Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1853-01-06
Minnesota Territory.


That part of Minnesota which lies east
of the Mississippi river constituted IA por-
ton of Wisconsin Territory, before the ad
mission of the State of that name, with cur.
tailed boundaries. II is estimated to con-
tain about $4,000 square miles. The St.
Croix, and line drawn from the main
branch of that stream TO the Falls the ST.
Louis river of Lake Superior, now divide
Wisconsin from Minnesota. On the West
Of the Mississippi, the parallel of43 deg.
80 min. is the line of division between the
State of Iowa and Minnesota west to the
Missouri river. All the country up the lat
ter stream, above the point of intersection
of that line to its junction with the White
Earth, and along that river to the British
Possessions, thence easlwardly, following
the boundary Of 40 deg North latitude, to
the extreme northw st point of the State of
Wisconsin in Lake Superior, apper,ains to
Minnesota Territory, The area embraced
within these limits contains between l40,
900 and 100000 square miles, equal in ex-
tent to New York, Pennsylvania, and Vir.
GINA, combined.
This immense region is bouniifully wa
tered by the Mississippi, Minnesota, and
Missouri rivers, aud the Red River of the
North. and their numerous tributaries,
which traverse it in every part. There are
also innumerable bodies OF fresh water
which abound in fish Of various kinds-the
white fish especially being found in grea,
numbers in the more northern larger lakes.
The general character of Minnesota is that
of high, rolling prairie; but the streams
and lakes are bordered with heavy bndies
of timber, which contain every species Of
wood known along the Mississippi below, ex.
cept beech and sycamore. Al point about
seventy Or eighty miles above the Falls oI
ST. Anthony, west of the Mississippi, COM
medces large and remarkable forest, that
extends to the southwark nearly at right an
giles across the Minnesota river, to the
branches of the Mah-kah-to, or Blue Earth
river. This vast body of woodland is more
than one hundred and twenty miles in
length, and from twenty to forty in BREADTH
Many beautiful lakes of impid water are
fonnd within its limits, which are the resort
of myriads of wild fowl, including swans,
geese aud ducks The dense thckets along
It's border afford places Of concealment for
the deer, which are killed in great numbers
by the Indians The numerous groves oil
hard naples afford to the latter, at the pro-
per season, the means of making sugar
while the large cotton woods and butternuls
are coverted by them into canoes for the
transportation of themselves and their fam
lies along the watercourses and lakes. A
the approach Of winter. the bands of Daco
tabs or Sioux, save those who rely exclusive
y upon the buffalo for subsistence, seek
the deepest recesses of the forest to hum
the bear, the deer, and smaller fur. bearing
animals, among which may be enumerated
the raccoon, the fisher and the marten. Ii
this beautiful country are to be found al
the requisites to sustain dense population
The soil is of great fertility and unknown
depth, covered as it is with the mould of q
thousand years. The Indian is here in his
forest home, hitherto secure from the intru.
sion of the pale faces; but the advances OIL
civilization warn him that the time has ar.
rived when he must yield up the title to his
fair domain, and seek another and strange
dwelling place.
The soil of Minnesota is admirably
adapted TO the cultivation of all the cereal
grains. Wheat, oats, and barley are alrea.
dy raised in considerable quantities, and
corn OF all kinds grows to great perfection
Wheat and barley afford sure crop, ev N
at the British colony in latitude SO deg.
more tlan S deg north of 81, Paul. Gar
den vegetables of every kind arc raised in
all parts of the Territory, Of size and
quality unsurpassed What will be the re-
suit in the culture Of fruit trees has not vel
been fully tested, but there is no reason l.,
doubt that the experiment will be successful