St. Cloud Democrat. [volume] (Saint Cloud, Stearns County, Minn.) 1858-1866, 1860-01-26
BRECKINRIDGE-
This town is situated on the Sioux Wood rive

This town is situated on the Sioux Wood river,
and is the Western termination of the Minneso-
ia and Pacific railroad; the point laid down by
Capt. Pope OH his map as the head Of steam
navigation OIL the Red river; the valley of the
Red liver is about twenty miles wide on either
side of the stream, and about five hundred miles
long; the surface is lev ell and drained by numcro
Gus streams which arc skirtcd 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 or swamps. Red river is a deep, slow
stream, has no islands, sand bars or snags to
obstruct navigation the banks are about 25
feet high, and not subject to overflow many
Of the tributaries Of the Red river are strongly
appropriated 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; wheat 80 to 40; barley 10 to 80; oats
10 SO; and potatoes 200 to 800 bushelssto the
acre. At Pembina, GOO miles north Of Brock
inridgc,) cx-Goy. Ramsey says, con the I'd
October, 1851, water melons and cantelopcs
were served to us for dessert, and the first frost
that occurred was ON the night of that day."
sec address before the Minnesota Agricultural
Society, Oct 10th, 1861 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 filing up with an energetic and intel
ligcnt population; the country being exceed
ingly healthy, and should the indications of
iron and coal lead to the discovery Of those
m;ner: ls:s&. rse as ie;pseeh:this valley
viil::egoh be :sxarn.fgg:wai !: stipulation en-
gagged in agriculture, mining and 'manufactur
:rfg:::snppEeg cast1:n.Nt!irsspta,: WISCONSIN,
- ha.
labor and skifl:;' the Minnesota and Tactic
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 it's franchise as we'll as the lands
donated to it.
Breckenridge is also at the point where Gov
Stevens survey of a route for the Pacific rail
road crosses the Sioux Wood river, an exami
nation of the Western States, and reference
to tho 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 oil 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 northwest
highway of nations.
Breckenridge is now being improved by the
rreprietors, who are erecting dwellings for
themselves, hotel, grist mill, saw mill, q
shingle and lath machine, &c.
For further particulars enquire of
HENRY T. WELLS, Minneapolis.
II CHUTE, St. Anthony
CHAS, N. M'KUBBIN, st. Paul,
Executive Committee
Or, to GEO. F. BROTT, Breckenridge ss
May 10th, 1858 If