Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1874-03-12

-AusT1N, MIMI
THURSDAY MORNING. MARCH. y. 1874.
MOWER COUNTY.
tie Natural uleco~rces, RE.
A0ot1o~s, aaa General AAvaoto-
gee, ~ . place Of 1eatlemens.
Fressbly Hon. T. II. Armstrong, Judge
e.. J. Fitch. and Lewis Patchin, arc
among the oldest white inhabitants Of
saia county, haztag settled near tho north.
exst CO rner,-we hc11cvc-in 1855. The
commissioners he,.t tsctr Arst meeting
ut rraakf"rd. April 7th, 1s56,-hcnce the
c'se:ty Las had IN organised existence Of
seventeen ycasa-
At An carly day great deal If the best
land In Minnesota, was purchased by
spectators. What arc called "soldicr
warrants" were then plenty in the mar
kct At 50 per cent Of their face value, and
being assiguablc, were taken in large
number, by capitalize, and "located.'
Probably not less than two thirds Of Now
Ct C"unty was entered by the use of these
warrants. The easire eastern portion Of
tac State was visited by similar fatality
Ass general in extent. Coating bat little,
and taxes net being excessive. compared
with the increase ofvaluation, these lant9t
have hitherto been held At prices 30 high,
- practically to prohibit their purchase
at second hand; and a. a result, settlers
went out to the frontier, 80 long a.
there was ar!; 70 take farms under the
'homcstead law" They have done this
natil the eligible situations are nearly
oil taken. Most Of tho land in the State
remote from settlement, IL now owned
either BY the railroads, or BY some one
ofthe Public Institutions Of the State, "a
Immigrants IRE compelled to seek homes
In the midst Of civilization. In view Of
this fact and to the end that the migra.
ting public may not 90 beyond us, through
want Of information, We mskc the follow.
INK observations:
DorSDARIKs.
Aathcmati cally-slowcr County 10 sit.
dated between 4s and 49,; degrees north
latitude, and es1f and ss degrees west
longitude.
On an air line, isa eastern boundary Il
just CD miles west Of the Mississippi Riv.
er. 1ts southern boundary 10 the limo be.
tween the States Of 1llnnesote and Iowa
II has An area of70e square miles.
ToroaRAraY.
The general surface IS undulating, wit],
slight declination to the south and
east; the dividing point, or shed, being
located on section IS, town 10s, north of
range 10 wcst,-the site Of the new sta-
ton on the Southern Minnesota Il: Il.
called Dexter. Its elevation above the
Mississippi river is 7ss feet, having q
greater altitude by 1S9, than the city OF
Duluth, and being the highest point In
the State east of the Minnesota river.
The soil Is largely of that class or variety
called ALLCvIAI. but on the more elevated
:scctions is found kind of arcnaceous
loan, not infrequently mixed with clay,
and has depth, varying from six inches
to six feet. 1t is wonderfully fertile, and
not sensitive to tic extremes Of seasons
the sub.soil being sufficiently PREVIOUS
to admit of proper drainage, in case Of
excessive rains; and the surface, L1oH1
enough to be heated, 30 as readily to pro.
mote evaporation, in times of prolonged
drought.
Although by no means ABUNDANT
,here is much good timber in this County
especially adjacent to the water courses
Of which We shall speak hereafter. The
northeastern part is less bountifnlly sup
piled than any other; but to this, the "Bie
Woods" Of Fillmore county are easily &C.
cessible, apd abundsntly sufficient. The
paucity Of timber in this section, Is attri
butable, In considerable dexrce,-tc
the prevail e nee Of fires. The prairie soil
possesses all the elements essential to thu
1apid:and'perfect production of forests
and in those localities that have bccr
protected: from fire, during the last few
years, young growths Of the various kin.l
are beginning t.. appear in number ant
extent snesciont u. encourage the belle
saat IN twenty geNs,. without specia
effort, we may have as extended an are.
OF timber, as can be Desired: for the mos
prodfgsl uses. Not fluffy convinced q
fhts, and wishing to provide sgaihst IN,
contingency, in this regard, many Of thu
earlier settlers planted trees quite exten
lively, and now have finc groves, several
Of them sufficiently grown to supply
IN ordinary farm witt, fuel and fencing
Arboriculture Is attracting considcra
be attention, not alone on account Of the
supply Il climber that is sought but by
reason Ollie climatic changes which result
from the growth Of forcsts,-modifying
the severity Of winters,-making high
winds less prcvalcnt,-securing a more
equal distribution Of moisture and con
ssihpting generally to the health, con
ventenee and prosperity Of the country
WATER.
The principal water course, and the
only one that trnverses the whole county
Is the Cedar River. THIS stream from it.
source in Dodge County to its confluence
With the Mississippi, ID noted not more
for the motive bower which It supnlics
than Tor its peculiar healthfulncss and
beauty. Itruns in rapid current owe,
rocky bed, and is utilized for mechani
cal purposes, at intervals of not moro thar
from two tolour miles. Ithas an abundanc.
OF hsA. is the resort of nearly all kinds o.
aquatic fovlst-is fringcd with beauti