The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1871-01-02
Terms $500 per annaans, IN odvance.

BACK, and reach out on tda magnificent prai-
ries, over the great white felds,and gaze with
wonder upon our adopted home, which was
christened State, May %, 1s5S-twelve
short years since, having population then of
only 10000, now By the recent census. 473.-
oOo; an increase in one decade OF $4,000 or
over two hundred per cent.
What a remarkable growth of numbers
increase of wealth, and opening up of all
Kinds OF enterprises, even for tie teeming
and busting ard ambitious and graspips
Westp
Kansas had her aid Societies throughout
New England to start her OF In the race OF
States but Minnesota commenced her career
with few lumbermen from Maine who were
so little known in the West, that 1t became
question Of the ignorant settler of tue reisb
boring State ''Whether The Maiaites and
whites got along aseu together2'. They have
answered 1t so well, as in several instances to
be estimated In property up to the high mark
of half a million of dollars and they are rush
ing onward with Maine energy acd skill to
higher standards of wealth and position and
influence. The most prominent in this re-
spect, 10 rapid success, is perhaps, Gen. w.
ID. sWashburn-brotber of the collector of
your port t-still quite young man, vet bound
to be ere many years oueiot the richest citl-
zens OF the West. He is cool, ssgacious, per-
severipg unyieldlng in the right aud shrewd
-withal generous, public spirited resident
0. tnis city Many 'hers might be menrop-
ed bearing records of good success In a SHIRT
space OF time, not only in the lrmber trade.
put also IN divers manufacturine companies
OF Hour, ofwool, oil FAX, OF oil, OF pIows. aori-
cultural implement. &c. &c, steam saw mills
saw mills running by the water of the oreat
Mississippi, some 80 or more, all on fortunes
prosperous road. Iron works Tor boilers. en-
glnes and mill gear IN fact nearly every yoca.
ton Is here handled with the skill and iuJg.
mento OF men wro iemigrated from their eatIy
homes with firm purpose, and trusting reli-
ance upon God and their strong right arms
You would know the old resident here. al
most the moment you should meet one nv
the air OF compiacency which he carries. as
much as though he was really "na,iye here
and to the manner born," and that by pre-
empted right, tlst ard foremost he must be
consldered-his opinions and example taken
for the law OF the precinct. ''Lo, the poor
Indiao, had yielded by force OF circum.
stances to him with the aid OF Fort Smelling.
his conceiled and satisfied condition OF mind
and be thus, one OF the earliest messencers
on the route OF Westward Hor-repuoiates
the right OF the late owner to any OF the
emoluments OF the "Boly See :" but this W II
wear OILS now giving away to the tide of
greater numbers, from almost every State and
every part Iof Europe.
lew Years hence with The foreign increase
from Germany, Norway, Sweden and Ireland,
we shall commerce ce to give iD agriculture such
n " nf 4aI
western States OF Illinois aud indiana will.
however reluctantly, be compelled to pass the
champion banner into the hands of their
young Northwestern sister. Ia population BY
the next census We shall probably equal Mas.
sachusetts and almost double that OF Maiue.
Our area of territory exceeds that OF your
State about two hundred per cent, and In
acres we bave In excess of Maine about
1000, or in other words, Minnesota coy-
ers 2!o per cent. OF the total area OF the
United States. The great fertility OF the soil,
Its easy working, small expense OF preparing
AID purchasing farm, hence the large profit
upoh the labor, all tend to uake prophecy
that this State will Increase in wealth aud
population Tor the coming ten years, with 3
larger ratio than either OF the thirty seven
States OF the Republic. The last few days
have been the commencement of winter In
earnest-the thermometer indicating IA to
~ ucSiSSS DeioW Zeio, anu lDls before any
tall OF snow, this date being our first snow
storm.
We can boast of the warmest and the cold
est weather, perhaps in both degtess, aud In
both seasons SURPRISING your climate
My letter, ana afraid, is too long and too
dull. but there are SO many topics which one
might touch upon that necessarily each must
have small space aud imperfect notice, but in
my next l will attempt to write with better
care and thought, and with more interest to
your readers. NICHoLsT.