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 4
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The Undergrowth .- The common hawthorn, prickly ash, high cranberry, red root, dogwood, fox grape, horse
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WESTERN MINNESOTA.
brier, and moonseed. Among the herbs are the wild and bristly sarsaparilla, Indian turnip, the gay orchis, and others ; rushes and the flowering ferns are abundant along the low banks of the rivers.
The Prairies are very luxuriant, and somewhat level and depressed ; the gum plant and button snake root are the most abundant and conspicuous herbs. Red and burr oak, with hazel, red root, peterswort, and the wild rose, are the trees and shrubs of the uplands ; also thickets of poplar and birch on the elevated prairies near the river.
The Valley Prairies are rich in pasture grasses, legu- minous and orchideous plants, such as the yellow ladies' slipper, American and tufted vetch, and others. The lowest parts near the border of the wood, and those subject to inundation, are filled with the high weeds common to such places-as the ragged cup, tall thistle, great bitterwood, the tuberous sunflower, and others Swamps are frequent, and some of them contain exten- sive tracts of tamarac pines. Cedars grow, intermixed with red birch, on the rocky declivities of the lower Mankato (Blue Earth) River.
WESTERN MINNESOTA, AND THE VIEW FROM THE COTEAU DES PRAIRIES .- Though the Coteau, as now understood, is outside the limits of Minnesota, except where it cuts slightly the south-western corner, the region described by Mr. Nicollet as the Coteau seems to have embraced, on its eastern slope, nearly all the western counties of Minnesota south of the Minnesota River. He says, for instance : "I pitched my tents during three days about the groups of Shetek or Pelican lakes, that occupy a portion of the space forming the plateau of the Coteau des Prairies." He speaks of "fine lakes that would furnish on their borders eligible sites for such villages as were formerly occupied by some of the Dakota tribes,
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1400163
WESTERN MINNESOTA.
previous to the war of extermination waged against them by the Sac and Fox Indians," instancing the names of Shetek, Benton, and Spirit lakes. These lakes he locates within the Coteau, and they are all in Minnesota except Spirit, which is on the southern line.
The Coteau des Prairies .- Mr. Nicollet describes the Coteau " as a vast plain, elevated 1916 feet above the level of the ocean* and 890 feet above Big Stone Lake, lying between latitude 43º and 46°-200 miles long, running north-west and south-east, and 15 to 20 miles wide in latitude 46°, and 40 wide below latitude 44°." He describes it as "a beautiful country"-says "from its summit grand views are afforded," that "at the eastern border particularly the prospect is magnificent beyond description, extending over the immense green turf that forms the basin of the Red River of the North, the forest-capped summits of the hautuers des terres that surround the sources of the Mississippi, the granitic valley of the Upper St. Peter's, and the depressions in which are Lake Traverse and Big Stone Lake. There can be no doubt that in future times this region will be the summer resort of the wealthy of the land." He describes the northern extremity as "a most beautiful tract of land, diversified by hills, dales, woodland, and lakes ;" and says, " other portions of the Coteau, ascending from the lower latitudes, present pretty much the same cha- racter, with the remarkable difference that the woodlands become scarcer and the open prairies more extensive."
Botany .- He mentions, "among the interesting speci- mens of the vegetation of this region, as trees, the Ameri- can and red elm, lime tree, burr oak, white ash, ash-leafed maple, nettle tree, large American aspen ; as shrubs, the
* This is at its northern extremity. On its western slope, 60 miles north-east of Fort Pierre, he makes it 2096 feet. .
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WESTERN MINNESOTA.
hazel, red root, peterswort, &c .; as herbs, alum root, tufted and American. vetch, wood sorrel, sedge and pasture grasses, Canadian cinquefoil, the germander, Southern lilly, button snake root, Virginia strawberry, buffalo clover, pink milk vetch on arid slopes, mustard and dwarf amaranths on sandbrakes, and the silver-leafed psoralia (Indian turnip)."
WESTERN MINNESOTA, SOUTH OF THE MINNESOTA RIVER, embracing the counties of Redwood, Cottonwood, Jack- son, Nobles, Rock, Murray, and Pipestone. A part of the high compliment paid by Mr. Nicollet in the above ex- tracts to the " Coteau," seems to have been designed for this section of Minnesota. For he locates the eastern boundary of the Coteau among the sources of the Blue Earth River, and says, " among the regions of country adjoining the Coteau des Prairies, that which appeared to me the most favorable is the one watered by the Blue Earth River,"-which he calls "the Undine Region."
Gen. J. W. Bishop, of Minnesota, who traversed this country in 1866 as U. S. Surveyor, says of that part of it "embracing the sources of the Redwood, Yellow Medicine, Cottonwood and Des Moines rivers," "in all our perambulations, we have found the soil every where, except on the Coteau, of the best quality, adapted to the raising of wheat or any other crop that can be grown in the settled portions of the State." The Coteau, he says, crosses the State boundary near the corner of town- ships 110 and 111, ranges 46 and 47, and takes in the land west of Lake Benton, which is hilly and gravelly.
Stock Raising .- He says "no finer stock country is found or needed anywhere. A grove of timber and a few acres enclosed for garden purposes and for grain enough for home consumption is easily acquired. The stock may range over the prairie, hardly needing any attention from
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NORTH-WESTERN MINNESOTA.
May to November. While for the winter, hay costs only the cutting and stacking."
Timber .- " The Redwood River is fringed with timber the most of its course." He speaks of the Cottonwood River as fringed with timber also ; says some of the streams emptying into the Cottonwood have " deep valleys, filled with fine timber ;" that some of the lakes have fine groves of timber, particularly Bear Lake, which has several hun- dred acres of timber nearly surrounded by water.
Lakes, Fish and Game .- He speaks of " fine lakes of clear water with clean, handsome beaches, plentifully stocked with fish and fowl,"-the streams also ; and " the elk and buffalo are often met as far east as Lake Shetek."
NORTH-WESTERN MINNESOTA, embracing Hennepin, Wright, Stearns, McLeod, Meeker, Kandiyohi, Monon- galia, Lincoln, Todd, Douglas, Pope, Stevens, Otter Tail, Grant, Wilkin, Carver, Nicollet, Sibley, Renville, Chip- pewa, Traverse, Lac Qui Parle, Big Stone, and other counties. In 1849, Capt. John Pope, topographical engi- neer, was commissioned by the United States to explore North-western Minnesota. From his official report, we extract the following highly flattering tributes to its great fertility and beauty.
What Pope Explored .- " The country which I have in part traversed during the past summer, embraces about one-third of the Territory of Minnesota, and lies to the north and east of the St. Peter's (Minnesota) River, and to the north and west of the Mississippi, including within its borders about 60,000 square miles."
His idea of it in brief .- " I have traversed this territory from north to south, a distance of 500 miles, and with the exception of a few swamps, I have not seen one acre of unproductive land." Again : " The examination of a . portion of this territory during the past summer, has 4
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WEST OF THE MISSISSIPPI.
convinced me that nature has been even more lavish in her gifts of soil, than in her channels of communication, and has still left to the enterprise and industry of man to complete what she has so well begun."
Its Navigable Waters .- " When it is known that the Mississippi is navigable for at least 400 miles of its course. within this territory (north of St. Paul,) the Red River of the North nearly an equal distance, the St. Peter (Minnesota,) with an improvement at one point only, for 120 miles, and the Jaques River through nearly three degrees of latitude, it becomes a matter of vast interest to the world to ascertain the capacities for agriculture and manufactures of a country so bountifully supplied by nature with outlets for its productions."
Its Lakes, Soil and Timber .- " Notwithstanding the immense number of lakes laid down upon the maps, they are even more numerous than they are represented, but are surrounded by a gently undulating country of the most fertile soil, and abundantly supplied by nature with all the forest trees common to so northern a latitude."
WEST OF THE MISSISSIPPI, NORTH OF THE MINNESOTA AND SOUTH OF THE RED RIVER .- His idea of it in brief .- "I am at a loss to express myself with sufficient force to do justice to the beautiful country embraced within this division, which is perhaps the most remarkable in the world for its peculiar conformation and vast productive- ness."
Again .- " From its great fertility, fine water power, and the facilities for immediate and rapid communication with the Mississippi aud St. Peter's (Minnesota,) I regard this division as being by far the most valuable portion of Minnesota."
Again .- "I know of no country on earth where so many advantages are presented to the farmer and manufacturer."
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NORTH-WESTERN MINNESOTA.
The Garden Spot of the Northwest .- Again, speaking of Ottertail Lake, he says : "The whole region of country for fifty miles in all directions around this lake, is among the most beautiful and fertile in the world. The fine scenery · of lakes and open groves of oak timber, of winding streams connecting them, and beautifully rolling country on all sides, renders this portion of Minnesota the garden spot of the Northwest. It is impossible in a report of this character, to describe the feelings of admiration and astonishment with which we first beheld the charming country in the vicinity of this lake ; and were I to give expression to my own feelings and opinions in reference to it, I fear they would be considered the ravings of a visionary or an enthusiast."
NORTH-WESTERN MINNESOTA .- Carlton, of the Boston Journal, who was with the Pacific Railroad Exploring Party in July, 1869, speaks thus of parts of Clay and Becker counties and the valley of the Buffalo River,- 40 miles north of Otter Tail Lake.
" How exhilarating to gallop over the pathless expanse, amid a sea of flowers, plunging now and then through grass so high that horse and rider are almost submerged. The meadow lark greets us with his cheerful song; the plover hovers around us with quivering wings ; sand hill cranes, flying always in pairs, rise from the ground and wing their way beyond the reach of harm. The gopher chatters like a child amid the flowers.
" The buffalo are gone. The ox and cow are coming to take their place. Sheep and horses will soon fatten on the rich pasturage of these hills. We of the East would hardly call them hills, much less mountains, the slopes are so gentle and the altitudes so low. The highest grade of a railroad would not exceed thirty feet to the mile in crossing them.
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NORTH-WESTERN MINNESOTA.
" Here we find granite and limestone boulders, and in some places beds of gravel-brought, so the geologists inform us, from the far North, and deposited here when the primeval ocean currents set southward over this then submerged region. They are in the right place for the railroad. The stone will be needed for abutments to bridges, and the gravel will be wanted for ballast; pro- vided the road is located in this vicinity.
" On our second day's march we came to a section of country that might with propriety be called the Park Region of Minnesota. It lies amid the highlands of the divide. It is more beautiful than even the country around White Bear Lake, and in the vicinity of Glenwood. Throughout the day we ride amid such rural scenery as can only be found amid the most lovely spots in England.
"Think of an undulating country, rounded hills, with green slopes-of lawns and parks and countless lakes- calm waters reposing amid the hills, skirted by forests, fringed with rushes, perfumed by the lilies ; or of the waves rippling on graveled beaches ; of wild geese, ducks, loons, pelicans and innumerable water fowl building their nests amid the reeds and rushes ; think of lawns as bloom- ing with flowers, of elk and deer browsing amid the mead- ows. This is their haunt. We see their tracks along the sandy beaches, but they keep beyond the range of our rifles.
" So wonderfully has nature adorned this section, that it seems as if we were riding through a country that has been long under cultivation, and that behind yonder hil- lock we shall find an old castle, or at least a farm house, as we find them in Great Britain.
"I do not forget that I am seeing Minnesota at its best season, that it is midsummer, that the winters are as
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THE BIG WOODS.
long as in New England ; but I can say without reserva- tion that nowhere in the wide world, not even in England, the most finished of all lands ; not in la belle France, or sunny Italy, or in the valley of the Ganges, or the Yank- tze, or on the slopes of the Sierra Nevada, have I beheld anything approaching this region in natural beauty.
" How it would look in winter I cannot say, but the members of our party are unanimous in their praises of this park region of Minnesota. The land is unsurveyed, and the nearest pioneer is forty miles distant, but land so inviting will soon be snapped up by settlers."
Country between Sauk Rapids and White Bear Lake .- Pope says : " In the whole section of country between the Mississippi and Lightning Lakes," (which he locates 14 miles east of White Bear, in Pope County, 75 miles west from Sauk Rapids) " the surface is gently undulating, the soil exceedingly fertile, and the timber most abundant."
He speaks of the "rich, black soil of the prairies, the numerous lakes of pure, clear water, skirted with timber, and full of fish and wild fowl, the abundance of timber all along the route, and the high grass rendering the route almost imperceptible."
THE BIG WOODS .- Soil, Timber, Lakes, Meadows, &c .- Covering 4000 square miles of this district, is probably the finest body of land in the Northwest-described by Col. Abert, topographical engineer, in his official report (1854) as "the largest body of timber between the Mis- sissippi and Missouri rivers, with every variety of de- ciduous timber, with numerous beautiful lakes abounding in fish of the most delicious flavor," having "beautiful gravelly beaches," covering about one-sixth of the area, another sixth covered with " wet meadows with very high grass, affording fine pasturage and excellent hay," while the balance is gently undulating and densely timbered,
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RED RIVER COUNTRY.
with a soil of inexhaustible fertility and offering the best locations for farms of any country we saw along the route.
Interspersed with Prairies .- O. E. Garrison, U. S. Sur- veyor, says : "this tract of country is of course not all heavy timber, but has numerous prairies interspersed throughout its whole extent of the richest arable land to be found in Minnesota."
The Soil is described by the U. S. Statistical Gazet- teer as " of great fertility and unusual depth, covered as it is with the mold of a thousand years."
THE RED RIVER COUNTRY .- Its Extent .- Pope says : "The Valley of the Red River of the North is about 300 miles in length from north to south, and 150 in breadth from east to west, and is bounded on the west by the dividing ridge of the Coteau des Prairies, and on the east by a line from the head of Red River through to the most north-eastern point of Red Lake"-an empire within itself.
His idea of it in brief .- "In this whole extent it presents an almost unbroken level of rich prairie, inter- sected at right angles by all the heavily-timbered tribu- taries of the Red River, from the east and west-the Red River itself running nearly due north through its centre, and heavily timbered on both banks with elm, oak, ash, maple, &c., &c. This valley, from its vast extent, perfect. uniformity of surface, richness of soil, and. the unlimited supply of wood and water, is among the finest wheat countries in the world."
Again .- He says : "The prairie country, between the several crossings of the Red River and the Rush River, . is high, level, and astonishingly fertile ; that Sheyenne River is navigable for barges 150 miles ; that Mr. Nicollet, a scientific explorer, visited its upper valley,
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RED RIVER COUNTRY.
and was enthusiastic in his description of it; that the whole region between the Sheyenne and Sioux Wood rivers is the most remarkable country I have ever seen for its singular uniformity of surface, the wonderful fertility of its soil, its peculiar fitness for the production of all kinds of grain, and the great healthfulness of its climate ;" and that " the whole Valley of the Red River is of the same character;" that "in the summer it is covered with the most luxuriant growth of prairie grass, and all the varieties of wild flowers ; and even unin- habited. as it is, it presents the appearance of a vast culti- vated garden."
" As a grazing country, it is remarkably fine, as may be easily understood, from the fact that the expedition of the past summer made a march of nearly a thousand miles, with heavy, loaded wagons, over a country without roads and heavy from continued rains, and the wagon horses subsisted during the whole period upon the prairie grass."
Red River Valley described by Owen .- David Dale Owen, U. S. Geologist, in his official survey of Iowa, Wisconsin, and Minnesota, in 1851, says of the Red River Valley : "The general agricultural character of the Red River country is excellent ; the land highly pro- ductive, especially in small grain." He speaks of " slop- ing prairies extending down to the edge of the river, . crested with beautifully disposed groves of timber," "picturesque landscapes," and "rural beauty." He says " the air along Red River, from the mouth of the Psihu up to the settlements (latitude 47º to 49°,) is scented, during the months of June and July, with a delightful perfume arising from the wild roses, which form a thick shrubbery along its banks."
The Buffalo (N. Y.) Commercial says "the Valley of
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RED RIVER COUNTRY.
the Red River of the North equals that of the Nile for the production of wheat of the finest quality."
Described by Capt. Joseph Anderson, of the Monnted Rangers, who has navigated the Red River, farmed its lands, and travelled over the valley from Fort Garry to Breckinridge time and again.
Surface of the Country .- On either side from fifteen to twenty miles level prairie, with fine dry land ; meadows yielding from one to three tons of hay per acre-very little swamp land.
Soil .- From two to ten feet deep, a rich vegetable loam, underlaid by a stiff clay.
Timber .- A belt from a half mile to one mile wide, equally divided on each side of the Red River from Gra- ham's Point, two miles south of Abercrombie to Pembina ; tall heavy oak (not scrub,) hackberry, ash, basswood and large elm, with an undergrowth of iron wood, plum and hazel-no maple.
On Buffalo River, a belt of timber a quarter of a mile wide by fifteen long, a similar belt on Wild Rice River (Minnesota side) and a heavier body on Red Lake River the whole length. On the Sheyenne River (Dakota side) heavy timber for fifty miles, from a quarter to one mile wide.
Cottonwood for Lumber .- From the mouth of Wild Rice, on the Minnesota side, is a fine growth of heavy cottonwood, suitable for lumber.
Pine for Lumber .- A fine body of elegant pine timber in the northern part of Ottertail County, enough to supply the Red River Valley for a long time if economically used.
Navigation .- Red River, navigable nearly all summer for good sized boats to Goose River Rapids, north of Georgetown. Small boats can run two months of nearly every season to Abercrombie or to Breckinridge. Some
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SOUTHERN MINNESOTA.
snags need clearing from Graham's Point to the Rapids, making navigation troublesome, but not dangerous. Flat boats can navigate as far up as Lapham, three miles from Dayton. Red Lake River is also navigable with flat boats.
SOUTHERN MINNESOTA, embracing Houston, Winona, Olmsted, Dodge, Fillmore, Mower, Freeborn, Steele, Far- ibault, Martin and Jackson counties. Col. Abert, Chief of Topographical Engineers, describes the western part as "rolling prairie with timber generally near, soil rich, and offering many inducements to the emigrant, particu- larly in the vicinity of the Okamanpidan and Omanhu lakes, and the Des Moines and Chaniuskah rivers." " The Mankato (Blue Earth) and its numerous tributaries being generally well timbered and flowing through a country unsurpassed in the salubrity of its climate and the productiveness of its soil, offers great attractions to the enterprising farmer." See also Nicollet's descriptions of the "Undine Region," on page 33. See Owen's and Wheelock's flattering descriptions of Eastern Minnesota, as to the eastern part.
NORTHERN MINNESOTA, embracing Lake, St. Louis, Itasca, Cass, and Wadena counties, parts of Beltrami and east half of Pembina, described by geologists, voyageurs and gov- ernment officials, as generally unsuitable for farming purposes, but abounding in valuable minerals, extensive forests of pine and hardwood, natural meadows, and im- mense fields of wild rice.
Mr. Wheelock, sustained by Owen's report and other authorities, estimates 3000 square miles on the north shore of Lake Superior, and 2000 square miles scattered through the pineries, as an exception to the general sterility of the district. There are also belts of excellent land aronnd most of the larger lakes. The east part of
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NORTHERN MINNESOTA.
Pembina between Lake of the Woods and Red Lake, is represented as an impassable swamp.
It is called the Highland or Mountain District of the State-its summit, 1680 feet above the sea, being the " watershed" or dividing ridge between the waters flow- ing south to the Gulf of Mexico, and those flowing north to Hudson's Bay. The hills north of Lake Superior are estimated by Owen to rise 1200 to 1300 feet above the lake and less than 2000 above tide water.
Agricultural Character of the Western Division .- This includes an area of 16,440 square miles lying west of St. Louis and Carlton counties, and including east half of Pembina. Dr. A. Barnard, resident surgeon at the Chip- pewa Agency, in a letter contributed to this book, de- scribes the
Surface of the Country .- He says : " Down the southern slope (of the dividing ridge above described) the land stretches away in easy undulations and level sandy plains, occasionally, in the vicinity of lakes and streams, rising into low hills and bluffs. The northern slope, towards Red Lake and the Rainy Lake River, is less easy, and the surface more broken. Voyageurs state that the canoe route down the Big Fork of this river is obstructed at one point by falls of fifteen feet descent, and that in its whole course the current is more rapid than that of the Upper Mississippi."
Soil .- " Generally sandy and second rate, but exceed- ingly fertile belts around the lakes."
" Timber grows over the entire district. On that por- tion drained by the Mississippi pine is the principal growth. Of this there are three species : the black (called also the bastard or spruce pine,) Norway, and white pine. The former is most abundant, and of least value for lumber. Sugar maple, elm, bass, ash, oak, and
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NORTHERN MINNESOTA.
birch skirt most of the large bodies of water," Tamarac in the swamps, and north of Sandy Lake white cedar and spruce mingled with the tamarac.
Roads, &c .- " From Crow Wing village, following the north bank of the Crow Wing River, by the Old Agency to the Crossing, 33 miles. Thence to Otter Tail Lake ; mail weekly. From Crow Wing village, by Gull Lake and Pine River, to New Agency, on south shore of Leech Lake, 70 miles ; mail weekly. From north shore of Leech, by west side of Cass, crossing the dividing ridge near Turtle Lake, to south shore of Red Lake, 75 miles."
Another Account .- Rev. John Mattocks, of St. Paul, who went from Crow Wing to Red Lake, via the basin of Leech Lake, in 1868, by government appointment, on Indian business, says of the " chances of settlement" in this region, "about the same as in the Adirondacks of New York. Occasionally you meet with a mingled growth of pine and maple, where a few farms might be opened ; but these spots will be ten or fifteen miles apart, and the intermediate country is sterile and inhospitable -a thin surface resting on a cold, impervious subsoil of indurated. clay, and covered with low scrubby pine. Marshy lakes spread in all directions."
The whole of Cass County formerly Covered with Water. -" The whole area of Cass County, fully equal to Con- necticut, is a plateau which, at a period comparatively recent, has been denuded of water, probably by a sudden rupture at Pokegoma Falls, and the land cannot be said to be settled. A dam at Pokegoma twenty feet high would flood the whole country again."
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