St. Cloud visiter [sic]. [volume] (St. Cloud, Stearns County, Minn.) 1857-1858, 1858-03-04
3 RECKENRIDG GLE.

THIS town - situated on the Sioux
/ Wo,d river, and is the Western termi-
nus Of the Minnesota and Pacific ra!road
The poin: laid down by Capt. Pope on his
map as he head Of steam uavi. alton en-
the Red river; the Valley Of the Red
river is about twenty miles wide on either
side Of that stream, and about i've hundred
miles long : tie surface i IeYel and drain
ed BY numerous streams which are skirte,
with EN-, ash: bass wood, wh1c wood and
pine Of tie largest growth, the enaainder
OF the valley is prairie, composed Of rick,
black l>anl free from sand barrens or
swami's. Red river is q deep, slow stream,
has no sands, sand bars or snags to OBJ
struct visatirn ; the banks are about Is
feet high. and not subject to overflow :;
+nanv Of the tributaries OF The Rel river are
strongly inprcsnated with salt. and indi-
'ca;lo's vi iron and 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 20 to 80; oa:s 40 to 80; and rota-
toes 20J to 800 bu.i"t3 10 the acre. At
Ptrn;n;na, 300 miles north Of Brecken.
ridge, ex-Gov. Ramsay says, Ion the I'd
October, 1851, water melons and cante
l'pes were served TO lis for desert, aud the
first frost hat occurred WIS on the night Of
that day. st address before the Mnno-
sofa Agricultural Society, Oct 10Th,
1856 NV, large settlements have long
existed on Red riyer-Pem6ina and Sci.
XIX, beth OF which yearly raise large
surplus OF the products Of the farm the
whole valley Of the Red river is rapidly
filling up with an energetic and intelligent
population; the country being exceedingly
healthy, and should the indications of iron
and coal lead 10 the discovery of those
minerals as large as IS anticipated, this
valley will soon be swarming with popv-
la'ion engaged in agriculture. mining and
manufacturing. supplying eastern Mime
sota, Wisconsin, Iowa and Missouri with
the products Of their labor and skill lhe
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 within two
years, and Completed to breckenridge
within ten years from tn Sd of March.
AO,', vi iHl'ctt lis IT !tlc!ilSes aS Well as me
lands donated to it.
Breckenridge is also at The point where
Gov. Stevens survey of route for the
Pacific railroad crosses the Sioux Wood
river, an examination Of the map Of the
Westcrn States, and reference to the
writings Of Gov. Stevens, ex-Gov. Ramsay
or to the Congressional documents con
tanning the reports Of Mai. Long and
Capt. Pope, cannot fail t. convince that
such is the geographical position Of Breck-
eur.dge that alhthat portion Of the Terri
tory Of the United States which lays west
If the Mississippi and moth of the head
waters of the Minnesota rivers, must for
ever be tributary to that city, and that
Breckenridge is to be not only the con-
mercial centre for the northwest. but viii,
forever be the gate city on the great north
west highway Of nations
Breckenridge is now being improved by
the ProPrietors, who are erecting dwell
ings for themselves. hotel. griist mill. saw
mill, single and lath machine, &c.
For further particulars enquire of
HENRY 7. WELLES, Minneapolis,
r. CHUTE, St. Anthony, .@..~ 49,. ~. r..
'CHAS. y. MkUBBIN, ST. Paul,
Executive Committee,
"a TO GEO. f. BROTT, Breckenridge.