St. Cloud Democrat. [volume] (Saint Cloud, Stearns County, Minn.) 1858-1866, 1858-09-09
BRECK-ENRIDGE.

Il HIS town is situated on the Sioux
i 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 riyer 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
bsrTens or sWamps. Red river is deep, slow
stream, has no islands, sand bars or snags to
obstruct navigation : the banks are about e5
feet high, and not subject to overflow; many
OF the tributaries Of the Red river are strong
~ impregnated with salt, and indications 81
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
s1ops; wheat go to 20 !; barley 90 to go ): oats
40 50; and potatoes 2GO to 500 bushels to the
.cre. At Pembina, roo miles north Of Preck-
snridge, ex~Gov. Ramsey says, son the I'd
October, 1851, water melons and cantelopes
were served to us for dessert, and IT, first frost
that occurred was on the night Of that day."
see address before the Minnesota Agricultu-
raj Society, Oct, 10th, 1866. Two large set
Elements have long existed on Red river
Pembina and Selkirk, both Of which yearly
raise large surplus Of the products Of the
farm; the whole valley Of the Red river is
rapidly filing up with an energetic and intel
Agent population the countrytbeing exceed
ingly healthy, and should the indications 81
iron and coal lead to the. discovery of those
minerals - large as is anticipated, this valley
will soon be swarming with = population en-.
gagged in agriculture, mining and manufactur.
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. tls go i39s4 E@2
Breckenridge is also at the point where Gov
oSteyen's survey Of a route for the Pacific ra;1
road crosses the Sioux Wood river, an exami-
nation Of the Western States, and reference
the writings of Gov. Stevens, ex-Goy. 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 gnited States
which lays west Of the Mississippi and north
of the head waters of the Minnesota rivers
must forever be tributary 10 that city, and,
that breckenridge is to be not only the COM
mercial centre. for the, northwest, but, will
forever be the gate city on the great northwest
highway Of nations. e8 -. -. $Sts>t. :, ,l
Breckenridge is now being improved by the
Proprietors, who are erecting dwellings, Tor
themselves, . hotel, grist mill, saw mill, 1.
shingle and Hath machine, SC. ,iR1tG7est Y. I
For. further particulars enquire Of s,.
s:.css HENRY T. WELLS. Minneapolis,
r4oanaey ;Is5R. CHUTE. St. Anthony, siitl y os8'
i9sts {. CHAs. N. MKUBBIN. st, Paul,
t' f5 q2.$ 49, 49, Executive Committee, ,a
p Or 10 GEO, +. BRoTT, Beeekinridse.ssia !.
May 10, 1858. If aael f5f*7-s2 80