St. Cloud Democrat. [volume] (Saint Cloud, Stearns County, Minn.) 1858-1866, 1859-10-13

This town is situated on the Sioux Wood river
and is the Western termination of the Slinneso-
ia and Pacific railroad the point laid down by
Capt. Pope on his map as the head Of steam
navigation Oh 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 numer,
GUS 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 OF swamps Red river is a deep, slow
stream, has no islands, sand bars or snags to
obstruct navigation the banks are about Is
feet high and not subject to overflow many
Of the tributaries Of the Red river are strongly
mpregnated with salt, and Indications Of
iron and coal ere numerous in the vicinity.
The farmers Of the valley Of the Red river
gave 10 Maisr 'v11u;,i, as the average Of their
crops; wheat so to 40; barley 40 to 80, oats
40 50; and potatoes 200 to 800 bushels to the
acre. At Pernbina, 600 miles norm Of Brecix-
inr;dge,) ex-Gov. Ramsey says, "on the 81
October, 1851, water melons and cantelopes
were served to us for dessert land the first frost
that occurred was on the night Of that day."
(see address before the Minnesota Agricultural
Society, Oct. 10th, 1869 Two large set
| Elements have long existed OF Rcd river
Pembina and Selkirk, both of which yearly
raise large surplus of the products of the
| rapidly filing up with an energetic and intel
ligent population the country being exceed
| ingly healthy, and should the Indications of
iron and coal lead to the discovery Of those
minerals as 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 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 well as the lands
donated to it.
| Breckenridge is also at the point where Gov,
Stevens survey Of % route for the Pacific rail
road crosses the Sioux Wood river, an exa,1,i
nation Of the Western States, and a reference
to the writings of Gov. Stevens, ex-Gov. 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 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 ,s to be not only the com
mercial centre for the north west, but will
forever be the gate city on the great north west
highway of nations. Il Il :. t..@I& i . -"
! Breckenridge is now being improved by the
Preprietors, who are erecting dwellings for
themselves, hotel, grist mill, saw mill, a
single and lath machine, 80. ~ a.
! For further particulars enquire of ,.
.s% *%9 HENRY T. WELLS, Minneapolis,
viii r CHUTE, St. Anthony "
CHAS. N. MKUBBIN, St. Paul,
Executive Committee
Or, to GEO. F. BROTT, Breckenridge.
May 10th, 1868 If '@{{ "