Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1856-01-22
GBe 5laiIg Spg.
TUESDAY, JANUARY 20. 1876.

FARIDAuLr. Rice County, M. T., !

Messrs. Editors To see, and feel the truth
of the saying this is great country "a
New Highlander has only to take g trip out
west, as 1 have done. l left Worcester,
Mass. the goth of last July, and, in meander-
ing about the % Far West" have sean and
admired much of the States of Ohio, Mich,
igan, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Iowa, and
the Territory of Minnesota, each of them
rich enough in soil, and other natural re-
sources, and broad enough in countless acres,
to become an independent empire Of itself
On my route 1 had the good fortune to
happen along 'just in tine to attend the
Annual State Agricultural Fairs. of Ohio, at
the capital Of the State, the beautiful and
growing city of Columbus, --of Michigan,
at the old, but recently reiuvenated city of
Detroit, and of Illinois. at the young. but
already great. rapidly expanding, and truly
wonderful city of Chicago Such throngs of
sober, well-dressed orderly, and apparently
happy people men, women, and children,
i never before witnessed OH such occasions.
They all seemed to be proud, as well they
might be, of these great agricultural, hortl-
cultural, mineral, and mechanical ex hibitions,
exponential, as they WERE of the wonderful
fertility, boundless productiveness, industry,
skill wealth, and prosperity, of their respec.
tive States.
prairie States and Territories, that have yet
seen, Iowa and Minnesota, in their combined
advantages, Of geographical position, richness
OF soil, present and prospective healthiness,
and rapidly increasing population, are in my
opinion, for those seeking homes in the " Far
West, by far the most beautiful, eligible, and
inviting. Of these two extensive, beautiful
and fertile regions, Minnesota is perhaps, at
present the more attractive, as her public
lands, during the past year, have been, and
during the coming season will be, rapidly ia
ken up and :" pre-empted" by actual settlers,
While those of Iowa have been, are now, and
will continue to be, taken up cat private en-
try" on speculation, by non resident capital
lists. In Minnesota. no lands south or west
of st. Paul, can he obtained, except by 'spre-
empuon,' one element of which is personal
occupation, and 10 one can obtain then, as a
pre- emptioIl, more than quarter section or
one hundred aud sixty acres while, in Iowa,
and other prairie States, where the public
lands have been offered, but not bought at
auction, or "public sale, and consequently
are subject to "private entry at the mini
mum price OF ST. 20 per acre. any person can,
and many do take III, not only one hundred
ana sixty, but many thousand acres, and
hold them for higher prices, without residing
VI N or improving them, and thus greatly
retard the settlements and prosperity Of the,
State.
The postponement of the public land sale
in Minnesota, last Autumn. was a great bless
ing to the Territory, and, if the postponement
should continue for a year or more, as it prob.
ably will, it will have a resident for nearly
every quarter section" in it, while Iowa. in
many Of its organized counties, will not have
on the average, one to every section SO that
Minnesota viii, as Territory have the BEN
-etir OF SCHOOLS, vhurcnes, and other adydn
tages Of well setrled townships, even before
Iowa can, as generally, possess and enjoy
them as State.
Under the pre- emptionary statutes Of the
United States, any head of a family, ANY
male person over twenty one years,-and any
wldow,-if citizen of the United States, can
select. claim, occupy, and purchase, as pre-.
emptive right, enc hundred and sixty acres of
the Minnesota lands, at ST. 25 per acre, and,
when thus claimed, occupied, and pre-emp-
ted, they will be worth as much as those lands
in Iowa usually are, that have been taken up
and held some five or ten years by Aon-resi-
dents, VIZ: from S. to 800 per acre. Many
OF these claims are sold, even before they are
"pre-empted, for from $500 to $4,000, so
that the right to purchase l60 acres at 81 %
per acre, is, many times, Il very valuable one.
Whoever avails himself or herself of it, in
Minnesota, in compliance with the statute,
can not very well fail either to find a peasant
and healthy home, or to make profitable in
vestment.
The tide of emigration to Iowa and Minne-
sofa, during the last year, was high and broad,
and will, IN all probability, be still more so,
during the ensuing season. Minnesota will
soon have, ana probably has nearly, already,
the go, 900 inhabitants necessary 10 enttle
hor tn n Afnfo II,,fa l,.,k -
wise,vshe VIII not apply for it, until her good
Old "Uncle sam" shall have paid her terri
torial expenses for few years longer Some
political aspirants are doubtless anxious for
speedy change from Territorial to a State
government, but the people seem disposed to
remain as they are, and thus ''let well enough
alonep
This place, Faribault, pronounced f" Feri-
boo, is at the junction of Cannon and
Straight Rivers, sixty miles south of st.
Pauls, and one hundred and tenswest Of Wi
mona, on the Mississippi River, and takes its
naIues from Mr.. Alexander Faribault, who is
now resident, and has been for many years
an "lndian trader, at this point--a " half
breed"-bearing equal PORTIONS Of French and
Indian blood in his veins-has an Indian lady
for vile, aud large family OF br;settish,
but fine looking children--is part owner Of
sively known for his intelligence, enterprise,
wealth, and high respectability. Last spring,
there were only four or five houses on the
clown Plot while aow there are some thir-
ty or forty-six or eight stores-one grog-
shop, (but destined soon to be knocked in the
head)--one hotel, two blaeksmiths shops,
cabinet shop, livery stable, school.house,
we'll filled with children, sash, door, and
blind factory, q boot and shoe mandatory,
and,running night and day,oas stationary and
three portable stesm saw-mils, and several
other mechanical establishments. More than
one hundred houses will probably go up here
next season, as lumber Will then be obtaina.
BILE and lower-being now scarce at $40 per
1000 ft.--and fill that number of town lots
has been sold OIL condition of being built up.
on next spring and summer. A public hail,
for religious and other purposes, and two or
tn e additional hotels, will be among the
early aud much needed structures of next
spring.
Farhault, although less than one wear old,
is the County seat" of Rice Coanty, and is
even now the largest settlement within a cir.
Gle around IL OF sixty miles dinmeter,a and pos
sesses the peculiar and combined advantages
of wood. timber, water, water power, prairie,
stone.quarries brick and other CLAWS, lime,
and other building materials. at convenient
| points around it. Tho railroad from st. Paul
| to Dubuque, in Iowa, chartered aud partly
surveyed, will probably pass through this
| point, or it can thus, and thus only. run along
the high level prairies between the hehd wa
/ fore of mn r,orcVo rivoYa nd ofroaua and ba-