The emigrant aid journal of Minnesota. [volume] (Nininger City, Minn. Terr. [i.e. Minn.]) 1856-1858, 1858-01-13
Choosing q Location.

Nininger, 1858. Us > xf Ns
Choosing a Location.
In locating at the West there are many things to be
considered besides the latitude. 1t is certainly prefera-
bic to come to a healty and invigorating climate even
if attended by long winters, than to be exposed to the
deleterious influences inseparable from the mild regions
of a new country, where, besides the danger to life, .
feeling of lassitude units the system for pleasure in
any kind of effort. In this view, how much better to
ENJOY a continuous round Of happy days in Minnesota,
unaffected bv fear OF injured health, than to fritter
away a short and miserable life, in the unhealthy dis
tricts, because warm and rich, in the generality of the
States a little south of this A mild climate is one
Of the most enticing bats to lead hosts of thoughtless
emigrants to destruction, as the hundreds of connecting
evils are not understood until the mischief has been
wrought upon them. There are, at this moment, thous-
ands of persons in Minnesota, who have fed from such
localities to recruit their enfeebled bodies, OF save the
remnant of their antilles from the poisonous at
~mosphere Of those places where they have no winter
of any duration, and where it is spring or summer all
the time. Ask any of these, to whom we refer, and
their testimony may be relied on; hey would seek the
rigorous winters of the north pole in preference to the
best district where the climate is so inviting to the ig-
norant emigrant on account of its freedom from cold.
There are, besides climate and health, many other
motives that should actuate the ~emigrant. With but
>canty means, the cost Of getting a first start is one Of
great magnitude. In Minnesota there are nearly eight
millions Of acres ready for presumption at 1926 an
acre, a large portion of this is equal to the best now
in the hands of settlers, ana a good share OF it is near
d~ourishing towns and settlements, and in proximity to
the large navigable rivers of the State. But few of
The Ian Is taken up are in the hands of specializing COM
panies none at al, compared with those Of any of the
rest of the West. A law will be enactei this year by
Congress, there is no doubt, giving the alternate sec
tons on the lines of the great railroads. to actual set.
tiers, and all future legislation Oh the public domain
will be to keep the soil here for the settlers, and from
the ~blighting effects of land monopoies.
The richness of the soil, and facility of raising all
the products Of the Eastern and Middle States, remain
unquestioned, and the agricultural wealth of Minnesota
| will yet be the wonder of the northwest.
After securing q tract in a proper locality with all
the attending benefits Of healthy climate, ~navigable
streams, and convenient towns, there may yet be many
drawbacks to the success of the settler. To mention
one illustration viii verify this, and may suggest other
like Instances. On the Missouri River, as far up as
~navigab!e, and west Of its banks, through Kansas and
Nebraska, timber is very scarce-in places materials for
building are not to be had at any price, and must al
ways be excessively high priced. a
We have already spoken Of the cost of lu,Gber in
the river towns in Kansas, being as high as 80 to 100
dollars per NJ feet, and higher in proportion to the dis
lance from tn ;se great highways. Most Of it is taken
from this region or from Maine, and transported up
the Mi ,souri river, at great trouble and cost.
I, Nnbrooko +hou f,ro M hotter in this resract q q We
learn by the Florence Courter, printed in a town the
most eligibly situated to afford lumber at the cheapest
rate. From an advertisement in the paper We quote
the prices there last month, which are claimed to be
lower than ever offered before We place beside them
the prices lately ruling at the Eagle Mill in this town:
At Florence, Flooring $40; at Nininger, $40;
" Clear boards, SIS; r $40
" Shingles, So; s IS
q" Lath. $3.50; " $2,25 Il
From these prices it will be seen that a house costing
but one thousand dollars here, or almost any place in
this State, would cost over three thousand dollars at
Florence, Nebraska and more still in Kansas. And
what advantage does the settler have there over those
here, that he should pay such a large difference for one
item Of his expenses? 1t would be difficult to tell.
When barns, and other outbuildings, fences, &C., are
added to a farm, if given to the party, instead OF paying
thirty to one hundred dollars an acre, as tucy were
lately compelled to in any convenient district, he must
needs be rich to make a beginning at farming. With a
quarter of the sum thus expended, he would be qually
we'll provided with a farm and all les appurtenances that
could be procured within a few miles Of any Of our
thriving towns on the Mississippi or Minnesota Rivers
for FIVE or ten dollars an acre. .5., H..
Such arguments as these are not to be sighted, even
if tho more serious cues referred to, are overlooked.
There are but few ~emigrants rich enough to hazard an
undertaking thai requires SO large a sum to secure q
plot of ground ard shelter, at the ontse+, with proper
tionste expense at every turn, until he can begin 70
realize something from his farm. Five hundred dollars
might answer an ~emigrant to begin his life in Minnesota
where two thousand would be necessary in the above
Territories to accomplish the same result. And after
all, those who go there may do we'll, but it only proves
the certain success attending those who come to the
State of M,nreao.a. 4.
Cheerful Aspect Of the Times.
The accounts from the East are daily assuming a more
favorable aspect for returning prosperity. The resumr.
] - NJ VII - NJ