The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1871-01-19
LAlNNESOTA.
interesting and Valuable Statistfes,
Agricultural and Mineral Area.
MANUFACTURING AND LUMBERIyG
INTERESTS.

Agricultural and Mineral Area,
MANUFACTURING AND LUMBERING
INTERESTS.
| Picturesque Lakes and Eavigable Riv.
erS.
Healthy and Inrigoratlng Climate,
SCHOOLS AND HomEsTEADs.
Report Of Hon. Jos Wi,on, Commi,.ioae, Of
General Land Office.
Minnesota is justly considered one of
the most favored regions on the CONT
tiuent as home for an agricultural and
manufacturing population, possessing a
climate of unrivalled salubrity, abound
ing in extensive tracts Of rich, arabic
lands, abundaotly timbered throughout
its whole extent, vatered by innumer-
able lakes and streams, well supplied
arteries for communication by rivers in
all directions, and subject to none Of
the drawbacks arising from excessive
moisture or aridity which prevail in
other quarters OF our country.
With reference to the physical sys-
tenn Of the continent, this State ocou-
pies tho exact centre, being situated
equi-distant from the Arctic and Tropic
circles, the Atlantic and Pacific
Oceans, and the Hudson Bay aud
Gulf of Mexico. 1t contains within its
limits 1851 square miles, or $685.
$40 acres, and has greater absolute
extent of surface available for agricul /
tural purposes, in proportion to its en-
tire area, than any State of the Union,
about four -fifths of the domain being
susceptible OF profitable husbandry.
The prevailing soil is dark, calca-
reous, sandy loan, containing various
intermixture Of clay, abounding in
min eral salts and in organic ingredients
| derived from the accumulation of de-
composed vegetable matter for long
ages Of growth aud decay. The sand
of which SILICA is the base. ..forms;a large
proportion Of this, as Of all good soils.
1t acts an important part in the econo-
my and growth Of the cereals.
! Three-fourths of the State is fue,
rolling prairie, inte'spersed with fre:
quent groves, oak openings, and belts
of hard wood timber, watcred by rum .
erous beautiful lakes and streams, and
assessing warm, dark soil Of great fer
tility, producing bounteously all tho
crops of the temperate zone.
| The residue, embracing the elevated
u:st:.>. Immediately west of Lake Supe-
r'o', cobsists for the most part of the
flca m.oeral ranges on its shores and Of
the fine forests which clothe the head
waters Of the Mississippi, atfording
almost inexhaustible supplies Of lum-
Der.
Of the total AREA of the State, 53,-
459, $40 acres, II Bis, ,947 acres or one
third, is estimated to be timbered land
of more or less dense growth, aud the
remainder principally prairie. OF the
whole surface, 26,0l9,739 acres have
been surveyed, 1856, $40 acres have
been disposed Of, and 81, 3,s43,5O0.35
acres remain open subject to occu.
pancy.
( Among the natural features of Min
nesota are the number, beauty and pie
turesqueness Of its lakes, which have
been estimated, both large and small,
as high as 10000. They arc found
dotting its surface in nearly every see-
ton Of the State, sparkling in the open
prairies, hidden in the depths Of the
forest, and glistening like gems among
the rugged hills of the northeastern
section. These lakes not only give
variety and beauty to the landscape,
but supply the atmosphere during the
summer months with moisture, and in
many cases, by natural navieable
streams successfully passing from one
to another, they constitute arteries for
travel and transportation over large
portion of the country. The most de-
licious fish, such as bass, pike, pickerel
and sunfsh abound in all these lakes.
| Tho navigable rives of this State are
the Mississippi, Minnesota, St. Croix,
St. Louis, Root, and the Red River of
the North.
The Mississippi courses about 800
miles through Minnesota, Of which $40
miles are navigable within the State.
The Minnesota river, rising near
Lac Traverse, flows souutbeastcrly a
distance Of $50 miles and empties into
the Mississippi at Fort Smelling, five
miles above St. Paul. This is one of
the fiuest streams in the valley of the
Mississippi, and the country through
which it passes cannot be exeelled for
salubrity of climate and productiveness
Of soil. In a good stage of water
steamers can ascend almost to its
source. The other rivers are naviga-
! ee.'l.sA ea xxe As~