The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1856-04-17


series Of carefully prepared tabular statements
10 reference 10 the sales Of public lands in Mil-
nesoss since ls48. The figures are derived
from omcial sources, and may be relied upon
. strictly correct
SALES on PUBLIC LAsDs
The Hrst sale Of public lands within the lin
liz Of the present organized Territory Of Min
nssota, was made before the passage Of tho
law organizing our Territory. by Procia'
nation Of the President. In 1913 twcntyscyen
townships and fractional townships. containing
43e,737 acres Of land. lying in Wisconsin---now
Minnesota Territory, was placed In market.
The first sale came of tho 18th Of Aug. lS4s,
at the land Office at the Falls Of ths H. Croix,
10 the State u Wisconsin. Bat 3,32G acres
were disposed Of st The minjmsm prise Of o.
Is per are. Al this Office, tho town sites Of
81. Paul, 81. Anthony, and Saltwater, were
entered BY tho claimants, and At the rate above
mentioned. Their value u present. can only
b computed by miIlioos Of dollar
The sales at tho Falls Of St Cros. during
the year 1913. amounted 10 1881 acre
A friend who was present at the land sales
81 the Falls OF tho st. Croi1, In 1913. eenis
IN tho following description Of the Occurrences
there passing At that time 49,
To the Eiitsr. Of ~. rionser AMI Democrat
The Land Office for tho Chippewa Land
District was opened by Gen. SAarrr Lrgcn
Receiver, and Col &. s. WnrsrY. Register,
Of the Falls Of the 81 Croix IN the iirst part
Of August, lsi7 The frs, sale 10 this District.
commenced on OF about the 18Th day Of Az
gust l848, and con,nued for two wockq. Tie
second sale commenced on. or about The 18th
day Of September, Of ile same year. and also
continued for two weeks At this latter sale.
tho 6rst lands were disposed o. that ART now
comprised within tho limits Of Minnesota incu-
=. dug the toAna Of y Iapl s! Aa.hansS sqIl
Saltwater. At this period III re wer very
few white settlers within what II now the Ter
ri,ory Of Minnesota; aud they we're principally
located within, and Immediately surrounding the
above named towns For tbs better accomIuo
dalton Of tho pcop'e--il,e convcnienoer oi travel
beiDy very poor--thc Land offers gave timely
public notice, Of the exact day upon which ccr
tain townships would le offered for sale 30.
that a. no one time vert there more Than from
forty to lilty persons present. Thea were NJ
Speculation" III attendance al this sale which
accounts for the fact that there was but one
contra bid during tho whole Sale, aud that was
between two settlers. who reside somewhere 10
the nclghborhood Of Cottage Grove, in Wash
ington County. II seems. that, amor having
secured their respective claims, they could moi
agree upon which should have certain 80
acre trac,, composed OF timber hnj, lying adj.
jaccnt to each, believe that the apcccssml
bidder got II ut about ten cents above tie
minimum price per acre
The most exciting timr during this sole, and
at which there were greater number OF pco
ple present. was on that day aud the day bo.
fore. that on which tho town site Of 81 Panl.
was offered for sale The good people ol this
vicinity we're very fearful that tho sale would
be infested with hungry sci Of speculator4. as
has too oflcn happened a, land sales in the
wcst, rcady with their gold, To Jump al every
chance that presented Itself and bid Over the
actual settler. 10 guard against hi, cmprg,u-
cy. u wea understood beforehand that The ilon.
IL. II, SinLn should bid IN the town site oi
ST. Paul. and The claims Of such Canadians ~
did not understand English sufficiently To- do 90
for themselves and To mid and as,si HIN In this
mission, large and wci armed force, composed
principally Of Canadian fruchmeu wcrc prs.
Gu, at the sale Their fears however, we're M,
realixed, and they we're permitted 10 purchase
their lands without molcsiafioD.
From the opening Of the Land oiirc up 10
the first Of October following. there wcrc one
hundred and thirty one certificates granted Cor
private cutrica and purchases u, the public
sales. Thirty eight certificates Icr locations
made by Military Land Warrant; lweu,y.ons
dcclarntory statements G'td on lauds subject
to private entry, and thirren statement, iil,d
Gu lands which had not yet hcon offered iof sale
L.
In lsA9. amer much delay anil difficulty the
Land Onicr at the Falls OF 81 Croix. wa rN
moved TO saltwater, 4 rcmonstrance agnins,
this removal was made by the members at thu.
Wisconsin legislature; their objections. how
ever. were overcome hy the establishment If m
additional land district in Wisconsin,.
With these introductory nmarks. We will
lay before our readers the business tran,actions
Of the different land Offices in the Territory.
since their establishment
A.H9afsr Land y arid.--Rcmoyci from
Falls Of ST CroiX To- saltwater, ia jnBr, iSia
This district anil the Sauk Rarbk district, ,m
brace all the lands IA Miuncs T., East OF ihe
Mississippi uy,r Tie and officers an Wv
ll,Lcmn Receiver. and I. VI FutrRroN.
Rpis',r. All the sa,rs Of public land' made
IL tbs, district are includ,d Us the following
statements
The ,,at whole Ne Of Aces go, - wdi Am re- d
,ei.'~ acre. sold. Lsni Maf'al' ~ ash