St. Cloud Democrat. [volume] (Saint Cloud, Stearns County, Minn.) 1858-1866, 1858-10-21

TE\HlS town is situated on the Sioux
/ Wood river, and is the Western ternli-
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 skiTtcd with elm, ash, bass
wooG, white wood and pine OF tie larges:
growth, the remainder OF the valley is prairie,
composed OF rich, black loan free from sand
harcens or swaEps. Red river is q deep, slow
stream, has no islands, sand bars or snags to
cbstrset navigation; the banks are about %
feet high, and hot subject to overflow many
OF the tributaries OF the Red river are strong
~ lmp1egIa'ed with salt, and indications OF
iron anG coal are Numerous in the vicinity.
The farmers Of the valley Of the Red river
gave to Major Wood as the average of their
crops wheat 80 to 40: barley 40 70 so: oats
40 80; ane potatoes 200 to 800 bushels to the
acre. At Pembina, [200 miles north Of Dreck-
enridge, e-S-Gov. Ramsey. says, "on the "a
October, 1851, water melons and cantelopes
were served to us for dessert and the first frost
that occurred was Oh the night OF that day.
[see address before the Minnesota Agricultu-
raj Society, Oct, 10th, 1856 Tive large set
Elements have long existed on Red river
Pemblna and Selkirk, both CT which yearly
raise large surplus Of the products of tie
farm tho whole valley Of the Red river is
rapidly filing up with an energetic and intel
Egent 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 a population en-
CroN
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 a route for the Pacific rail-
road crosses the Sioux Wood river an exami-
natlon OF the Western States, and o reference
the writings CT Gov. Stevens, ex-Gcv. Ram:
say or the congressional documents containing
the reports of Maj. Long and Capt. Pope, can
not fail to convince that such is the gocgraph-
ical position of Breckenridge; that ali that
portion Of the Territory of the United States
which lays west Of the Mississippi und 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
mercial centre for the northwest, but will
forever be the gate city Oh 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, g
single and !ath machine, &c.
Eor further particulars. enquire of
HENRY 7. WELLS. Minneapolis,
r. CHUTE. St. Anthony,
s....-~- CHAs. N. MKUBRIN. St. Paul,
4s5e Executive Committee,
Or to GEO. F. BRoTT, Beeckinridge
May 10, 1858. If