St. Cloud Democrat. [volume] (Saint Cloud, Stearns County, Minn.) 1858-1866, 1858-12-09
BR EiCK Isl M -R,IDGF,

61CEiCE>-EiN EG1DGEj-
T;IHlS town is situated OH the Sioux
Wood river, and is the Western termi-
nus Of the Minnesota and Pacific railroad !;
the point laid down BY Capt. Pope on his
map as the head Of steam navigation on the
Red river; the Valley of the Red river is
about twenty miles wide on either side Of the
stream, and about five hundred miles long :;
the surface is level and drained by numerous
streams which are skirted 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 from sand
stream, has no islands, sand bars or snags to
obstruct navigation; the banks are about rs
feet high, and not subject to overflow; many
Of the tributaries Of the Red river are strong
]y impregnated with salt, and indications of
iron and coal are numerous in the vicinity.
The farmers CT the valley Of the Red river
gave to Major Wood as the average Of their
crops; wheat 80 to 40; barley 40 to 80; oats
40 SO; and potatoes 200 to 500 bushels to the
acre. At Pembina, 200 miles north Of Brock
enrldge, e2,-Gov. Ramsey says, con the I'd
October, 1851, water melons and cantelopcs
were served to us rdessert, and the first frost
that occurred was on the night Of that day.
[see address before the Minnesota Agricultu-
raj Society, Oct, 10th, 1856. Two large set
Elements have long existed on Red river
Pembina and Selkrk, both of which yearly
raise a large surplus Of the products ot the
farm ; the whole valley Of the Red river is
rapidly filling up with an energetic and intel
ligent population; the country being exceed
ingly healthy, and should the indications of
iron and coal lead to the discovery of those
minerals as large as is anticipated, this valley
will soon be swarming with population en-
gagged in agriculture, mining and manufacture
ing, supplying eastern Minnesota, Wisconsin,
Iowa and Missouri with the products of 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, 1857,
or forfeit its franchise as we'll as the lands do
mated to it.
Breckenridge is also at the point where Gov
oSteven's survey of q route for the Pacific rail-
road crosses the Sioux Wood river, an exami-
nation Of the Western States, and a 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 geograph-
ical position Of Breckenridge: that all that
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
mcrcial 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, hotel, grist mill, saw mill, a
single and lath machine, SC.
For further particulars. enquire of
HENRY T. WELLS. Minneapolis,
R. CHUTE. St. Anthony,
CHAS. n. MKUBBIN. St. Paul,
Executive Committee,
Or to GEO. F. BRO1'T, Beeckinridge.
Nav TO- 1853 If