The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1858-07-29
Correspondence.
Minnesota rs. Potter County,
A. Plea for Minnesota.
For the Potter Journal.
RICa LAKE, DODGE Co, MIN, I
June 2Sth. 1858.

Mn EBIT0R. You will perhaps be sur
prlscd a receiving a communication from
q stranger, in so remote a country as Min
ueSota; but being a reader of your .J0ur-
nal, AMI having read therein several arti-
cleS eulogizlng Potter Co, end endeavor-
ing to discourage emigration to the west,
thought | would write few thoughts
shout western emigration and western ex-
perienee as it appears to me. L would
say at the commencement that L am an
old friend Of many Of your readers and
fGrn5f resident of your vicinity, therefore
my eastern friends can Judge from this
letter whether [ am discontented or dis
satisfied with the west. | will however
in this letter confne myself to a descrip-
tiop Of Minnesota, because | am little
better acquainted with this portion Of the
west than any other.
The general opinion in the eastern and
middle states is, that Minnesota is toe cold
country in which to iTe with any com,
fort, or in which to follow successfully the
business of agriculture; that but a limited
variety of farming products can be raised
bere, and therefore many who would make
theiF homes here are tempted to settle IN
iowa oF Kansas. when III truth, the same
and even q greater variety OF crops can be
cultivased successfully in Minnesota than
can be 10 Pepns} s}lTania. 1t may seem IN
eEeGble but it is nevertheless true, that
for nine months il the year the average
Rlcan temperature of ST. Paul is greater
than at Chicago, although the former is
orer 2 degrees further North. For six
months in the year it is 20 greater. 1t
is true that the average temperature in
Tinter is L0leer, but this difference is more
than compensated by much less amount
uf snow, rain and wind. One grand argu-
ment against emigration west, is the dread
full bugbcar of bilious complaints, Fever
nd-Ague, &c. Now, statistics show that
the average of deaths in a given number
Of inhabitants annually is much less in
most Of the western cities than in New
York, Boston, Philadelphia, or any other
eastern cities The absence Of hung COM
plants, consumption and ndinhammatory dis
eases more than compensate for the pres
ence of bilious disorders. Minnesota
however is free even from this objection,
as there is positively no prevailing disease
here. The whole country is greatly ele-
waited, being a vast table-land with Il sur
face gently rolling, containing no extern
sive marshes or stagnant water, consequent
Iy the atmosphere is clear, dry, bracing
and exhilarating. For this very reason
(if for no other) Minnesota merits the at
teption Of emisrants from the Northern
and Middle States but there are other
Important reasons.
Its soils unsurpassed in fertility by any
portion of our Union. 1t is ola limestone
formation resting upon the magnetian
limestone, beneath which is found sand
stone. The decomposition of the lime
stone when exposed to the atmosphere
forms a remarkably fertile soil. The gen
eral surface-soil is black, rich mold, like
most western prairie soils, with this dlt-
ference, it contains more particles OF hue
sand and is, therefore, awarmer and quick
er soil. rendering it of much greater value
by making the properties it does possess
far more active. This accounts for the
fact that even the Ohio Dent corn perfects
itself here, and also how it is that vegeta-
bles attain such an enormous size and eX-
ira flavor, and why they produce in such
remarkable quantities. For wheat grow
ing country | think Minnesota will sur
pass any other portion of our Union "a
bushels of Spring wheat per acre on ooms
mon land, unmanured, is an average crop
In this part of the country, and farmers
often get 80 and even 80 bushels per acre.
Another fact for the emi igrant westward is,
there is no State or Territory, at present
inviting emigration, so we'll timbered or
which comprises such an excellent variety
of woodland as Minnesota. There is
plenty Of GOOD timber accessible, from every
part As to water, even New England,
the land of waterfalls. can boast of no
superior manufacturing advantages upon
a water-power basis. Commanding, as We
do, the head-waters of the largest lake and
longest river in the world, our geograph-
ical position is such as will make an early
and thorough development of our mighty
resources certain especially when we con-
slider the character oft the inhabitants, which
presents an anomaly in the history of west
ern settlements, as no more energetic, en-
terprising, refined, intelligent and moral
people can be found in so.large an aggre-
cate than are to be found in this new SOW
ereiguty. Our provisions for educational
interests are unparalleled in the history
of the world, There are already four Uni
versities chartered, also an immense fund
donated by the federal government for the
maintenance of common schools, consist
ing of 2 sections in each township, or one
eighteenth of the area of the entire State,