The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1858-12-23
The Puhiie 1.snds aud Recent Surveys
Of Mionesota--whst we OHss the
Emigraat.

to entry by presumption than any other
State. except California.
The whole quantity Of surveyed lands 10
Minnesota unoGered for sale, bat subject to
pre- emption as above, up to June Both,
1857. was 9,203,26A acres. During the
following fiscal year, ending June Both,
1858. the quantity Of surveyed land pre-
pared for market, but not offered, wa.
l,753,000 acres; and in the succeeding
quarter, ending September Both, 1858,
638.A30 acres was added to this large area,
making an aggregate Of ii ,624,69 acres Of
surveyed lands on hand in Minnesota, sub
ject to entry by presumption. These lands
embrace a soil as fertile and productive rs
any in the West, and better watered than
any other, aud at least as well wooded as
any other in the public domain. Nearly
twelve millions Of acres Of the best agricul-
raj lands in the world-an area sufficient to
supply seventy-fve thousand families with
farms Of leo acres each The immense I'd
vantage afforded for favorable selection
by this large extent OF unappropria,ed sur.
face will be shown by comparison with the
narrow margin TO which he available pub.
lie domain ID reduced in the neighboriDg
States.
Thus Wisconsin Offers only 5466,l4l
acres, which exhaus's her unappropriated
surface, with no capacity for future e1.
tension Of the surveys, as in Minnesota,
where the area Of preempted lands is con-
stantly increasing at the rate Of nearly two
million Of acres per year. Iowa has only
2,ss0,9s9 acres left for presumption. Michi-
gan has but coz. 03S acres, and Missouri but
44,89S acres reserved from the voracious
jaws OF speculation, and to be had at the
minimum government price. It should be
remembered that these figures too, nearly
exhaust The margin Of available sssf.es ~
these States-that the most eligible lands
have long since been offered for sale, and
silted by SPECTATORS and squattcrs, while in
Minnesota, on the other hand, the recent
accession to the surveyed lands Of the State,
embrace the choicest and best lands in the
State, and Of the sixteen millions Of acres
yet to be surveyed. twothirds Of the whole
extent COM rises as excellent farming lands
a. are to be found in the Northwest. The
whole area Of Minnesota is about 10000
square miles. Deducting one third for water
surface and irredcemlble swamps-a and We
have left Of the finest arabic land in the
world--about 320O0,0OO acres. OF this
only about 100000 acres have passed
from the hands OF the Government to pri-
vate indviduals--while perhaps 100000
acres more Of surveyed lands unsold, are oc-
cuped by squatters with view to final
purchase leaving over 10000, coo acres Of
surveyed lands to be appropriated by
settlers
The rapid western extension OF the sur.
veys during the last year in this State. since
the removal of the Office of Surveyor General
to this city, is a striking feature of the report
OF the Commissioner Of the General Land
Office. The returns during the year ending
June 30, 1858, show an extension OF the
surveyed limits Of the State, Of over 5000
miles, embracing two millions Of agricultural
lands, independent Of the survey Of the Chip
pewa Indian reservations ut Grand Portage
aud Gull Lake. OF these the Grand Portage
was surveyed in August last. These sur
veys have been principally extended toward
the southwestern boundary Of the State.
on the Big Sioux And in u northwestern
direction. reaching to the Rel River valley.
"to meet says the official repor, the de-
mands of actual settlers attracted in that
direction both by the fertility OF the soil,
asd the facilities suggested by the anticipated
eventual extension Of North Pacific rail-
road. connecting the valley OF the Mssis
sippi with that Of the Red river of the
north"
The Commissioner further says that 10
order to keep pace with the rapid settle
meu,s 10 the region Of country in the south.
western part Of the State, extending from
Big Stone lake to the south boundary OF
Minnesota, and bounded by her rsse'n
limit, the surveys shoSld be extended TO the
western boundary Of the State, and TO do
this properly, it is Indispensable that that
portion Of the Minnesota western boundary
| line which has no river or other natural fea
,ure 10 tx with certainty its precise ices
be permanently established, so that the lines
OF he public surveys can be closed therein.
| lie therefore submits an estimate for the
permanent establishment Of that portion.
aboit cne hundr,d and thirty miles. Of the
A