St. Cloud Democrat. [volume] (Saint Cloud, Stearns County, Minn.) 1858-1866, 1861-03-28
which las been settled within ths past Eve

10U.
Ions OF ..:.:.s:.:l2,l O0.
Number of neat cattle. =, -. 1866.
Value OF real estate 1868 OOO
Value of personal property .............$899,2 200
Acres Of public ACKNOWLEDGEMENT 40.
The census, having been taken in June,
does not show the crops for 1860. The
wheat crop fol, that year amounted to=up-
wards Of 100000 bushels, It will also, BE-
seen that nearly 6ve-sixths Of the land in
the county was still public land at the date
Of the census, and only one thirty-sizth,
part Of it was under cultivation. What
shall be the products then; when the land
in the county is fully cultivated, and when
the wide and magnificent area of prairie,
studded with lakes, and skirted with noble
groves and stretching on for hun.
dreds Of miles west, southwest and north
west-shall be settled? And that this area
will soon be settled, and thickly settled,
with thriving farmers, who can doubt who
remembers how line of settlements las
extended all the way to the Red River
valley within the past two years-and
two Of our hardest years at that? Is it not
plain then why we want railroad to Lake
Superior? 49,.
2. AS to the prospect of its being built;
the company recently incorporated by the
Minnesota Legislature is required, as the
condition of receiving the large grant Of
swamp lands, to locate the line of their
road within one year from the passage of
the act; grade at least twenty continuous
miles within two years, and complete and
have in running order first class railroad
from Lake Superior to the Mississippi
River within FIVE years. It seems they
must commence: at Lake Superior. Shares
are to be'$l00 each, five per cent. Of which
is all that is required to be paid in at first,
and which will entitle the share holder to
vote in the election of board of seven
directors. The land grant is very inn
portant one. It consists Of all the swamp
lands within seven miles on each side Of
the road; and if seven sections per mile
on each side cannot be obtained on the
line of the road, the deficiency may be ia
ken elsewhere. This is equal to 5000 acres
per mile: aud allowing that the road will
terminate at St. Cloud-distance 145
miles-the grant would amount to l,299,
200 acres! These swamp lands, it is we'll
known, are what have been granted to
Minnesota by Congress; and they are val
liable. Swamp land is land that requires
to be reclaimed or drained before it can be
cultivated and is of two kinds, timber and:
meadow The most valuable tamarack
timber grows on swamp land and some of
the richest fields can. be produced out Of
the meadows or savannas which come
within the terms of the grant: This do
nation should insure the completion Of the
road. 49,,
8. Let our readers look at the map aud
they will see that this road should strike
the Mississippi at this point or above here;
certainly not below. There is already, We
believe, a road located from Hudson to Lake
Superior: and to have another running
parallel with it only 6fy nile! niles a:sa:
would not only be absurd, but absolutely
deter capitalists from taking hold of it.
This must prevent its going to St Paul.
But our 81: Paul friends say the road must
connect with the navigable waters of the
Mississippi. Very we'll, if the Mimi. &
Pacific road is built to this place, as we
expect it will be, the Lake Superior road
connecting with it will benefit St. Paul
as much as if the cars from Superior reach
ed that city in two hours less time. But
we are willing those capitalists whose mon-
ey builds the road should select the ter
minus. The road must be built, and when
built, it will produce a greater change in
the northwest than any other enterprise
that has been projected. The country (which
it must pass over is mostly heavy timber,
with good soil, but thinly settled
Let those who have talked about rail-
road to Lake Superior now show their sim
cerity by their acts. There is much to be
done and every one can do little. If
YOU have a friend who wishes to contrib
ute to the greatness of the northwest, So
licit him 70 takea share z Farmers who
seek a niger price for your produce, Cap