Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1857-10-21
The Fort Smelling Property.

The Fort Smelling Property.
At our request, Carter B. Harrison, Esq. of this
City, who is well acquainted with the value of prop
erty in the Northwest, and especially of lands in
that region has given the facts in relation to the
Fort Smelling reservation and his opinion to what
it is really worth. His letter will be found below.
The opposition papers are endeavoring to make
capital out of the sale of Fort Smelling; but the
facts, when fully known, will rebound to the credit
of the administration and of the Secretary of War,
by whom the sale was made. Mr.. H. is highly
intelligent gentleman, and incapable of making any
statement which he does not believe to be true.
For the Standard.
THE FORT SMELLING RESERVATION.
MEssRs EDITORS Il received the number of the
N. Y. Tribune to which you called my attention, and
have read the communication of its Washington
correspondent in reference to the sale of Fort Smell
ling
shall not attempt justification of the Secretary
of War or his agents. as presume they compe-
tent to their own defence, but have hesitation in
giving you my estimate of the value Of that proper
ty, as derived from personal observation of the
reservation ITSELF and from a tolerable acquaintance
with the surrounding country. 1t is evident the
property can have only an agricultural or COM
mercial value; that is it must be estimated in pro-
to the probability of its becoming great CONNER
cal mart. The reservation formerly contained
$4,000 acres, occupying the angle formed by the
junction Of the Mississippi and Minnesota Rivers,
and embracing the present site Of Minneapolis
About four years ago the necessity of this part of
the tract for the purposes of trade became so great
that the Department put into market "a 600 acres in
its usual manner of allowing the right of pre-
ton. believe they obtained the minimum price of
1925 per acre only for that portion of the tract
which the City Of Minneapolis is located, which
numbers already $500 inhabitants, and is rapidly
growing. This sale left 5000 acres. The quality
Of the soil is sandy prairie, slightly impreg
mated with lime, and though productive in the
staples peculiar to that high latitude, are not so
rich lasting the lands of Iowa or the
formation of Biologists, (see Owens Geology of the
Northwest,) they are destitute Of clay as a subso
and it is not thought they will last longer than
twenty years, even under the moderate culture
which their staples require. l have seen similar
soils exhausted in five years in Alabama when SUBJ
jected to the cultivation Of cotton and corn. Lying
within three miles of St. Paul, and six miles from
Minneapolis and st. Anthony Cities, they will rank
higher for farming purposes than their intrinsic
value, as compared with many sections of Minneso-
ia, would otherwise warrant. Within thirty or
forty miles of the reservation, lands equally good
can yet be pre-empted Second hand tracts were
offered to me at from S. to $40 in the immediate
vicinity, according to Improvements. Besides, as
soon the several Railroad Companies shall have
made their selections the alternate sections along
their entire course will be subject to entry s. So
Assuming these facts correct data, valued the
Fort Smelling land at $3.50 per acre, which vaiua-
ton allowing 900 for the improvements will
make up the sum of 500, 900, the amount which the
Secretary and his agents said to have obtained.
would not now value them so high, and do not
believe the investment will pay the purchasers as
good profits as the same amount would pay in other
in no Ruf ic alle prod
that being situated at the confluence Of the two
Rivers, it is the point at which St. Paul should have
been. In my judgment this is of no consequence.
First Mendoza, the oldest town in Minnesota, COM
mands the confluence Of the two Rivers as well Ft
Snelling was not part Of the reservation and has
common harbor with the Fort. The truth being
that there is harbor at or within three miles OF
the junction of the two Rivers, comparable to that
at St. Paul. which fact determined the point in favor
of the latter City. The Minnesota River is charac-
terized by the same physical disadvantages, as to
navigation, as the Great Missouri Narrow, tortu.
Gus in its course, with caving banks aud shifting
sand bars it affords the most uncertain and danger
Gus navigation of all the Western Rivers. But il
the navigation were good and safe all obser.
walton shows that it is not Immediately at the con.
fuence of Rivers that large cities apt to spring
up. The great City of St. Louis is several miles
below the junction of the Mississippi and Missouri
while the little town of Alton commands the confu
ence. Keokuck is several miles abOre the junction
of the Des Moins with the Mississippi. Omaha
City, several miles a6oue the mouth of the Platte
and lastly Cairo, at the confluence OF the Ohio ano
great Mississippi and the Southern terminus of the
Illinois Central Railroad, cannot be blown into q
large mart by the repeated efforts of English CAPT
.talists.
The last Congress donated lands to six lines o
Railroad, all divergng from Minneapolis and St
East, the other a few miles to the West, while s
third from St. Paul passes South of Fort Smelling
thus leaving it an isolated point within triangle
Railroads, which from their location, well as di
rection forbid Fort Smelling from entering the list
of competition with either St. Paul, with its vas
trade and enterprise or the cities around the Falls
commanding as the latter do the head of lower ant
the foot of upper navigation.
A knowledge of the success with which combna
tons at the public sales of government property hav
heretofore been effected, might enable me to offer
reason why the agents elected to sell privately; bu
as that affects the personal conduct of the agent
themselves I presume they are competent to thei
own justification.
An investigation of this transaction, at the mex
session of Congress, has been threatened. Let
come. The Administration will have nothing Il
| fear, and the Secretary of War will have given tn
country another example of the integrity and sagac
ity which ought ever to characterize an American
statesman.
G. B. HARRISON
W. H. BAILEY, EsQ.-We learn from the Milto
Chronicle that w. H. Bailey, Esq, of Orange ha
been elected County Attorney for Caswell County
| in place of James N. Montgomery, Esq, deceased
The Chronicle says, we understand that he speak
of locating in our County, and we hope the news
true. But be this as it may, evil doors will fin
! him a terror to them" Mr. Bailey is young ma
of superior attainments, and good lawyer for b
age. The people of Orange will be sorry to los
him but Caswe County, if be should locate With
her borders, will gain worthy and valuable citize'
| ~ Hon. Fernando Wood, the present incuu