The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1858-09-16
E,nigra,i"n 10 the Upper Mi..i..ipp,,
From the Monticello Tine.

From the Monticello Tines
The people Of Minnesota have labored
under great discouragements, but the inhab.
itants OF the Upper Mississippi have borne
the heaviest weight OF trial. Since the set.
tlement Of Wright county, up to the pres.
ent year, our history only shows great mis-.
fortunes and perseverance against great dis
aster. Rumors Of Indian difficulties the
FIRST season. and the grassbopper scourge
the next, are the main incidents In the ca.
reer oil the settlement 10 the county. these
in no small degree turned the current Of
emigration from its legitimate channels.
The tide Of settlement poured upon the
hanks Of the Upper Mississippi, but the II.
regular pulse. beats Of feeble and scattered
emigration. We received but the scattered
waits and broken remnants OF the vast L.
gions that were filling the plains OF the
delta between the Minnesota and the Mis-.
sissippi. The centrifugal tendencies Of the
emgrating column alone settled our coun.
try, and not those who came here especially
with view Of residence. This was partly
from the rumors of Indian difficulties one
year and the ravages Of the grasshopper
army in the next, partly from the fact that
the main highway Of travel 10 this Upper
Country was upon the barren, light tim.
bered and unpromising east bank Of the
Mississippi; partly, too, from the fact. that
along the high way Of travel, the distance
between the settlers houses was great, and
that the land was unsettled and tenantlcss,
and owned In large tracts by nonresident
spectators. The tourist and traveller upon
the Upper Mississippi knew nothing Of its
left bank, he only saw the scattered cabins
OF Sbcrburne and Benton counties the saDd
bills Of Crow Wing and Fort Ripley, and
be only saw them TO be disguised.
Occasionally, perhaps, his eye would fall
upon the forest fringe Of the west bank, but
these occasional glimpses would scarcely
awake curiosity that must be satisfied.
Thus !, has been that while the cohorts Of
the great eastern army were building cities
upon the rivers, cultiysting the prairies Of
The southern and central portions Of our
State, emigration TO our section has Travelled
with such tardy and irregular steps, The
innavigability also, Of the Mississippi above
the Falls during the greater portion Of the
summer season has made us practically "a
remote from the centres IL business and as
far from ST. Paul IA Mankato il.
Such has been the past such have been
the encouragement under which this upper
country has labored But what Il the
probable future Though the present year
has not brought To the State any very con-
Siderable accession Of population. 1t has
brought this country as much a. any. The
townships Immediately behind this have
received quite an influx Of settlers, and 10
Buffalo half the claims 10 that township,
0Dly six miles from the river. have ben
taken since fall. II may be said about this
growth, II u permanent, not q growth Of
toxn, but Of country, an actual filling up
aBi occupation Of the s0i, which carries
with it the are and the plow not the stakes
oitown conf aDies backed up by Dewspaper
mutations. 10 this country Il may be sately
said that there Il two-thirds more land
under cultivation than ever before. and that
bali Of the and soEn first felt the pIow this
spring. The prairies may not have had this
increase, but even there the breadth Of land
sown Il double, but ia the timber the great
ct Efforts Of cultivation have BEN directed.
And il is safe 10 cay that The land cleared
during the present year erestis In number
Of acres the quantity Of land cleared sipce
the cpuDty was settled. Tbh ID q subs,ss.
tia progress aud q wrestling with nature
better even than the mooey inHnI o. ,xo
years since, the ELECTS Of which has leit ~
II not bankrupt q, least distressed. ADD !,
viii probably be here that the emigration Of
The next year viii direct itself to. Where,
throughput the State has the harves, been
% abundsnt, where even 10 the West has
The farmer already received or had reasons.