Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1872-06-17
For the Monitor.
LETTER FROM MINNESOTA.

DcloIOiC dflAS fCiLaVHo III VIC " cog,
Twas requested by many of my friends
and neighbors to write them of the place,
and give them an account of its resourc-
es; its advantages over the East and
many other things inquisitive people are
curious to know of. Not being able to
comply with their wishes by private cor
respondence, take this way to furnish
them the asked-for information. It will
be my object. in writing these letters, to
give an unbiased account of the different
subjects, as they present themselves,
striving not to exaggerate or underrate
any of the advantages or disadvantages
of this new country, and to answer, as
well as l am competent, those questions
which have been asked concerning the
place.
1t will be my object in this letter to
give the early history of the state in
clear and concise form.
Minnesota, like many others of the
states, derives its name from its princi-
pal river, which name is derived from
the Indian language, signifying, by
somewhat liberal rendering, sky colored
or sky clouded water.
Although Minnesota is, comparative
ly, new state, yet nearly two centuries
have elapsed since the white man first
explored this once large and uninhabit-
ed wilderness. In the year 1880 Louis
Hennepin, a franciscan priest, accom-
panied by fur traders in the employ of
French exploring party, assembled the
Mississippi as far as the great falls
which he named St. Anthony. The ear.
ly strife between the French and Eng
lish resulted in a treaty between the
two nations, by which all the territory
now comprising Minnesota was coded
to the English. In 1865, Captain JON
athan Carver, a Connecticut adventurer,
undertook the exploration of England's
newly acquired possessions. In the fall
he reached the ST. Anthony Falls, and
assembled the river several miles above
there then he returned to the mouth of
the Minnesota, which he explored as far
as the present site of New Ulm.
In the year 1888, that large tract
known as the Northwestern Territory,
which comprised many of the present
states and territories, was transferred to
the United States, but no effort was
made to extinguish the Indian title un-
til 1906, when tract of land for mill.
tary purposes was purchased at the
mouth of the St. Croix and another al
the mouth of the Minnesota river, in
Guiding St. Anthony Falls. In 1926
was commenced the construction of For
Smelling, near the St. Anthony Falls
and in 1922 the first sawmill was erect
ed in Minnesota, upon the present sit,
of Minneapolis, under the supervision
of the officers of the fort, for the accom-
mediation of the garrison.
In the fall of 1923 the first steamboa
arrived at Mendoza. opposite Fort Smell
f ling. A few years subsequent to thi
, period company of Swiss formed a set
Element near the site of st. Paul, an,
: were the pioneers of agriculture in Min
} nesota.
: During the year 1882 the first mai
| arrived at Fort Smelling. Soon afte
7 this measures were taken by the govern
f ment to obtain from the Indians It'll
: to the lands on the east side of the Mis-
4 sissippi, and in anticipation of this even
0 several settlements were commenced a
e early as 1886, on the east side of tn
t river. In the year 1888 the Indian t
r tie to this section became extinct TIL
t settlement of Saltwater was commence
e in the year 1S43 and sawmill was bui
# at that place.
Up to this time the section known ;
b Minnesota had been under several su,
a cessive territorial organizations, havir
IS no separate form of government. b
It Congress passed bill on the 4th
d March, l049, organizing the territory
vt Minnesota, and fixing its western boun
d airy at the Missouri river. At this tin
is Minnesota was mostly large wilde
l. ness. inhabited only by wild beasts al
D. wilder men. 1t was the hunting grour
l. of the half-breed and the resort of Fl
rs traders and government officials.
n Paul and Saltwater were small villag
le and other settlements were hamlets.-
re The whole population of the state
to this time was almost four thousand.
D. the opening of navigation in the spril
came the first great wave of emigratio
Sc and on the lst of June the governme
We proclaimed the territory duly organize
st On the Sd of September the first leg
10 lative assembly met in Minnesota. TIL
r. in rapid succession transpired the ever
y. which gave Minnesota an independe
n existence. Daily could be seen the e.
in igrant wagons winding over the prairie
ne carrying settlers to their chosen hom
to Boats were continually arriving wi
n people from all parts of the East a
m the countries of Northern Europe.
no the year 1S4l the country west Of
of Mississippi was opened to emigrants