Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1868-02-22
From the Hudson Star and Times
THE ST. CROEX VALLEY.
Its Climate.SoiI Productions & People.
INDUCEMENTS TO IMMIGRATION.
EContinued from last week
EContinued from last week ]
POPULATION.

LDoitAhNSN AaDAu AsAot NeSh
POPULATION.
The population of the St. Croix Val
ley is about 2l,0OO, distributed among
the counties as follows:-Pieree $500;
St. Croix 5000; Polk $500. The pop.
uiation is increasing very rapidly-at
least 20 per cent per year.
CITIES AND VILLAGES.
There are two settles" in the Valley,
Prescott and Hudson. Prescott is in
Pierce County. IL has a population OF
about 1000. Hudson, where this pa
per is published, is in st. Croix County
and has a population of little over
5000. This city IS having a healthy
and quite rapid growth. It's business
has doubled within short time. Its
business men are wide awake and enter
prising, and generally have plenty of
capital with which to do business. We
know of no town in the West that bears
a better reputation for the enterprise and
integrity of its citizens, and the general
excellence of its institutions and society !.
There are quite number of thrifty
villages in the Valley. In Pierce Coun-
ty, Maiden Rock, Diamond Bluff and
River Falls are principal ones. The
latter is remarkable for its beauty of
location, the intelligence of IFS inhabitants,
and its extensive manufacturing advan-
tages. 1t contains a population of about
600, and does very lively business. 10
st. Croix County, Richmond and New
Centreville are the principal inland vii
lagos. The former is entirely surround
ed by the finest farming crountry. 1t
contains population of about, which
is rapidly increasing. Osceola is the
principal village in Polk County. Il is
the county seat, has population of 500
or 600,and is quite smart village. There
is also the old village Of st. Croix Falls,
where the first settlement in the North,
Vest was made. 1t is quite generally
deserted and badly dilapidated. There
are many smaller settlements, hardly at
tanning the dignity of villages. where
may be found mills, stores, shops of va
rious kinds, etc. In this county there
are about 20 -four and saw mills, and
the same number of stores, outside of
this city.
NEWSPAPERS.
There are four newspapers in the Val
ley, the Polk County Press, the Hudson
Star and Times, Prescott Journal, and
Pierce County Herald. They all do a
good business, except the latter, which
has just started. This paper is the lar
gest of the number.
POLITICS.
All of the counties are Republican in
politics, and give an aggregate majority
of several hundred. There is strong
Democratic vote, however, and our friends
Of that persuasion, no doubt, expect to
be among the sins" sometime.
SCHOOLS AND CHURCHES,
The Valley is well supplied with
schools and churches. School houses
are plenty, nearly every neighborhood
being supplied, ard many of the build
ings are large, comfortable and neat
Church organizations are TO be found in
nearly all the towns, and many fine
houses Of worship have been erected.
All denominations are represented, and
the religious advantages here are hardly
second TO those of New England.
INDUCEMENTS TO MIGRATION.
In this and the series of articles pre-
ceding it, we have endeavored to set
forth briefly, plainly and trulhfulIy the
charactar of the st. Croix Valley, its in
stitutiens and people. We have drawn no
fancy sketches, and exaggerated no facts.
We have simply described things as they
are, and are willing our Eastern friends
should Judge es to whether they would
like TO make homes here or not. Our
remarks have been more with reference
to the country as an agricultural region.
than to any of its other features and in
terests. We have done this because ag-
ricultura IS the basis of all wealth. II
farmers can do well in a country all other
business interests are sure to flourish.
That farmers caa do well here, there is
no doubt. This fact has been demon.
strated year after year. The broad fields
of rustling grain which every Autumn
reyeals,-the long line of teams almost
daily seen moving laden to market, THE
fine farm residences seen going up on
every hand-Ihe large machines in all
the market towbs,-the hundreds oil
steamers plying our waters laden with
produce,-the general thrift aud increase
of business,-all these attest the wealth
Of our soil, and the ample rewards with
which agriculture crowns it laborers.
To demonstrate more clearly the prof.
its of farming, we will show what can
be done in that line. Take a piece oi
wild land, say I60 acres, for example,:
Cost of Land s 900
Breaking and fencing 1000
Seed, u bash. per acre, 81 pr. b. 24O
Narrowing in crop 125
Harvesting and stacking $50
Threshing, say 5000 bush. Is c. $40
Total expense of land, Improvements -
and crop 3,945
Value of crop at 81 per bush. in
granary $4,000
This would leave man in debt nj
the end of the first year but s345. His
land and improvements would easily be
worth $500. This would leave him
a net profit fer one year of s2,s45.-
This is low estimate. Hundreds OF
e. :, al. oo,n..- -. a.,