St. Cloud Democrat. [volume] (Saint Cloud, Stearns County, Minn.) 1858-1866, 1858-12-23
Observation-Disclosures

9FCEiCk-E EClDC[E-
fHNlS town is situated On the Sioux
l weed river, and is the Western ,ermi-
nus OF the Minnesota and Pacific railroad ;
the point laid down by Capt. Pope On his
map as the head OF steam navigation Oh tie
hcd river; the Valley Of the Red river is
abcu: twenty miles wide OH either side Of the
stream, and about five hundred miles long !;
the surface is level and drained by numerous
streams which arc skirtcd with elm, ash, bass
wood, white wood and pine OF the largest
growth, the remainder of the valley is prairie,
composed Of rich, black loan free frcln sand
balrens OF swamps. Red river is deep, slow
stream, has 10 islands, sand bars or snags 10
obstruct navigation; the banks arc about IS
feet high, and not subject to overflow many
Of the tributaries Of the Red river are strong
" iEpregnated with salt, and indications OF
iron and coal are numerous i'll the vicinity.
The farmers OF the valley Of the Red river
gave to Major Wood as the average OF their
crops; wheat SO to 10: barley 40 TO SO; cats
Az So; and potatoes 200 to 900 bushels to the
acre. at Pen1bina, 200 miles north Of Brock
enrldge, ex-Gov. Ramsey says, ION the "a
October, 1901, wafer melons and cantelopes
were served to US for dcssert, and the first frost
that occurred was On the night Of that day -
see address before the Minnesota Acricultu-
RAJ Society, Oct, 10th, 1856. Two large set
Elements have long existed on Rcd river
Pcmbina and Selkirl;, both Of Which yearly
raise large surplus Of the products Of the
farm; the whole valley OF tie Rcd river is
rapidly filing up with an energetic and, intel
hgent population the country being exceed
ingly healthy, and should the indications CT
iron and coal lead to the discovery of those
minerals as large as is anticipated, this valley
will soon DC swarminG with population ell
gagged in agriculture, mining and manufacture
ing, supplying eastern Minnesota, Wisconsin,
Iowa and Missouri with the products CT their
labor and skill; the Minnesota and Pacific
railroad will be placed Immediately under
contract as by the terms of its charter it must
be finished from Saltwater to St Anthony with
in two years, and completed to Breckenridge
within ten years from the Sd of March, 1867
or forfeit its franchise as we'll as the lands do
mated to it.
breckenridge is also at the point where Gov
oStcvcn's survey of a route for the Pacific rail-
road crosses the Sioux Wood river, an exami-
nation Of the Western States, and reference
the writings Of Gov. Stevens, ex-Gov. Ram.
say or the Congressional documents containing
the reports Of Maj. Long and Capt. Pope, can
not fail to convince that such is the geosrapl,-
portion Of the Territory Of the United States
which lays west Of the Mississippi and north
of the head waters Of the Minnesota rivers
must forever be tributary to that city, and
that Breckenridge is to be not only the COM
mercial centre for the northwest, but will
forever be the gate city on the great northwest
highway of nations.
breckenridge is now being improved by the
Proprietors, who are erecting dwellings for
themselves, a hotel, grist mill, saw mill, a
single and lath machine, &c.
For further particulars enquire of
HENRY T. WELLS. Minneapolis,
r. CHUTE. St. Anthony,
CHAS. N. M'KUBBIN. St. Paul.
Executive Committee,
Or to GEO. F. BR0TT, Beeckinridge.
Nav TO- 1853 If