The weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1852-1858, 1856-04-05
From the Sank Rapids Fpntisrman.
Environs Of Sauk Rapids.

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I The growth Of a town very much depends
upon the character of the surrounding coun-
try. Private and public enterprise NAV do
much towards ensuring the permanent pros
perity of the place, but these generally will
be finally unavailing, unless supported by the
agricultural resoiirces, and settlements of
| the adjoining region! We believe this re-
mark will hold true in relation tc all new
towns everywhere. Sank Rapids is gener-
ally and specially favored in this regard. It
is not to her great water pOwer-the unsur-
passed beauty and romance of her situation !:
the advantages of being the geographical
and commercial centre of the Upper Missis-
sippi-and the head of navigation above the
Falls of St. Anthony-it is not to these rare
advantages alone that we look to the reasons
of her becoming sooner or later the princi-
pal town of Northern Minnesota Sank
Rapids is surrounded by rich and extern
sive agricultural district. On the East is
the Elk River Valley, which is being rapidly
settled and handsomely improved by eastern
men of means and enterprise. 1t is about
five miles from Sank Rapids to Elk! River,
The land intervening is of choice duality
for farms, all arrable, of an even Surface. and
handsome appearance. For about two miles
it is what is known as hazel-nut bush land
the remaining is prairie of the best descrip-
ton. This prairie has already many inhabi-
tants and large improvements. The Elk
River valley is commingling of heavy tim
bered and prairie and hazel-nut land. It is
we'll watered, and good judges Who have
seen it, pronounce it to be one of the very
best farming districts in the whole Terri
tory.
On the West is the charming Valley of
Sank River. We have often heretofore spoken
of the value and improvements of this valley.
Sank River, the most delightful of all west
era tributaries to the Mississippi, rises at
Sank Lake, and winding its way in an east
etly direction, flows into the Mississippi di-
rectly opposite Sank Rapids. The whole
country traversed by Sank River is suscepti-
BILE of the highest cultivation as farming
district; and is now occupied and more or
less improved fer more than twenty miles |
from its mouths The trade of this valley
must in very short time be immense. Vast |
quantities of grain and other products of the |
farm will soon seek a market after supplying
the wants of the valley. The mouth of the |
Sank is the natural outlet of it's adjacent |
and Sank Rapids will enjoy the ad-
vantages of the commerce and trade of that |
beautiful and fertile region. Though Sank |
River is not navigable, the land on both banks
is high and dry, upon which roads can be
built at trifling expense. With good ferry |
across the Mississippi at the mouth of the |
Sank, for the present, and ultimately a
bridge, the access of the town to this valley
must contribute very greatly to its present |
success and future permanent prosperity.
The resources of the country north and |
south of Sank Rapids, are we'll known: The
lands mostly have long been occupied and
improved. The statistics of the Benton Co. |
Agricultural Society show what has been
done for the last three years in the raising of
grain. The farmers here have raised larger
and better CROPS than in any other portion
of the Territory. The face of the country is |
pleasing soil is productive-the growth
of all kinds of crops rapid and certain-it is
well watered-there is an abundance of
fencing and fire wood either upon the land
or the immediate vicinity and, with the ex-
ception CT some portions of it unfortunately
in the hands of spectators, is owned and
occupied 10y actual settlers. Such is a brief
but faithful description of the lands ado,.-
ing Sank Rapids. What we have said we
know to be true. We can certainly have nc
motive, as we have no Inflammation to cxag-
gerate[for we Lave lived too long in the
West and had too many instances of the
baneful effects of exaggeration upon locali-
ties it was designed to help, to indulge in it
oursef.
We trust immigrants will come and see
for themselves: This is all we ask as en-
surfing the triumphant vindication of the
verify of our statements. Sank Rapids then
offers inducements to merchants, and arti-
zans and mechanics of all kinds, rarely met
with in the great West. The merchants now
doing business here will tell you that the
point is excelled by no other on the Upper
Mississippi in the advantages offered for sell
ing goods. The labor of mechanics demands
the highest wages. With these facts so inn
portant, and so favorable to the growth of
Sank Rapids, we cannot doubt but it must
be the most important town north of the
Falls of st. Anthony.