Minnesota weekly times. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1854-1859, 1855-07-17
Editorial Corresp udence.
THE UP cOUNTRY-DOTTfN6s BY THE WAY
NO. vi.

THE UP COMMUNICATIONS BY THE Way
| NO. vi.
| SAuK RAPIDS, June, 1858.
After you leave the Big Lake House, you strike
out on to an eighteen mile prairie, as barren ol
vegetation and trees as an editors pocket is ol
money. 1t was q beautiful morning. The birds
were singing merrily, and the breeze that came
sweeping across the plain, played gently with the
brown hair of the young lady who was our com.
panion. The little blue and yellow flowers lifted
up their heads, and smiling sweetly, nodded as
| We passed-the horses snuffed the air and saily
dashed along--the morning songsters warhed
their welcome, while s3ng of harmony sponta-
neously gushed forth from the company and went
ringing among the dark woods that appeared like
approaching armies in the distance. 1t was SO
still and yet so beautiful-so solemn and yet SO
grand-away out from the busy world-alone
with God and silence--that we almost forgot the
cares and anxieties Of life, and imagined that
the ful6llment of the song was at hand-s' the
good time had come" Thirteen miles suf6ced to
bring in the region Of Silver Lake, small
though beautiful sheet of water lying costly just
under the ewes of the farm house of Mr.. Boying-
ton. This is about 90 miles from St. Paul, and
the land in the immediate neighborhood is said
to be good, although saw nothing to call forth
any great enthusiasm. l was informed by Mr..
Boyington, that there was land not taken up with
in half mile of his place, which he considered
good, bo:h regards wood and water. He holds
his own land Gmproved) at $40 to SIS per acre.
We refreshed the inner man at this house, roamed
for a while along the banks of the Lakeland at
last bid the kind people good by and were on our
way to Sauk Rapids.
Four miles from this point is Clear Lake Dis
trict, called SO from Lake which lies in the lap
of the prairie, and in front of the residence of
Mr.. Stephenson, whose farm is said to be unsur-
passed in that neishborhood. A short distance
beyond is the farm Of Mr.. Gates, who, two and
half years ago, took possession of the virgin soil,
and has now 250 acres under cultivation. He
values his land at $40 per acre. The average
yield of potatoes to the acre on his farm, is 275
bushels. His crops were in fine condition-better,
we think, than more than two thirds of those we
saw the route. The soil is very rich, and needs
but very little care to produce abundantly. Mr..
Gates is a worker, and if any one can make mon,
ey at farming, he can. The distance from this
placc 10 Sauk hdpiuS, Is IL hiiieS, anu tne ulS-
tance from St. Paul is 6i miles.
The country lying between Clear Lake District
and Sauk Rapids, grows better as you approach
the latter place-somc portions are very fne.-
There are but one or two farms on the route, and
these have the appearance of newness. All along,
before you reach the town, marks of the specu-
lator are visible. Here is a magnificent roll of
country, but it can't be bought for ANYTHING like
a decent price, and there is fnc point for res
idcnce, but it is passed Dy, bee c'use some ono who
i'm gines that in course of time it will make him
rich, holds it at I'm cxorbitant price. The only
and legitimate way to get rich, is to deveope the
soil, and he who prevents this, p even:s the ad-
vancement AMI prosperity of our Territory. We
have no charity for sreculators-they have
right to drive honest, in1u ,trous farmers twenty
miles beyond a market, because thereby they can
make few dollars-s such Il course is not justified
by honorable men and certainly is not by God.
"The shades night falling f.st,''
As through Siuk Rapids we gailv pas ed,
quite favorably impressed with the town, concern
ing which and the surrounding country, l shall
have more to say in my next. TIM.