Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1859-03-28
Correspondence of the Spy.l
SKETCHES OF MINNESOTA,
H,vppu,rr March u 10

HAYERHILL, March Il, 1859.
Having noticed letter from Minnesota in
the Palladium of January 26, the general tenor
of which was calculated to lead the emgrant,
or those thinking of emigrating, to mis-
judge in regard to the advantages of our
new and f1ourishing state, 1 will endeavor to
show to those wishing to leave the sturdy hills
of New England, and find for themselves and
families quiet and productive home in the
West, some of the advantages we can offer
them over other of our sister States. I'm
doubtedly, one Of the most captivating features
of Minnesota ,s its unique and admirably di-
verslted prIlries. Sometimes they are spread
out in boundiess plains at other times they
are gently rolling, like the swell of the sea at
ter a subsiding storm; and, in the season of
flowers, they are decorated with all that is love-
ly and captivating, both in fragrance and col
ors and these boundless and beautiful gardens
of the wilderness, smiling in all the freshness
OF primeval beauty, are delightful to the weary
traveller and admirer of the beauties of nature.
This State is remarkably well watered by beau
tiful rivers and creeks, the margins of which
are skirted with woodlands and groves, and one
of the striking characteristics of Minnesota over
Illinois and Iowa is, its admirable adapta-
ton of prairie and woodland to the wants
and convenience of the husbandman. Al
though, probably, one-half of the surface of
the State is without trees, yet so hap
PLY and conveniently are the water and
timber arranged, throughout that nature ap-
pears to have made an effort to arrange them
in the most desirable manner possible. AS the
water-courses approach each other the timber
approximates, frequently so nearly connecting,
on either side, that the traveller finds himself
threading narrow defle or avenue, and again,
suddenly emerges into the broad prairie, where
the forest outline in the far perspective, re-
tba fro, tha ,r;+ |,
deep vistas and distant headlands, like harbors
and capes, which is not the case in other States.
The geological features of Minnesota are
highly interesting. The country abounds with
rock, COAL and copper, the latter of which has
already become one Of the great staples of ex-
port, and, more recently, gold has been found
to considerable extent, and a company of
miners are now at work, with good hope of
success, on the Southern extremity of the
Zumbro River.
The steaf and constant influx of population
has, up to the present time, prevented, to any
extent, surplus ofagricultural products. The
order of things is rapidly changing. So extern
sively are farms being opened, and stock in
creaslng, that Minnesota must, ere long, avail
herself of the great natural channels of nayiga-
ton with which she is beautifully supplied,
and by which her surplus produce can be ex-
ported abroad, either to the great Southern
depot, New Orleans, or, ere long, as we need
not doubt now, las her railroads are rapidly
progressing by internal communication across
to the great emporium of the Atlantic, and
perhaps to the Pacific
AS to soil and climate, as well as resources
it is admitted by the correspondent of the
Palladium, that Minnesota is not equalled by
any of her sister States, and, will mention a
few of the many inducements held out by
Minnesota to emigrants, whether farmers,
manufacturers, or mechanics. To the manu-
facturer, she invites him to behold her i'm
mense coal regions and examine the coal, to
roam hand in hand with the farmer, over the
vast mineral tracts, and, while he admires the
richness of the Mines to let the farmer won
der at the phenomenon of an exceedingly fer
tile soil, spread out upon the immense beds of
lead. Nor is this ALL The abundance of first
rate water power, and the amount of building
stone everywhere to be found, offers such adj
vantage to the energetic manufacturer as he
may elsewhere seek in vain
In regard to the education of our children,
the correspondent of the Palladium has said
that however smooth and rich our soil, it will
not educate our children, nor afford them soci-
ETY. beyond their own household and that
any man coming West, expecting to find
schools, churches, society, or people, as in New
England, is destined to bitter disappointment
and sorrow. To this i take exceptions, and
say that my experience in this particular is
quite the reverse, and that no new State is so
well provided for, in regard to education as
ours, having two sections set apart for this ex-
press object in every township, it being dou-
Bile the quantity of any other of our Western
States and, as to schools and society think
he must have settled down in some secluded
spot, far away from those precious privileges
enjoyed by those of us who congregate to-geth-
er in our farming towns and our villages on
the river. And here, let me say to all those
who have thought of visiting our vast territory
of Minnesota during the spring and summer,
that they should not fail of visiting ourbeau
tiful new and fourishing town, Zumbrota
situated on the north branch of the Zumbrc
River, twenty miles from Red-Wing, on the
Mississippi River, purely New England in its
principles, being made up almost entirely OF
New England men with their families, and en-
joying just such society as we used to do al
the east, having a good school and two
churches, the Congregational and Baptist our
Sabbath Schools, meetings, Lyceums, &C., and
they could hardly be there long without imag
lining themselves in New England village
RESIDENT OF ZUMBRoTA.
----.---------------------
SuccRsg-A Fair was held Mt the Music