The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1858-04-15

We have before Us the annual report OF
the Illinois Central Railroad Company, for
1857. 1t is full and volumnous document
Of 20 folio pages, and is replete with interest
10 the public, az well as TO the stockholders
OF the Company. II copy Of this docu-
ment could be placed in the hands Of every
voter In Minnesota, and with it, statement
oil the condition Of those portions Of the
State Of Illinois through which the Central
road runs, prior to ito construction, it would
present the strongest argument yet made
public, in favor OF the immediate construc-
ton Of railroads in Minnesota.
The total amount Of lands granted TO tine
Central road was 1896 900 acres. During
1857, 1876, 722.17 acres OF land belonging
to the company, were sold for S4,O64,7l7 oil
the average per acre being sl2 IL. These
sales were made in 3440 different contracts,
averaging 97.5G acres each, and were almost
entirely for actual settlement and eultiya-
ton.
The sales in 1856 amounted to 33G ,3i7.-
DO acres, for $4,5IS, 5Cl 70. And the to-
tai amount received by the Company, from
the sale Of their lands, up to January |,
1888, reaches the extraordinary amount OF
Sl5,3ll, 4l0 10. Yet the Company has
not sold one half Of their lands, for the total
number Of acres remaining unsold, on the
first Of January last was 1884, 0GG22, the
amount Of the grant, a. We before stated,
being 2,595,OOO acres.
One. of the most gratifying features con
nected with the report, is the statement of
two experienced and reliable agents of the
company, detailed in November last, to ex-
anime and report the character and extent
OF Che improvements on the lands sold by the
company between Calumet and Nation, a
distance Of about one hundred and fifty
miles on the Chicago Branch. The follow
ing is ali abstract Of the results of their Ia
bors:
The gentleman who made the examination on
the west side OF the road, states that on the
lands sold by this company, six hundred and
thirty.nl dwellings had been erected, valued
| at $3.50, T25; four hundred out buildings, valued
| at 81, 730; the cattle and stock on those farms
| were estimated at 1864, 1tO; one hundred and
| fourteen thriving orchards had been set out
| $685. acres had been broken; and that the to.
| tai amount expended in improvements was
! 81 ,062,4l5. To a more full and clear under
standing OF the progress Of improvements on
these lands he states that on the lst of May
1886, there was not single house on railroad
lands in township %, N. OF range Q, f., and it
| now contains twenty nine dwelling houses and
thirty five farms. In township 70, N. OF range
10, h., there was not u house on railroad land
| on the LIST Of March, lsj6, and now there are
sixty four dwelling houses, and Sol ,535 have
been expended In improvements. In township
| 20 N. OF range i, H., $3.50 acres Of railroad
land have been plowcd, and laid out in twenty
three farms. with good and substantial Yelling
houses-sj7, 200 having been expended in i'm
! provements. The settlers near Sadorus are
making very superior improvements-one gen
tiemen having sown eight hundred acres in win.
| ter wheat. The settlers from Ohio and Ken
lucky, who located north west of 0kaw, in the
early part OF 1857, have made very great i'm
! provements, and have converted the whole
prairie into thriving farms and hourishing
fields.
The report of the examiner on the east side
Of the road between the same points, is equally
satisfactory. Tie states that on railroad lands
there are go dwellings valued at 1851 $50 1873
out houses, worth 81, 065; sxty-one orchards;
s,at2 horses and cattle, valued at s205, l27 with
fair proportion OF hogs, sheep, &c; that A..
200 acres had been plowed, and the cost Of i'm
provements was 1851, IG6. lie further states
that three years ago nearly all the lands ex.
amined by Inn were unsoId aud unlmproved I;
whereas, now there are at least two thousand
farms opened and being opened on railroad
lands. Further that new and thrifty towns
are springng up,churches and common schools
are being established, and that, too, in sonaSfn
stances, where one year ago there was not q
single habltatiou 20 be seen. These remarks
also apply 10 the country on the other side OF
the road above mentioned. The settlers, he re-
marks, appear 10 be satisfied with their loca.
tons and the country generally that in the Sec
ton OF country north OF Urbana there Is not an
unusual amount OF winter wheat sown. the ex.
pericnce OF the two last years having caused
stock and growing spring wheat, which is q
certain crop; but south OF rbana, full one. third
Of the land is in winter wheat, and every indi.
cation promises rich harvest
The lands granted the Illinois Central
Railroad Company, equal in fertility, but
not in the healthfulness of their location,
and adaptedness for settlement, the average
Of the lands granted our Minnesota Compa-
MES. We take it that the above presents
but feeble exhibit of the progress which
will be made in this State, when our Rail-
roads are commenced, and il becomes the
highest interest Of the Companies to induce
emigration and the speedy settlement and
cultivation Of their lands
/
L., T@b, par,h