Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1865-03-02
FROM MINNESOTA.
Sr. PAUL, MINNESOTA, Feb. IL, Is

write You a description OF the country ana
give you my opinion concerning its future
prospects. write for the purpose OF CIV
ing information to those who are desirous
of learning the truth concerning the North
west
frequently receive letters from the east
containing the following questions "How
do you like Minnesota ?" How do you
like the climate? 2" "Are the winters en-
durable?" propose to answer these queS-
tions, and then add what other news think
will be interesting to your readers.
Minnesota is bounded as follows or the
north by the British Possessions on the
east, by Lake Superior the Wisconsin and
the Mississippi rivers on the south, by
Iowa. and on the west, by the Territory of
Dacotah The surface Of the country is
generally rolling, and somewhat similar to
Wisconsin, Illinois, and Iowa. In the nor
thern portion of the State, there is an I'M
mense forest containing pine sufficient to
supply every demand. The rich valleys of
the Mississippi and its tributaries, are gen
orally covered with a heavy growth of the
various kinds of hard wood enough to fur
nish every family with fencing and fuel.
| Besides every section of the State is dotted
with lakes surrounded with timbers. These
lovely sheets of water not only form a
marked feature ON the scenery of Minneso-
ta but abound with great variety of fish,
and in the spring and fall they are the re-
sort of incalculable numbers Of wild ducks
and geese.
An emigrant seeking new home for
himself and family in the West, is anxious
to settle in a good country well adapted to
the culture of the grand staples Of food,
and a salubrious climate. No one conver-
SAINT with the facts, will deny but what
Minnesota is a grain producing State, is
equal to any in the Northwest. The eli
mate is admitted to be healthy, and during
the whole year invalids can be found who
! have come here to seek lost health. This
| regard as a strong argument in favor of
| Minnesota What is good home worth, III
country where every breeze watts pesti-
| lence and death, removing one after another
of those who are near and dear to us? The
winter has been the subject of a good deal
Of very unjust disparagement 1t is thought
| by many to be cold and severe, almost in
tolerable, but the old settlers, those who
| have been here for years, regard it as the
pleasantest season in the whole year. In
the middle of November or the first OF De-
cember the ground is frozen, and snow falls
! generally deep enough to make sleighing.
The air is clear and bracing, and we are
not troubled with rain and sleet followed by
severe cold In the month Of March, as the
sun approaches the north winter relaxes
his grasp, the rivers and lakes are unbound
the snow disappears, and the farmer is busy
preparing his ground for his summer crop.
In 1862 the Homestead Act passed Con
gress. By the provisions of this act the
actual settlers by living upon quarter
section (l60 acres) five years can procure
perfect title to the same. The State will
soon be thickly settled and the land of
course become valuable. Fifteen years ago
the Territory of Minnesota had but few in
habitants, and those were mostly Indian
traders The buffalo and deer were hunted
by the Indian, and churches aud school
houses were unknown. To-day the city of
St Paul, the capitol of the State, contains
| 10, 900 inhabitants, and for $50 miles back
from the Mississippi the State is well set
| tied. Churches and school-houses are found
in nearly every community and every thing
has the appearance of an Eastern country
A railroad is in successful operation from
St Paul up the valley of the Mississippi
for distance of fifty miles, and also from
Winona west to the city of Rochester an
other fifty miles, the cars are running. In
couple of years, unless some unforeseen
! object prevents it, the cars will be running
from Winona through the southern part Of
the State to Mankato, from st. Paul to Lake
Superior from ST Paul up the valley of
the Mississippi to st. Cloud from st. Paul
up the valley of the Minnesota to Mandate;
| and also from ST Paul to the Iowa line via
Faribault and Owatoma, making about
eight hundred miles of railroad in success
full operation. Now is the time to emigrate
to Minnesota. Upon the completion Of the
proposed railroads the land will double in
value, and every thing thrive like plants in
a hot-house.
The political complexion of the State is
strongly in favor of the present Admins
tration. Fifty of the sixty-three members
of the Legislature are Republicans. With
population in 1860 of one hundred and
seventy-two thousand, the State has enls-
ted over twenty thousand soldiers. The
first regiment has been with the Army OF
the Potomac from the Bull Run battlefield,
until the present time. The other regi-
ments, with the exception of two or three,
that have been engaged on the frontier
against the Indians, have shared in the re
verses and successes of the Western Army,
and upon the historic fields Of Shiloh, Vicks-
burg, Chattanooga, Atlanta, and Savannah,
have contributed not little to make the
Western soldiery the terror of Rebeldom.
The Legislature is in session, and Penn
: sylvania is well represented, in members.
, Bradford county is represented in the Sen
ate by the Hon. j. V. DANIELS, who is serv-
} ing his fourth year, and in the House by ),
, L. GIBBS formerly ofOrwell, who is serving
his second year. Pennsylvanians have, bty
| the way, always had an influence upon the
~ e. Tarritn,,nl