New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1872-07-11
THE CHARMS OF MINNESOTA.
HEALTH, WEALTH, WISDOM, AND HAfriNEoo IN
MINNEsoTA-A MEDICAL CLIMATE-A MODEL
COLONY.

loudest thunder the most vivid lightning ana the most
splendid Northern lights Of any OF tho States lie
might have ADDED the finest sunsets the bluest Skies
and the whitest clouds Minnesota is remarkable for her
Thousands of lakes her Summer day Of 16 hours her
cold Winters in which men do not feel cold with the
thermometer from 20 TO so degrees below zero for her
heathfu climate which acts upon the diseased system
like a course of medical treatment; for her
lands which require neither clearing, draining
nor dressing and need only the pow and the seed to
produce abundant crops for the thousands OF nvaids
who have found health under her beautiful blue skies
and for her hundreds of who acquired an inde-
pendence from her soil in from three to five years Mimic
sofa Just fairly entered her teens She Is IL yearsO u
yet she has already population of over 100000 rai
road system ryang those OF the older States ana is the
freshest the heahest and one OF the most Deautnu o
Uncle Sans daughters Minnie" in the Indian tongue,
signifies water" The state abOunds in such names as
Minneapolis. Mnnehaha, Mnneopa, and Minneionka as
is ft She should be called the Mother Of Waters since
she gives birth the Mississippi River to the Red River
OF the North to thousands OF beautiful lakes aud lies at
the OF the great lake system. Minnesota is thus at
the head of the two chief waterways Of the con-
tinent; the lakes, and the Mississippi, and is
the mouth Of the funnel through which the pro
ducts Of the great empire of the Northwest must pour
TO reach water transportation. The State, therefore,
must produce two cities like Chicago and st. Louis
ST. claims to have the location and the start Tor
one of these cities and is already entitled to the name
times the obbng trade of any city of equal population
in the country, and TO have doubled her commerce
within q year. The vast empire which is to draw sup
plies from St. Paul is rounding INTO FORM, and the Min
nesoran nothing improbable in Secretary Stewards
prediction that the ultimate seat of government on
this continent" will be near st. Paul.
PRODUCTIONS AND CLIMATE.
Minnesota produces abundantly nearly oil the grains,
vegetables and fruits of the temperate zone. 1t is con-
ceded to be the wheat State east Of the Rocky Noun
tans The crop is uniform, the soil apparently mex
hausbe the yield per from five to ten
bushels higher than in NewYork, Pennsy lvania Ohio
and Illinois In the average yield of corn. Southern Min
nesOta is surpassed by Illinois only The average yield
per acre of hay nearly double that of the great hay
State of Ohio Fruits grow WELL and have the most de-
lcious flavor Small fruits, such strawberries and
raspberries, grow wild great profusion Apples are
cultivated successfully as far north as Mime
apos and about Winona. Stock thrives well
here In Winter, with only straw sheds
TO protect them from the severe storms. Cattle
and sheep healthier than in southern ATTITUDES
and in Summer the cattle revel in grass which in the
natural meadows is so high to conceal them. Rua
bagas yield from COO to 1000 bushels to the acre. The
Minnesota climate is justly praised. The Summers are
refreshing instead Of exhaustng, like the Summers
further South for while the temperature about
that of Pennsylvania and Ohio the air is exceedingly
pure and exharang and the nights cool and adapted
to sleep The Winters are generally cold but people do
not suffer as much from cold here they do in New
York and Ohio This is due to the dryness .of the at
mosphere, which is like dry blanket to the skin, while
a damp atmosphere is ike a damp blanket and produces
chiiness The Spring is generally wet and windy.
The principal rainfall is during April and May leaving
the Summer dry with the exception Of those refresh
ing thundershowers which generally occur at night,
and leave the day bright and clear The snowfall in
Winter light compared with that Of New England and
New York but it lies until Spring Open rainy Winters
are unknown. The Autumns remarkable for their
soft beauty the number Of Indian Summer days being
nearly double those of the Eastern States The health
fulness Of the climate is proverbia Minnesota is free
from the scourge Of the East consumption, and the
scourge of the West, intermittent fevers. 1t is
common thing the TO have eruption Of
boils and to undergo thorough purging The climate
physician first cleanses the blood and the liver;
then gives the patient what is known the Mime
sofa appetite and prompts him to action in the open
air. and he the highway 10 robust health The
climate seems TO heal diseased livers well as lungs.
Cattle driven here from Illinois found after feeding
a while in the Minnesota meadows, with Hvers healed
over The climate rarely fails to restore diseased lungs
unless they too far gone when the patient arrives
Minnesota has men running upon one lung than
any other state. - 49,
The visitor is struck, first, by the large number Of
persons who came here invahds and are now in good
health; and, secondly. by the large number who
here poor and enjoying an independence. Min
nesota only the Mother of Waters, but also Of
health and fortune She is the best OF mothers TO her
children, whether native or adopted, healing them Of
their Ills like a good physician and nurse, and then
giving them each a farm TO begin with.
There are 100000 Of land in the State, most Of
which is prairie. The Red River region and Southern
Minnesota chiefly without timber Near the middle
OF the State belt of timber, called the Big Woods,
which is about 30 miles wide and 100 miles long South
Min "a fhe he and ia
called the Of the State the soil being from two to
four feet deep, and the prairie rolling and watered by
beautiful lakes and streams. The land lies ready
for the plow and the farmer has only to break it, SOW
the Seed and reap the harvest No clearing, grubbng,
or ditchiDg is required here. 1t is claimed that
can acquire an independence In onefourh the time and
with one-fomth the labor-some say onetenth-re-
quired in the timber regions Minnesota abounds In in
pockets to pay for weeks boarding, and who, in five
years, owned good farms aud were IN Independent cir
Minnesota prairies the cold Winters frequent
Winds and the lack of timber The latter objections lie
iI wealth The Winters are cold but not as severe as
they are IN New-England and New-York The winds
never any OF the toruadoes here which sweep
over Illinois and Kansas. In such storms as
level the and trees Of Southern Indiana and Ohio
the light, paper-lke houses which dot the Minnesota
prairles would 1y through the air like so many straw
hats. The lack OF timber Is probably the chief draw
back but timber be raised here in less time than is
required clear IL OF in timber districts. The labor
elsewhere expended in clearing II expended here in
raising crops, would make man rich In the time re-
qured 10 clear a farm.
eThe atractiveness Of Minnesota makes the State one
OF the most desirable for colonization enterprises Hence
there colonies locating in Clay, Becker Lyon, Mobiles
and other counties was attracted 70 the colony ocat
ing in Mobiles County, known the National Colony,
well by the reputation OF the lands as the high character
of the enterprise. Three months ago there
was probably not d score OF houses In the
county Now there is a thriving town located on
okobena Lake. and over 500 families established on the
Government lands So matter Is II 10 build rail-
roads and 20 possess this highly favored country that
the new conner looking out the lake, the green
PRAIRIE broken In every direction by plOwed FARMS the
busy little and the smoke OF the locomotive can
scarcely realize that he is IN new country The prairie