The emigrant aid journal of Minnesota. [volume] (Nininger City, Minn. Terr. [i.e. Minn.]) 1856-1858, 1858-03-10
The City or Nlnlsger-lts Rise, Progress AM
Prospects.

Prospects.
Niu;uper is situated on the west bank Of the Mississip'
pi Is miles below St. Paul by water, and II miles by
land, iferrying at Nininger.)
Those who visit Nininger now and recollect the ap-
pearance Of the landscape when they paused to admire
it eighteen months ago will surely excla,m, truts Is
stranger than fction,' were it not for the indelible I'M
preston made on their minds by the rare beauty Of the
location and its prominent landmarks assuring them 1t
was the same spot, they could scarcely believe that IN 80
short . period a thriving town Of seven hundred inhabi.
tants could arise, where on their previous visit they could
only discern two lonely dwellings. Part OF this aston
ishinc progress, he it noted, has been realized during ,
reyulsiou almost unparalleled, and while other places
were stationary or retrograding. "
The natural advantages of the spot as . site for =
larxe city are such as could not long have been over
looked. A party of shrewd business men determined to
turn these natural advantages to account, and went to
work in the right way. They sold building lots at cost
price to parties who bound items Ices BY covenant to put
M a certain amount of Improvements within two years,
OF forfeit the lots. They gave due publicity to the pro-
iect, and as every lot sold at cost price would within
two years call forth a stipulated amount OF improve.
ments, the certainly of the town getting q good start
was beyond a doubt. TIL his stipulated Improvements
,cere pvt UP, no man ,oho bought at cost price could get a
zeoaEv perfect Tile Deed for las lots. Some lots we're
reserved BY the proprietors, and sold at high prices with
out an Improvement clause. The Deeds for these are
perfect.
: It is also the most accessible point to the vast tracts
of land Of unsurpassed richness in the beautiful valleys
of the Cannon, Vermillion and Straight rivers. The
distance to the Furnishing towns back of us is as follows
Canyon Falls is miles, Lewiston p, Waterford ~,
North6eld 20, Faribault IS, Rosemount 10, Lakeville
20, Shieldsville 80 miles.
The location of Niningcr is an admirable one for a
distributing river town, and the settlers in the fertile
valleys of the Vermillion and Cannon rivers, and the
Cottage Grove district, congratulate each other on the
advent Of d river tovn at the precise point best suited
for their wants. We have already two SAY. mills and q
Sash, Door AMI Blind Factory. All the machinery for
a 6rst rate new Grist mill is on the spot, and the mill
will som be doing the farmers some service. There are
| Carpenters, Plasterers, Blacksniths, Wheelrights and
Shoemakers Grocery and Dry Good stores, Stove and
Tin. ware and Hat, Cap, and Shoe stores. The Nininger
| Lime is in high repute. Ils clay to- B~rickmaking ia
frstrate, and two Of our citizens intend making Bricks
next spring. The building stone is excellent. There is
abundance Of timber for frewood near at hand, and We
learn that coal has been found about twenty miles south
west. We haze Schools and a Lyceum, and divine SER
vice every Sabbath by ~clergymen Of the leading demon
nations. Here the Emiyront Aid journal is publish
ed. There are favorable opportunities for parties to
commence business. A Wholesale Grocery and Provis-
ion store a Foundry and Machine shop an Agricul.
tural Implement Manufactory . General Hardware
store q Merchant Tailor; an Apothecary; a saddler
a Gunsmith, and a Forwarding and Commission estab.
!ishment are required, and many other businesses could
be established here with reasonable probability of sue
cess. During the season of navigation steam packets
pass the town daily. Building lots can be bought on
easy terms, SO that persons of moderate means can get
along with less capital than is required to settle 1T many
places where there is less work going on than at Mimi
ger.
We doubt If there is another place in the whole coun-
try where the revulsion Of trade last year has been felt
so lightly as in this town. If it did interfere with the
prosperity Of the town somewhat, and stopped the pro.
grass of certain classes of business, its eject on the
spirits aud hopes Of the people was hardly perceived.
They have kept basy--usefully enployed-and enjoyed
themselves heartily, but temporarily. A regular weekly
dance has been kept up two evenings, In the 6ae large
room in fremont Hall-the second one was started be-
cause the attendance was too large to allow many to en-
joy it all they desired. Both Of them close precisely
at IL o'clock. 1t may be mentioned to the credit of
our town, and especially to their managers, that no
indulgence in spirituous liquors has taken place on any
occasion Ct public ~festivity, there has, consequently,
been no disturbance or riotous proceedings through all
the winter.
The past of a town is often an index Of its future,
particularly where that past has depended on internal
force and not on fortuitous circumstances. Where,
however, a town has grown because it has been borne
up by the general advance Of the country, apd has had
no rivals to contend against, no argument is furnished
for its future success when arrayed against active and
energetic rivals. In the history Of Nininger it must be
observed that it has attained its present position in the
race OF tue OppOe!flOD OF the then most prosperous town
in Minnesota. Its strength has thus been thoroughly
tested. 1t has also been effected by the worst possible
~condislon Of monetary affairs, during the late crisis. 1t
must therefore be borne in mind that our past career
has not been one Of easy and natural growth. We have
had to fight our way against all kinds Of obstacles, and
whatever we have achieved has been BY perseverance,
and determination.
What better pledge can we offer the new conner for
our future than the mere recital of these facts. Such 4
crisis as that of 1857 is not again expected to occur in
the next twenty years. The opposition We at frst en-
countered is every day growing less.
Now let VA examine what resources We have for tn
future.
In The frs; place, we anticipate fairly and reasonably
a proper share of that growth which it il hoped the
coming spring will bring to the whole Of the great West
In the next place, one material fact which initiated
greatly against us in the past, will during the coming
spring be ~obviated, viz the opposition heretofore ex
perielccd from the steamboats,. This will be removed
in two ways ;--srst, by the fact that Nininger is now
made an advertised point at which tho mail boats .n.s
leave the maitland it is the determination of many Of
our citizens to take legal measures against the mail con
tractors it they fail to perform their duty secondly
our Town Council contemplate at once extending the
levse to tBassett's Landing, (which will at once remove
! Pill possible objections on the part Of the steamboats, t.