneineopa Falls, rivalling Minnehaha in beauty, is one mile from South Bend. A windmill here grinds 150 bushels of wheat per day.
GARDEN CITY has 800 or 900 inhabitants, 3 flouring mills, a fine water power, 2 drug and grocery stores, 4 . dry goods and general merchandise, a tin and hardware store, the various mechanical shops, Baptist church and weekly newspaper.
The following are small villages or settlements :
"VERNON CENTRE, with a hotel, 2 stores, grist and saw mill, Methodist and United Brethren churches, black- smith and shoe shop. SOUTH BEND, a hotel, 3 stores, 2 saw mills, 2 churches, Presbyterian and Congregational, wagon and blacksmith shop, &c. WINNEBAGO AGENCY, 2 hotels, 3 stores, wagon and 2 blacksmith shops, 2 steam saw and 1 grist mill, cooper shop, brick kiln, 2 saloons, good water power and considerable trade. SHELBYVILLE, a hotel, 2 stores, 2 steam and 1 water saw and grist mill, and blacksmith shop. JUDSON, 2 stores, shops, and churches. MAPLETON, a store. WINFIELD, a store and large steam saw and grist mill. CHRYSTAL LAKE is also a new town on the railroad just beginning.
POST OFFICES .- Beauford, Butternut Valley, Decorah,
199
BENTON COUNTY.
Garden Prairie, Iceland, Liberty, Loon Lake, Maple River, Medo, Perch Lake, Pleasant Mounds, Sherman, Sterling, Tivoli, Watonwan, Willow Creek.
BENTON COUNTY,
Eighty miles north of St. Paul. Excepting three or four 1 townships of rather light soil, this is a well watered, well timbered and good farming county, with most of the land good, fair soil, and several townships first quality. Its natural meadows are excellent and abundant. It has been kept back by a large portion of its lands being owned by non-resident speculators.
STATISTICS .- Area 253,440 acres ; . taxable, 132,070 ; school, 13,250 ; homestead, 12,400 ; under cultivation, 1869, 1239 ; some government land yet unclaimed ; wild land, $2.50 to $10 per acre ; assessed value, $2.04 ; per- sonal property, 1868, $90,378 ; real, $327,478. Number of horses, 264; cattle, 843; mules, 16; sheep, 449; hogs, 167. Wheat, 1867, 7389 bushels ; carriages, 52 ; watches, 49 ; pianos, 5. Schools, 10; school houses, 5 ; scholars, 449, year's increase 111. Merchandise, $5475 ; moneys, &c., $6196. Population, 1860, 628 ; 1865, 505 ; 1869, 1500, half American, balance German, Irish, French, &c., in the order named. Vote for Grant, 153 ; Seymour, 147.
VILLAGES .- SAUK RAPIDS, 2 miles above St. Cloud, on the river and railroad, 82 miles north of St. Paul, the county seat, has about 500 population, 2 hotels, 6 stores, 2 churches, 2 lawyers, 1 doctor, shops, saloons, &c. The water power is being improved by the railroad company, and will be for rent.
200
BROWN COUNTY.
WATAB has a steam saw mill and 5 houses and an ex- tensive formation of granite adjoining.
POST OFFICES .- Langola, Maywood, Sauk Rapids and Watab.
BROWN COUNTY,
Next west of Blue Earth, and similar in agricultural advantages, has an area of about 322,000 acres, 111,338 taxed, average value, $2.25 per acre. School lands, 9051 ; homestead, 36,280 ; under cultivation, 1867, 8886 ; large area of railroad lands ; 20 large lakes. Population about 5000; one-half German, one-quarter Americans, balance Scandinavians, Irish and others. School houses, 17; scholars, 1488 ; increase one year, 245. Wheat pro- duct, 1867, 58,019 bushels. Horses, 1868, 864 ; cattle, 3825 ; mules, 18 ; sheep, 1445 ; hogs, 719 ; carriages, 10 ; watches, 69 ; pianos, 3; merchandise, $33,750 ; money and credits, $19,142. Total personal property, $235,411 ; real, $413,314; increase since 1860, $291,158 ; popula- tion 1860, 1595. Prices of lands, $5 to $10 for wild, $10 to $20 for improved. Vote for Grant, 654; Sey- mour, 152.
NEW ULM is a town of about 1800 population,-prin- cipally Germans-has a Catholic, Methodist and Lutheran church, a large brick school house and a Turner Hall, 3 hotels, 6 dry goods stores, 3 hardware and agricultural implements, 2 brick yards, an extensive pottery, 2 steam saw and grist mills, a weekly paper, &c., &c. Its fur business in 1868 amounted to $50,000.
POST OFFICES .- Milford, Leavenworth, Golden Gate and Backsville.
201
CROW WING AND CASS COUNTIES.
CARLTON COUNTY,
Not organized, but has a population of about 100. Thickly wooded, fine natural meadows, 20 lakes, and some good farming land, but chiefly valuable for its slate quar- ries, described in Part First of this book, and for its pine lumber-principally located on the St. Louis and Nemadji rivers. Plenty of government land still vacant, and convenient by rail to Lake Superior-only about 15 miles from its east line. See Pine County also.
CROW WING AND CASS COUNTIES.
For Cass, see Beltrami. Crow Wing partakes of the character of Cass somewhat, in being not well adapted to agriculture. Dr. Eames, State Geologist, says : "From the mouth of Prairie River to Crow Wing, the bottom lands of the Mississippi are extensive and appear well adapted for cultivation, having generally a substratum of clay overlaid by eight inches of vegetable humus sup- porting a dense growth of oak, elm and ash." The most fertile part of the county-60,000 acres-is held as a military reservation. Population, 1860, 190 ; 1865, 178 ; 1869, estimated at 400, a majority half-breeds of the Chippewa race. Taxable lands about 500 acres-260,000 in the county-personal property, 1867, $22,203 ; horses, 56; cattle, 173 ; hogs, 43; carriages, 8; watches, 12; pianos, 2. The map shows 340 lakes in these two counties, and 100 in Becker and Beltrami.
VILLAGES .- CROW WING is the only town, and has 2 churches, Catholic and Episcopalian, 2 stores, 2 groceries, 2 hotels, blacksmith shop, &c.
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202 1
CARVER COUNTY.
CARVER COUNTY.
One of the "Big Woods" counties, which means one of the richest in the State-some prairies in the Southern part-60 lakes and plenty of running water. About 40 miles from St. Paul on the Minnesota River. Population 1860, 5106; 1865, 8704; 1868, 10,000 or more; 1869, about 12,000, five-eighths Germans, two-eighths Swedes and Norwegians, one-eighth Americans and Irish. As- sessed property, 1860, $464,095 ; 1865, $714,041 ; 1867, $1,068,969 ; 1868, $1,405,194. Schools, 60; scholars, 4090 ; year's increase, 245 ; school houses, 40 ; value, $13,071. Horses, 1341 ; cattle, 8350 ; mules, 25 ; sheep, 4082 ; hogs, 4488 ; carriages, 284 ; watches, 78 ; pianos, 9 ; merchandise, $33,321 ; money and credits, $19,073. Vote for Grant, 800 ; Seymour, 980.
Building material mostly lumber and brick, 12 or 14 saw and grist mills, 13 churches, area about 243,000 acres, taxed, 203,016 ; homestead, 10,136 ; school, 1400 ; some railroad and a little government land. Land under cultivation, (1867) 16,310 ; wheat raised, 168,301 bushels. Prices of school lands, $5 to $10; railroad, $3 to $10; farms, $10 to $25 according to improvements.
TOWNS AND VILLAGES .- CHASKA, the county seat, has about 1200 inhabitants, 5 general stores, 1 drug, 1 hard- ware, 1 shoe store, 2 large flouring mills, one steam, with a capacity of 125 barrels per day, 2 large brick churches, Catholic and Moravian, a Lodge of Good Templars, 2 doc- tors, 2 lawyers, 2 clergymen, 1 weekly paper, with a number of shops, &c. A million bricks are exported annually, and an immense trade done in wood, hoop poles, wheat, barley, and flour.
CARVER is 2 miles above Chaska, on the river, and has 800 inhabitants, half German, balance Swedes, Norwe-
203
CHISAGO COUNTY.
gians, Americans and Irish. It has 7 dry goods, grocery and provision stores, 2 hardware and 2 drug stores, 2 doctors, 2 lawyers, 3 churches, Catholic, Lutheran, and German Evangelical, and mechanical shops. It ships 7 or 8000 cords of wood, over 100,000 bushels of wheat and other exports, valued at $275,000. The town wants a wool carding factory, brewery and distillery, and a tailor. Good water-power within 2 miles of town.
WACONIA, on Waconia Lake about 10 miles around, 11 miles from Chaska and Carver, has about 300 population mostly Germans ; a Catholic and Lutheran Church ; 3 stores ; 1 brewery ; saw and grist mill ; hotel ; shoe, harness, blacksmith and wagon shops ; and is adapted to tourists and invalids on account of the abundance of fish and game and the beautiful lake.
WATERTOWN, on the Crow River, has 500 population- German, American and Irish-a few Swedes ; a Protest- ant Church, 5 stores, 1 brewery, 1 drug store, 2 hotels, 2 saw and 2 grist mills, 2 blacksmith and wagon shops, a Masonic Lodge, and is a lively business town.
YOUNG AMERICA, 16 miles from Carver, has about 200 population-Germans, Americans, and Irish ; 3 stores, 2 hotels, Catholic Church, brewery, and shops. Good lo- cation for a physician. Land worth from $3 to $10 per acre.
BENTON, between Carver and Young America, has a hotel, 2 stores, Catholic Church, and shops.
POST OFFICES .- Laketown, Oberle's Corners, and Red- field.
CHISAGO COUNTY,
On the St. Croix River, had a population in 1860, of 1751; 1865,'2175 ; 1869, about 3600 ; fully half Swedes,
204
CHISAGO COUNTY.
balance Americans, with a few Irish and Germans. About half of the county is heavily timbered with hard wood. The balance, though not prairie, has only a scattering growth of scrub oak, or pine, with some dense thickets of small poplars intermingled with hazel brush. General surface level, diversified by 30 odd beautiful lakes, also by cranberry and tamarac marshes and natural meadows. The soil is variable ; in some parts, especially among the timber, it is of the first quality, a deep, rich, black loam, with clay subsoil. In other parts it is light and sandy, the county generally being better adapted to grazing than grain growing. The best lands are in Chisago Lake, Franconia, a portion of Taylor's Falls and Rushseba townships. Over 2 townships in Rushseba (north part of the county) are heavily timbered and one of the best tracts of country between the Mississippi and Lake Su- perior. Area about 288,000 acres ; taxed, 187,137; as- sessed value per acre, $2.38 ; school land, 13,482 acres ; some railroad lands ; about 10,000 acres government land open to entry ; land under cultivation, 1867, 3113. Wheat raised, 1867, 15,259 bushels ; personal property, 1868, $286,480 ; real, $627,478. Number of horses, 438 ; cat- tle, 2689 ; mules, 12 ; sheep, 1491 ; hogs, 887 ; carriages, 28; watches, 95; pianos, 7; merchandise, $27,472; money and credits, $69,863 ; school houses, 20 ; scholars, 1119, increase in a year, 133; taxable property, 1860, $599,314, increased to $913,958. Vote for Grant, 538; Seymour, 117.
TOWNS AND VILLAGES .- TAYLOR'S FALLS, incorporated . in 1858, has a population of 550 or 600. 4 general stores, 2 groceries, a drug store, and stove store sell annually $150,000 worth of goods, this being the supply depot for lumbermen. There is a saw mill, a boat yard, carding mill, 3 churches, 1 lawyer, 2 doctors, Masonic and Good
205
CLAY COUNTY.
Templars lodge, land office and usual mechanics. The water-power of the St. Croix Falls is second only to St. Anthony Falls. The fall in half a mile is 30 feet, while to the foot of the rapids (5 miles) it is estimated at 80 feet, all of which can be made available. A wealthy company, headed by Caleb Cushing, of Mass., has purchased an immense tract of land opposite Taylor's Falls, with a view to improving and using the water power.
Good brick clay is abundant, and building stone is found near the St. Croix. The Superior Railroad runs the entire length of the county, and a branch from this place is projected.
CHISAGO CITY, the county seat, has a good hotel, store, extensive stave factory, population of 75, and is located in the woods, between 2 very fine fishing lakes-a resort for invalids.
FRANCONIA, 2 miles below Taylor's Falls, population 100, has 2 stores, sales $30,000 ; flouring mill, saw mill, stave factory, starch factory, and exports about $35,000 of staves and heading, stave bolts, rafting material, wood and lime.
WYOMING is a village on the railroad, with a hotel, store and several houses.
SUNRISE is a growing town of 2 stores, 2 grist and I saw mill, a number of mechanics and several families.
POST OFFICES .- Muskootenk, Stark, Rushseba, Chisago Lake, and Rush Creek Station.
CLAY COUNTY,
On the Red River, partakes of the character of the Red River Valley-a rich and productive county, nearly all still open to settlement. A small village, George- town, and a score or two of settlers in the county.
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206
CHIPPEWA COUNTY. CHIPPEWA COUNTY.
(ALSO RENVILLE, LAC QUI PARLE, BIG STONE, TRAVERSE, AND LINCOLN.)
All accounts agree as to the remarkably fine character of the soil and the rich vegetation of this entire region -nearly the whole of it still open to the settler. There is a scarcity of timber, the whole being generally level or rolling prairie, with timber only around the lakes and on the water courses. It has over 70 large lakes.
Lac Qui Parle is described by Capt. Joseph Anderson, who traversed this entire region during the Indian war as an officer in the Mounted Rangers, and before and since in the way of business, as "rolling prairie, with timber on the Chippewa, Pomme De Terre, and Minne- sota rivers, sufficient for the county. On the different water courses there are sites unsurpassed for farms in any country." Other accounts speak of this whole region as having a soil of great depth, and grasses so rank as to hide cattle and horses when grazing. Em- bracing an area as large as some entire States, it awaits the coming of the homestead settler.
VILLAGES. - CHIPPEWA CITY, at the junction of the Minnesota and Chippewa rivers, in Chippewa County, and BEAVER FALLS, in Renville, are the principal settle- ments.
Birch Coolie, Herzhorn, and Sacred Heart are post offices in Renville, Hawk Creek in Chippewa, and Tra- verse in Traverse.
STATISTICS OF RENVILLE COUNTY .- 340 votes cast for President in November ; large immigration since ; popula- tion probably 1600. Lands taxed, over 10,000 acres ; held as homestead, 1900; personal property, $130,254 ; horses, 239 ; cattle, 1535 ; mules, 5 ; sheep, 439 ; hogs,
207
DAKOTA COUNTY.
156 ; carriages, 29 ; watches, 41 ; merchandise, $11,074 ; money and credits, $7279 ; real estate, $157,527. Vote for Grant, 273 ; Seymour, 67.
COTTONWOOD COUNTY
Is the second west from Blue Earth, has 20 townships of rich and desirable farming land, which is almost every acre open to the settler, except some of the alternate sections owned by the Sioux City and St. Paul Railroad, which passes through the county. Over 36 lakes, and numerous streams.
DAKOTA COUNTY,
Immediately south of Saint Paul, with an area of about 384,000 acres, is one of the best agricultural counties in the State ; being mostly rich, level prairie, with abundant wood along the streams, within convenient distance of every township ; well watered with a dozen lakes, and streams of living water; with abundant natural mead- ows. The northern portion, bordering the Mississippi and Minnesota, is broken, and mostly second rate land, oak openings. Fine meadows on the Minnesota River and in Ravenna, Randolph, Hampton, Waterford, Greenvale, Castle Rock, Eureka and Vermilion townships.
STATISTICS .- Population, 1860, 9058 ; 1865, 12,476 ; 1869, 20,000 ; assessed property, 1860, $1,999,943 ; 1865, $2,377,930 ; 1868, $3,939,170. Nationality, Americans, 7000; Germans, 4000 ; Irish, 5500 ; Scandinavians, 1500 ; French, 2000. Land taxed, 352,967 acres ; average value, $6.12 ; school land, 3971 ; land under cultivation, 1867, 61,119 ; wheat raised, 871,627 bushels ; school houses,
208
DAKOTA COUNTY.
1868, 81 ; value, $52,444; scholars, 5666, increase in a year, 389. Horses, 4901 ; cattle, 8527 ; mules, 106 ; sheep, 4798 ; hogs, 3986 ; carriages, 711 ; watches, 405 ; pianos, 53 ; merchandise, $115,560 ; money and credits, $91,214. Vote for Grant, 1613 ; Seymour, 1793.
TOWNS AND VILLAGES .- HASTINGS, the county seat, is beautifully located on the Mississippi, at the mouth and adjoining the Falls of the Vermilion River, has about 4500 population, her vote in November, 1868, being 844. Being the river outlet for a rich, level back country, and the terminus of the Hastings and Dakota Railroad, a large business centres here.
The shipments of wheat in 1868, were 920,000 bushels. There are 9 dry goods stores, 13 groceries, 2 book, 3 hardware, 13 boot and shoe dealers, 1 wine and liquor, and 1 leather dealer, 7 clothing, 4 drug, 4 furniture, 3 jewelry, 3 saw, 2 flouring and 2 planing mills, 4 agricul- tural implements, 1 fanning mill, 1 plow and 4 wagon manufactories, 2 auctioneers, 5 barbers, 2 bakers, 2 bil- liard saloons, 2 breweries, 2 foundries, 2 commission mer- chants, 11 hotels, 5 real estate and 5 insurance agents, 7 doctors, 10 lawyers, 2 national banks, 4 eating houses, 2 dentists, 2 livery stables, 2 lumber yards, harness, gun, tin and other shops, besides churches of the principal denominations.
FARMINGTON, located at the junction of the St. Paul and Milwaukee and the Hastings and Dakota railroads, is a 4 year old town of about 500 population, with 7 dry goods and general stores, 2 drug, 1 furniture, 1 hardware, 3 tailor shops, a shoemaker, milliner, 2 lawyers, 4 doctors, saddler, watch maker, lumber yard, 5 saloons, a lodge of 250 Good Templars, restaurant, wagon and blacksmith, and machine and other shops, lodge of Masons, a Pres- byterian, Methodist, Baptist and Episcopalian church.
209
DOUGLAS COUNTY.
MENDOTA, the oldest town in the State, opposite Fort Snelling, was a trading post of the American Fur Com- pany in 1828. Gen. H. H. Sibley, since Governor, erec- ted a store in 1834. There are now 2 hotels, 2 stores, a number of shops, a Catholic church and a population of about 300, mostly French and Irish.
From Pilot Knob, in its vicinity, is a splendid view of St. Paul, St. Anthony and Minneapolis and the country for 20 miles distant.
ROSEMOUNT has a good hotel, 3 or 4 stores, a saloon, several shops, a doctor, &c .; Methodist church near.
NININGER was a village of 500 population ten years ago-a paper town. Now it has little left but the name, a good grist mill and a few houses.
LAKEVILLE has a store and several houses.
WEST ST. PAUL, opposite St. Paul, has a hotel, 5 stores, and about 250 population.
CHURCHES .- There are about 18 churches in the county, besides those in Hastings.
POST OFFICES .- Besides the villages named, are Castle Rock, Christiana, East Castle Rock, Empire City, Hamp- ton, Lewiston, New Frier, Pine Bend, Rich Valley, Wa- terford.
DOUGLAS COUNTY.
With an area of 460,000 acres or 20 townships, 99,557 were taxable in 1868. This is one of Pope's "Garden Spot" counties. Soil, rich vegetable loam, 1 to 3 feet deep, underlaid with sand and gravel, three-fourths gently rolling prairie, one-fourth timber well distributed. There are one or two forests from 6 to 10 miles wide and 10 to 12 long. Lakes, 120 in number, and unsurpassed for beauty ; for fish and game, "unrivalled in the
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210
DODGE COUNTY.
world except by its neighboring" Garden Spot coun- ties. Rapidly settling, but still thousands of acres free to settlers. Its vote for President was 668-has now nearly 6000 population-4 years ago was a wilderness with scarcely a settler, if one. Vote for Grant, 562 ; Sey- mour, 106.
Assessed property, 1868, $416,040 ; value of land per acre, $2.04 ; number of horses, 396 ; cattle, 1808 ; mules, 14 ; sheep, 673 ; hogs, 201; carriages, 42; watches, 94 ; merchandise, $21,475; money and credits, $11,412. School districts, 17 ; houses, 6 ; scholars, 378 ; increase in a year, 239. Nationality, largely Norwegian and Swed- ish, with one-third Americans, and a good number of Irish and Germans.
VILLAGES .- ALEXANDRIA, the county seat and principal town, has 13 stores, 5 hotels, 1 church, 4 saloons, a livery stable, steam saw and flouring mill, billiard hall, land office, 2 wagon and blacksmith shops. Lots sell from $25 to $300. Land in vicinity, $5 to $15.
BRANDON, OSAKIS, and EVANSVILLE have each 2 stores and a hotel ; and Holmes City 1 store and a hotel and church. Lots $25 to $50; land near, $3 to $10 per acre.
POST OFFICE at Chippewa Lake.
DODGE COUNTY.
Area, 270,000 acres, about four-fifths prairie ; good land. Population : 1860, 3798 ; 1865, 6222 ; 1869, 8500 ; vote, Nov., 1868, 1406 ; about 6000 Americans, 1200 Germans, 500 Irish, 500 Norwegians, and 300 others. School districts, 59 ; houses, 47; value, $27,495 ; scholars, 1868, 3041 ; increase in a year, 205. Land assessed, 233,883 acres ; value per acre, $4.46. School land, 2900 acres ;
211
FILLMORE COUNTY.
homestead, 6840 acres ; land under cultivation, 1867, 39,296 ; wheat product, 296,609 bushels. Assessed pro- perty, 1860, $590,679 ; 1868, $1,602,599 ; personal pro- perty, $532,690. Number of horses, 2664; cattle, 6208 ; mules and asses, 44 ; sheep, 5102 ; hogs, 1739 ; carriages, 124; watches, 172 ; pianos, 18; merchandise, $47,560; money and credits, $62,350. Vote for Grant, 1025 ; Seymour, 381.
VILLAGES .- MANTORVILLE, the county seat, has about 1000 population, 10 or 12 stores, 3 flouring mills, a brew- ery, churches, hotels, and the various mechanical shops. The railroad passes several miles south of it. It has a weekly paper.
KASSON has about 500 population, is located on the railroad ; has a weekly paper.
DODGE CENTRE, CONCORD, WASIOJA, ASHLAND, RICE LAKE-and CLAREMONT, are small villages.
POST OFFICES at Berne, Avon, Ellington, Milton, Union Spring and Vernon.
FILLMORE COUNTY,
Only 25 miles from the river on the Iowa line, having an area of over 500,000 square acres, is one of the banner agricultural counties. Organized in 1854, its population was, in 1858, 11,000; 1860, 13,539; 1865, 17,524 ; 1869, 24,000 ; a little over half Americans, a quarter Norwegians, 1200 Germans, 1200 Irish, and 1600 others. Vote for President, 4060; Grant, 2748; Sey- mour, 1312. School districts, 157; houses, 123 ; value, $67,291 ; scholars, 1868, 8312; increase for the year, 1322. Soil a rich sandy loam, 2 to 4 feet deep ; surface, about seven-eighths rolling prairie and one-eighth timber. The central portion and along Root River is hilly and wooded.
212
FILLMORE COUNTY.
Lands taxed, 515,072 acres ; value per acre, $4.83 ; school land, 3850 ; homesteads, 3080 ; under cultivation, 1867, 131,990. Wheat product of 1867, 1,167,783 bushels ; assessed property, 1855, $350,000 ; 1857, $1,606,000 ; 1860, $2,102,116 ;. 1865, $2,375,501; 1868, $3,734,512. Number of horses, 1868, 6600; cattle, 16,383 ; mules and asses, 107; sheep, 13,330 ; hogs, 8735 ; carriages, 375; watches, 292 ; pianos, 20; mer- chandise, $120,654 ; money and credits, $156,606.
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