Saint Paul weekly Minnesotian., 1859-01-01
Tho MInnesOta ssSals Spring, and sea
gtG4 ftOl,s Land GranS Selections.

The Minnesota sssal, spr ring, aiid SOAP
| tes itor' land Grans sclectfohs.
We made application, sometime since
through one of the Editorial Staff Of our pa
per, at the Executive Office Of the State, Il
copy the Report Of the Salt Spring. and capi
tol Building Land Commissioners who hat
recently returned. We were told, however
by the Acting Governor, that such could moi
be done, until the action had been confirmed
by the Department of the interior, ,--or some
other such subterfuge, and we were compelled
to await the slow course of Executive pleas
urei to lay it before our readers, knowing WI
would first see his mouth piece. We nov
find it in the Sibley Organ, and presuning i,
to be correct, copy it. -'H
S Wepremise by repeating the terms of The
Enabling Act of Minnesota
That ten entire Sectious Of land, to be
selected by the Governor Of said State in le
gal subdivisions, shall be granted to said
Statefor the purpose of completing the public
buildings or for the erection OF others at the
seat Of Government, under the direction ol
the Legislature thereof aa .5.
"That all salt springs within said State
not exceeding twelve in number, with siz
may be to each, shall be granted to said State
for its use the same to be selected by the
Governor thereof within one year after the
>c Id
to be used or disposed Of on such terms, con-
ditions and regulations as the Legislature shall
direct: Prorided, That no salt spring or
land, the right whereof is now vestedin any
individual or individuals, or which may be
hereafter confirmed or adjudged to any indi-
yidual or individuals, shall, by this article, be
granted to said State.
Mr.. Sibley having been authorised by the
first state Legislature to locate the lands grant
ed, he commissioned James D. Skinner, a
Civil Engineer of this City, to hunt them
up. The commission was well bestowed, and
Mr.. S. Immediately set about performing its
duties. Pierre Bottineau, the old Red Riv-
er Guide, was employed, and the party left
st. Paul on their winding way on Septem-
ber 5th, an extract from the Journal they were
required to keep.
THE LAND FOR CAPITOL PURPOSES
" We left Forest City on the morning of
the l4th of September, travelling iii a South
Westerly direction towards the Kandiyohi
Lakes, distant about % miles. Being anx-
ious to save time, | went forwprd to the Kan
diyohi Lakes, in company with Mr. A. G..
Smith, Register Of the Land Office, thus saw
ing delay, which would have been unavoided
had been obliged to transport the whole par
ty hither. t...s.s..; ..-..- ,,..-f, ..,lf
= " The country from Forest City to Kandi-
yoi is a fine and fertile rolling prairie, inter
persed with frequent lakes and groves of tim
Der, and already thickly settled. This prairie
extends from the southwest bank of the Crow
River at Forest City, indefinitely west
ward, preserving the same main characters
tics. ,s .
" The tract of country around the Kandi-
yohi Lakes, is one of exceeding beauty and
fertility, and is now rapidly being taken up
by settlers. The prairie soi isa rich black
loan of great depth, and there is sufici-
ency of timber of good quality, aTfxad the
lakes.
/" In this district / selected the ten sections
Of land granted the State for the purpose OF
completing the public buildings, or tor the
erection Of others at the seat Of government.
In each instance examining the section taken
with care. E.,. ...
These lands are partly prairie, and partly
timbered, lying within the railroad limits,
and are such as will make very valuable
FARMS"
FROM TWIN LAKES TO RED RIVER.
Twin Lakes is the last settlement until we
reached the Red River the country around
is good, though timber is scarce. Leaving
Grove Lakes we Travelled four miles to the
Chippewa River, which is small stream run
ming over gravelly and rocky bed and is cas-
lily crossed. On the western side of the riv-
er the country rises and becomes more broken
and hily, while the soil is inferior in richness,
being coarse gravel. Frequent limestone
and granite boulders of all sizes are found on
the tops and sides of the bluffs and the whole
tract is less inviting than most of the prairie
land we travelled until we reached White Bear
Lake.
White Bear Lake is q large and most beau
tiful sheet Of water, six miles west of Chip
pewa River. Its shores are high and. bold,
rising in places to height of two hundred
feet They are also finely wooded and pre-
sent a succession of views, which for roman
tic beauty, can hardly be excelled in Minneso-
Ia. ....... g.. .
Leaving White Bear Lake, after travelling
eight miles, we crossed fork of the Chippe-
wa River, here mere rivulet from this
stream the prairie becomes more rolling, until
we reach Pike Lake, six. miles from the fork
This is small sheet of water, apparently tim
bered around its shores Thence our road
lay six miles over very hilly and stony pra-
rie, when it ascended high ridge, which
again descended with uniform slope to the
Pomme de Terre River, a distance of one and
a half miles. From the summit Of this des.
cending plateau to the Pomme de Terre, the
land is rich and lies finely. Crossing the first
Pomme. dc Terre, no slight undertaking, Zone
bank being very precipitous, the other muddy,
and the river deep,) we traversed a most in
viting tract of country.
This tract lies between the two Pomme de
Terre rivers is about ten miles in length,
and indefinitely wide. 1t is certain, that for
a width Of six miles, the land is admirably
adapted to farming purposes. This is as
much as could be determined without diverg-
ing too far from our route. The timber is
abundant and of good quality the soil rich
and deep, and the whole is well watered with
running streams and beautiful lakes / feel,
therefore, confident of committing no error
in recommending the location in this district,
of the amount of the University Lands as yei
unsolicited, being fully persuaded that the
State can find no other possessing greater il
equal advantages fa
Leaving the second Pomme de Terre River
our next halting place was Elbow Lake, Csc
called from its peculiar shape,) and distant
8 miles.
The country was still rich and pleasing
prairie, but not so well tirnbered as that last
mentioned The lake itself is pretty sheet
of water, and not without good timber ON its
banks.
From Elbow Lake to Lightning Lake is G
miles; at this last lake it was necessary to car