The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1859-04-14
OUR CORRESPONDENCE.


made by ALEXANDER FARiBAuLr, Esq, in
1926, at which time be established trad
ing post on the present site Of the town Of
Faribault no other settlement was made in
the county until the spring Of 1883.
The county was established by the Iegis-
lature in 1855, and was organized January
7th, 1856.
The first valuation Of property, real and
personal, made by the Assessor in July, 1885,
was S6l2 1854 93-the population at that
time was about 5000. The valuation Of
property by the Assessors in August 1883,
was $2OO7,763 80, which shows an increase
Of about 100000, for each of the years
1857 and 1858. The present population is
about 10000.
Rice County comprises Sic square miles
of some Of the finest agricultural, manufac.
turing and timbered region in Minnesota !;
fully half Of its surface, which is gently un-
dulating, without any abrupt hills or bluffs,
is covered with excellent timber, comprising
all the hard wood varieties desirable for
building and manufacturing purposes, with
fine quality OF black walnut and butternut
for finishing and cabinet work; the sugar
maple also abounds, and large quantities OF
maple sugar are made each year. The prai-
ries are varied by succession of island
groves the soil is a rich, deep loan, inter.
spersed with black sand, generally resting
upon clay, and is very easy of tillage. All
the productions of the northern middle states
are grown here in abundance.
The principal streams are the Cannon
and Straight Rivers they present along
their courses q succession OF available water
powers, most OF which can be easily i'm.
proved. Within the county, and lying with
in the " Big Woods" are twenty-five me
andered lakes the Cannon River flowing
through four of them; the largest lake is
two and half miles long, and mile wide !;
they arc mostly supplied by internal springs
and the waters are cold and very clear.
This county presents many advantages to
the settler, be he either farmer or mechanic /;
be can procure his land either in wild or
cultivated state. Crops have never yet
failed, but have yielded bountifully all the
grains grown in the northern and middle
states. Timber is abundant, and conse-
quently cheap, for building, fencing or me-
chanical use.
Six good Touring mills have been estab.
lished and are in operation, one OF them
costing over $4,000. Here the farmer
will find home market for his grain. For
the mechanic, there are many branches OF
that profession, as yet not represented in
this county he will find water power along
our rivers easy to be improved timber for
manufacturing purposes abundant and q
ready market for the product Of his skill.
As this county is settled mostly from the
New England States and New York, the
settler may be assured that tho worship oil
God and the education Of the young is not
neglected There are fifty organized school
districts in the county, and at Faribault is
located the " Bishop Seabury Seminary,
the professors and teachers Of which are
second TO none, Of any similar institution in
the Eastern States, in erudition and talent
The town Of Farbault, the county seat Of
Rice county, is situated at the confluence OF
the Cannon and Straight Rivers, with the
Big Woods on the north, Straight River
woods on the east and the prairie on the
south and west, the Cannon and Straight
Rivers flowing through the town furnish
several fne water powers. The town was
laid out in February 1855. ALExASDER
FARIBAULT, F. T. SIBLEY, JoHS W. NORTH
aud PORTER NUrrIsG were the original pro
pretors. The State Insti,u,ion for the edu-
cation OF the deaf and dumb is located ct
this place by Az act of the Legislature; the
present population is about 200O.
Mortified, the second town in this county
in poin, Of size, is on the Cannon River
fifteen miles northeast from Farbaul,
This town was laid4out in December 1855
JoHs w. NosrH proprietor population
about 1000.
! Dandas is situated 90 the Cannon River
I twelve miles from FsrIbaut and three miles
from Mortified the town 10 just aid out
GEo. y. i JonS ;. ARCHIBALD proprietors
/ Here is established -four mill probably the
! bes, 10 Minuesots.
Cannon City OF the east side Of Straight
/ River woods. il four miles IRON FarbagIt
/ the town was laid out 10 July 1855 JAS
! u. 4 q. A SzARs, Wa TALBOT. and W
/ r HuLEAgY proprietors population about
| 600.
Morrlstown. ten mile west Of FaribanIt