St. Cloud Democrat. [volume] (Saint Cloud, Stearns County, Minn.) 1858-1866, 1860-02-23
BRE3CK-INRIDGE3

This town is situated on the Sioux Wood river,
and is the Western termination of the Minneso-
tn 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 numers
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,
bacrens or swamps. Red river is q 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 are numerous in the vicinity.
The farmers Of the valley of the Red river
gave to Major Wood as the average of their
crops; wh;at 90 to 40; barley 40 to 80; oats
40 so; and potatoes 200 to 800 bushels--to the
acre: At Pembina, GOO miles north of Brock
inridge,) ex-Goy. Ramsey says, son the I'd
October, 1851, water melons and cantelopes
were served to us for dessert, and the first frost
that occurred was on the night of that day."
see address before the Minnesota Agricultural
Society, Oct. 10th, 1860 Two large set
Elements have long existed on Rcd. river
Pcmbina and Selkirk, both Of which yearly
raise large surplus Of the products of the
farm; the whole valley Of the Red river is
rapidly filling up with IN 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
he 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 it's franchise as we'll 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 exami
nation of the Western States, and q 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 IS to be not only the com
mercial centre for the northwest, but will
forever be the gate city on the great north west
highway of nations.
Breckenridge is now being improved by the
Froprietors, who are erecting dwellings for
themselves, a hotel, grist mill, saw mill, a
shingle and lath machine, &c.
For further particulars enquire of
HENRY T. WELLS, MINNEAPOLIS.
r CHUTE, St. Anthony
CHAS. N. M'KUBBIN, St. Paul.
Executive Committee !;
Or, to GEO. F. BROTT, Breckenridge.
May 10th, 1858 If