Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1850-1854, 1851-08-29
For the kenosha Telegraph.
SKETCHES OF MINNESOTA

'oJ OO oilfolle YOUR redueTS SOME VINO
have seriously thought of making Minnesota
their future home, and who may wish to learn
without the trouble of visiting it, something OF
the physical, intellectual, and moral aspects OF
the new territory. To these topics we propose
to devote the two remaining letters of the Sc
ries.
The idea that the whole of Minnesota is COW
cred by dense pine forests, and that the country
is worthless, except as numbering region, is an
erroneous one. True, there are extensive forests
of pine, and the facilities which exist for manu-
featuring and exporting lumber will render these
forests of immense value and constitute one of
the principle elements of the wealth of Minneso-
ia. But the territory has also its far spreading
Prairies, its beautiful oak openings and its nu-
merous bodies of timber other than pine
It's also an erroneous idea, that the situation
of Minnesota is so far northward as to unfit it
for agricultural purposes Most kinds of grains
are raised without difficulty, and the season, al
though somewhat shorter than ours, are suffi-
ciently long to bring them to maturity. The ia
cilites for reaching the interior of the territory,
when once at ST. Paul, and for the transporta-
ton of products, and the facility with which land
may be obtained at government rates, present an
allurlng motive to the emgrant to bend his steps
thther.
Ithas noble river (the Minnesota) affordng
a steamboat passage into the midst OF beauti-
full country of prairies and openings west of the
Mississippi. Almost all of these Elysian fields
are now in the possession of the aboriginees, but
measures are in progress for heirpurchase which
will spread out vast and splendid region to the
enterprise of hardy pioneers. The only land in
Minnesota now open to settlers is the strip lying
between the St. Croix and Mississippi rivers
But even here is room to spare-a large portion
of it being still subject to private entry.
The inducements for the farmer to emigrate
to Minnesota are tempting.
Any amount of produce which he can raise
can be disposed Of at home at enormous prices
The constant influx of emigration, the garrisons
at Fort Smelling and Fort Ripley, and especially
the nelghborhood of those large tribes of Indians
who by their princcly annutics are rendered in
dependent of labor, and who find it easier TO pur-
chase agricultural products than to raise them,
will foryears make the home market of Minneso-
Ia one of the best in the world.
The price of oats has frequently been as high
as IS cts. per bushel, potatoes IS cts, fresh but
ter 25 cts. per pound and the prices Of other ar
ticles such as would astonish one recently from
the glutted markets of Wisconsin or Illinois.
Wheat is but little raised at present, not that
it cannot BE-, but because there are not mills to
grind it.
Minnesota has one tempting advantage which
It's citizens, and especially its editors. are loqua-
cious in representing, viz: its heaIthfulness.-
With mingled feelings OF cxultation and Of pity,
they call on the poor shiverng victim of fever
and ague to leave the black mould, and decayed
and sinking water of the praries far
Their south, and to enjoy the pure bracing air, and
gushing fountains, and gurgling streams oftber
region, where miasmatc influences do not pre-
vail, and where he ague is stranger. unless i'm
ported by some victim from below who has not
been long enough among them to shake off the
vile disease.
We have been looking at the bright side of the
picture of things in Minnesota. 1t has its dark
side. Let us look at that
The soil ofthat part of the territory which we
have seen is of a sandy character, and although
adapted TO the climate and calculated from its
warmth to bring crops to maturity during the
short summer season, will by no means produce
the rank vegetation which is seen on different
soil
The northern latitude OF Minnesota will of
course be an objection in the minds of many and
consequently retard lis settlement. Add TO these
two facts the additional one that the territory is
accessible without difficulty only by single tho
roughfare, (the Mississippi and that emigrants
from the east, must cross the state of Wisconsin
or Illinois TO reach il, and we may well conclude
that it will not be settled with the amazing rapid
i,y which characterized the settlement of Wis
consin.
The farmer who comes 10 Minnesota with
high hopes of realizing fortune will soon see the
dark side of the picture. Ifhe is so unfortunate
as not to possess a breaking team he will be COM
PEELED to pay four times the cost of his land 10
sc: the sod turned over, SIS per acre being the
common price for breaking.
Ii he needs a little mechanical work performed
he will be completely non -p!ussed at the exhor-
bi,ancy Of the charge. If he needs to hire labor
on his farm he will be reminded most forciby
that "tiras is m2ney," If he wishes to purchase
few articles from the merchant he will find that
others as we'll as himself came here to get rich
In short the bills which are presented will be We.
~ likely to exhaust his purse long before the
frs; products Of his farm can be marketed and
TO convince him that Minnesota is capital place
to emigrate from.
Bui there are another kind Of bills which du-
ring the summer months are presented with such
frequency and Pertnacity, and from the annoying
effects of which escape is so difficult, that all
classes are apt on this account to admire Mime
sofa as a place to emigrate from, We alIude to
the bill of a provoking little animal, called the
musketoe OF all places for this insect, Mime
sota is the place par excellence. Here they are
on their own ground, and here the sanguinary