Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1872-09-18

Letter from the North Star StGte--Comme 'ct
Agriculture and Climate--Health and Wealth.
Prairie Farming-.The National ColOny--l
Model Community.
WoRTHINGToN, MOBILES Co., MINI,
September II, 1872.
EDITOR CHRoNICLE:-For the ben
eft of those of your readers who arr
looking to the West for future homes
I wish TO say few words concerning
: the State of Minnesota. I left War
rem county only a few months ago
having Joined the National Colony
and came to Southwestern Minneso
to, where lie the cream of the Mime
sofa prairies. Before speaking of thi:
section particularly, let me say some
thing of the State in general.
Minnesota, as its name indicates, i:
the water State. 1t gives rise to the
Mississippi and the Red River of the
North and to thousands-of beautiful
lakes. Its position at the head oi
navigation of the two great water
routes of the continent, viz: the
lakes and the Mississippi, must give
it vast importance as a commercial
State, since the products of the great
new northwestern empire now OPEN
ing up so rapidly, must pour through
Minnesota as through a funnel to
reach water transportation. Hence
Minnesota must produce one or two
of the large cities of the continent
st. Paul is leaping forward with
seven-league commercial boots. ard
must be, unless some lake port should
take her trade, the Chicago or the st.
Louis of the north west. It is plain
to the most casual observer that three
great cities are:demsnded in the Mis-
sissippi Valley region, and that st.
Paul has the location and the start
for the third or most northerly one of
the three. The development of Min
nesota has been more rapid, If any
thing, than Kansas, and the tide of
population, which once set so strong
ly toward the central belt of country,
is now turning toward the. north
west. Ten years ago Minnesota had
net mile of railroad; in 1866 it had
but three undred miles, while to-
day there are $500 miles in operation
in the State. Six years ago the wheat
crop of the State was 5000, 900 of BUSH
els, while this year it is 10000. 900.
And the State is just fairly beginning
its development. There are 81, 900, 900
acres, of land in the State chiefly
prairie, a large portion of which is
still open TO homestead entry. Two
or three years more, however, will
not find a desirable homestead left
No other State has made such ample
provision for public schools. Two
sections of land have been set aside in
each township for school purposes,
making over three millions of acres,
which at the present low or minimum
rate would yield a school fund of
SIS, 600, 600. Over forty thousand acres
have been given to endow a State
University, which is now in opera
tion at St. Anthony and at which |
the youth of the State can secure an
tuition free. There are
three Normal schools in the State, one
of which, at Winona, is said to be
probably the best IN the country.
As an agricultural State, Minneso-
ia ranks among the first. 1t is ad-
mitted TO be the best wheat State east
of the Rocky Mountains. In average
yield of corn per acre it is surpassed !
by Illinois only, while as hay State |
it shows yield per acre about three |
times that of the great hay State of
Ohio. Stock raising here is very
profitable and successful, where grass
yields from two to three tons, and |
rutabagas from GOO to 1 900 bushels to
the acre. Fruits begin to yield abun-
dantly. There was a time when it |
was questionable whether fruits
could be successfully cultivated. but |
that has been settled by experiment, |
and orchards are springing up
throughout the State, especially in
Southern Minnesota.
But great as are the advantages of
as a commercial and an
agricultural State, the chief attraction
is the climate. A State in which |
original cases of ague and eonsump-
ton are unknown affords such a
refuge as thousands are seeking, and |
hence the emigration from Illinois
and Kansas to this State reaches
many thousands annually. The air
here is as pure as mountain air, and it
IS quite common to see q new conner
undergoing a purging and a crisi.
Ike that produced by a course of
medicine. After the climate has
eieansed the system, it gives the
patient what is known as the Min
nesota appe ite" under which he eats
and acts h.3 way back to health.
Diseased lungs are nearly always re.
stored unless the patient is too far
gone when he arrives. Thousands of
nvalids have found health here and
nave been unwilling to quit the pure
md invigorating air which restored
hem to vigor. The summers here
nave about the average temperature
If the New York summers, but the
nights are cooler and better adapted
o sleep. Magnificent thunder show
rs are frequent, but they usually
'ccur at night and leave the DAYS
FRIGHT and exhilarating. The
.utumns have from six to eight weeks
f Indian Summer weather, when TO
i've in the open air is joy, and when
he health' and the pIeasure-seeker J