St. Cloud Democrat. [volume] (Saint Cloud, Stearns County, Minn.) 1858-1866, 1858-11-25
-BRECKElNRIDGE.

-6EGEC1SEiN EGlDGEj-
TINHIS town is situated on the Sioux
l Wood river, and is the Western termi-
nus Of The Minnesota and Pacific railroad :;
the poinr 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
barrens or swamps. Red river is deep, slow
stream, has no islands, sand bars or snags t 0
obstruct navigation; the banks are aboaJ %
feet high, and not subject to overflow many
Of the tributaries of the Red river are stconc g
ly impregnated with salt, and indications Of
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 thci2
crops; wheat 80 to 40; barley 30 to so: oats
40 so; and potatoes 200 to 800 bushels 70 the
acre. At Pembina, 200 miles north CT Dreck-
enridge, ex-Gov. Ramsey says, son the "a
October, 1851, water melons and caGtclooes
we're served to us for dessert, and the lis. frost
that occurred was on the night Of that day.
see address before the Minnesota A;ycicultu-
raj Society, Oct, 10th, 1856. Two large SCI
Elements have long existed OF BED river
Pembina and Selkirk, both of which yearly
raise large surplus Of the products CT tie
farm the whole valley of the Red river is
rapidly filing up with an energetic and izlt4 81
ligent population the country being exoccd-
ingly healthy, and should the Indications o.
iron and coal lead to the discovery Of these
minerals as large as is anticipated, this valley
will soon be swarming with a population en-
gagged in agriculture, mining and manufacture
ing, supplying eastern Minnesota, Wisconsin,
Iowa and Missouri with the products CT their
labor and skill; the Minnesota and Pacific
railroad will be placed Immediately under
contract as by the terms Of it's charter it mus
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 &C.
mated to it.
Breckenridge is also at the point where Gov
oSteven's survey of 81 route for the Pacific ra;I
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
not fail to convince that such is the geograph-
ical position of Breckenridge; that ali 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
mercial 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, q
single and lath machine, &c.
For further particulars enquire of
HENRY T. WELLS. Minneapolis,
r. CHUTE. st. Anthony,
CHAS. N. MKUBBIN. St. Paul,
Executive Committee,
Or to GEO. F. BROTT, Beeckinridge
May 10, 1858. If