The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1873-06-14
From Minnesota.

, WoRTHrNGToN, MINI, June Z, 1913.
MEssRs. EDITORS: wish TO say something
about Minnesota, and especially Of this por-
ton of the state.
| need not dwell long upon the state in gen
eral believe with those best capable OF
Judging that it is destined TO become the
leading western state, since as an agricultural
state it equals Illinois or Kansas, as INN
bering state it excels Michigan, as manu-
featuring state it is destined to rival all New
England, and in commercial position it has
no equal in the west. -Four OF the great con-
tinental transportation routes come TO focus
in Minnesota, and railroad is now projected
which will give us a terminus of the Union
Pacific, thus giving US a fifth. ST. Paul is
destined to be a second Chicago, for it is the
centre or rather the distributing point for a
region large enough to make twenty states
the size of Pennsylvania
The climate of Minnesota is proverbially
free from the consumption scoarge Of the
east and the ague scourge of the west. The
state abounds, Us has often been said, in ro-
bus. men who came here sick, and IN rich
men who came here poor, because it has the
|climate of the mountains and the soil of the
river bottoms. The winters are cold, but we
Ihave our winters in the winter time. The
great snowstOrm of last winter destroyed the
lives of "a number of persons who were
caught on the open prairie and could not find
shelter, but our storm in the middle Of January
was not as violent nor as destructive rs the
snow-storm which visited Kansas in the mid
die Of AprA Besides, we do not have in Min
nesota those terrific tornadoes which dcvas-
tate portions of Southern Iowa, Kansas and
the states along that line of latitude More
over as Illinois people know, these severe
snow storms abate as development advances
The grea. snow storm of 1896 killed double
as many people in Illinois as were killed by
the snowstorm in this state last winter
But now as to this particular section of
country. Southwestern Minnesota, North.
western Iowa and Southeastern Dakotah form
together one of the finest prairie regions in
the west There is some timber along the
streams and about the lakes, but the charac.
ter of the country is beautifully rolling prai-
! RE, with Il soil of rich, black, sandy loan
from two to four feet deep. This is called
the cream and garden of the prairies. in the
heart of this beautiful region, in MOBILES
county, Minnesota, and Osceola county Iowa,
the National Colony is locating The Colo
my comprises fifteen and onc-half townships,
twelve OF which are in Mobiles county The
Colony is managed by DR.. A. p. Miller, of
Toledo, and Prof r. F. Humiston, formerly
of Cleveland, Ohio. They canvassed the
west thoroughly in search of location, and
r selected this before any other which offered.
because of its rich soil, nearness TO market
and freedom from consumption and apuc
The enterprise was set on foot in the fall of
. 1871, and in the spring Of 1872 a thousand
T colonists were on their way 10 possess the
beautiful lands. 4 steady influx has gone on
until all the government lands within ra.
dious OF twelve miles OF Wor,hington have
been taken and Il considerable quantity of
railroad lands have been sold and are being
brought under cultivation. Tens of thou.
D sands Of trees have been planted this spring
and from ten TO twelve thousand acres of
. wheat have been sown.
" The Sioux City Il ST Paul Railroad keep,
US in daily communication with both cities
Under the management of its president, Hon
q f. +. Drake, and It's general manager Gen
j. W. Bishop, this road has taken rank IL,
g one of the leading trunk lines Of the west
/, Although the country along its line is just
settled, it already carries into st Paul NOR,
i produce than any other road When the ex
n tensions now projected are completed this
Is road will afford almost an airline from The
d Union Pacific 10 Lake Superior, and 4
through route 10 New York, nearly 200 miles
y fshorter than the present route by way Of Chi
: csgo, which must become favoriie route
= with transconiinental shippers and passen.
y gers Several branches are projected, one of
/; which Is 20 extend from Worthington Ia
s Sioux Falls westward, and it is expected that
he Southern Minnesota will DE extended 10