The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1871-11-30
NORTHERN PACIFf0s LANDeRIAs[INA.
TONS.
Progress of the Party-Charactcr OF tho
Countiy-Good Pine, and Farming
l. q nllS. 80 5SS5s R68S*; 80

Lands. 80, .,zs. z. s3s . ~
IL cAnr, NWfsn 80, +. 1s2 Rs4, !.
Nov. l7.hl87l.
q sosron JouRt hsnI wrote:
you last NO were vampca on Sec. II Of
this Town, but on roturning from Part
ridge River, where l then was, I found
camp on the ne} Of SEQ. 26. Examin-
ing section ID found some very finee
pine, as also 10 sections Is and 81; on
tho latter two sections being the 6uestwes
haso found. The ge moral character Of
the country is about the same as that
int. 1873, r. 81 low*ridges timbered
with white OAK, sugar maple and mixed
timber and tamarac and OPEN svamps,
wet aud very shaky, many Ct them Civ
ing indications OF having been at no
very distan: day lakes and ponds 1t
is Low almost impossible to cross them
with any safety, as they are covered
only With a thin layer Of SOD and moss,
beneath which arc water aud mud to
an unknown depth. We frequently
run on to lines cut through the woods
as preliminary surveys Of tho St: Cloud
and Pembina Branch of the N.P.R.R..
and the accounts Of swamp crossings
by some of the boys are not at all exag-
geratej. A great many Of the swamps
give indications Of cranberries, bat in
only a few instances have We found any,
and then only in very limited quantities.
On Monday, Nov. 9th, wo moved to
section IL, T.:l3l, R. 81, and near
here We met the first settlers in this
region. Hearing chopp'ng south ofus,
two Of us started to 6od the cause and
were rewarded by discovering three men
building house on section IA. There
are two settlers on section %, who came
in a year ago and seemed to beunaware
Of being within railroad limits, and will
undoubtedly be put to some trouble on
that account. s,:,.*. .,n
Tuesday and Wednesday were quite
cold, and IS the air was still and frosty
I frequently heard the loud and pecu-
liar snort Of the startled deer as they
bounded away through the brush.wood.
Yesterday we completed the examina.
ton CT the nj of T. l3l, being all Of
that township We intend examining this
season, aud in the afternoon moved to
this camp, three or four chains south Of
the Partridge River, which here is only
a small creek, from four to six feet wide
aud one foot deep. 1t rises in small
marsh in section 81 of this town and after
leaving this section takes course
nearly due north. Finishing this town
ship, tho e3 Of which We have already
examined, it is our intention to examine
1926 and then, close Tor the season
on 7. 1873, R. IS, leaving the remain
der of our ten towns until early spring
- until such time as the Company or
ders US to resume the work.
We have found within few days
some of the foest white oak timber or
the trip, and tho general character o
the lands more rolling, and soil a ligh
sandy loan with sand and gravel sub
soil, which is quite retentive, and d.
not see why, with proper cultivation
this may not in time, be as productive
region az any in Northern Minnesota
Vegetation grows very rapidly here, a
demonstrated in an occasional Whit
oak of from 26 to 40 inches in diane
ter, and thrifty growth Of other va
rie4ies, as also fine natural grass on th'
river and creek bottoms, which will Civ
plentiful supply Of hay for stock
The water is good.
Truly yours, LEROY CIRCUIT,
Asst Land Examin er N. P.R.I