The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1874-12-10
REDWOOD COUNTY.
Lands, Timber, &c.
GENERAL, AHy yINTiGES

Redwood County is situated on the
South side Of the Minnesota river, 4S
miles from the Southern and ~ miles
from the Western boundaries of he
State No. 81, is the Eastern Range
and No. SO the Western Range and
No. 100, thc'Southern tier Of Town.
ships 1t inclad:s twenty-three full
Congressional Townships, and parts Of
four others. divided by the Minnesota
river, making, in al, an area about
equal to &c Townships.
i GENERAL SURFACE FEATURES.
The iacs of the county is uadu!ating
prai,;c. diversified by Lakes and streams
which add, greatly, to the beauty Of
the Country aad enhance, in an incal-
cui.5|c degree IS value.
The principle streams are, the Min
nesota river, a navigab!e stream, form
iug the northern boundary, and bore
ering OF Ave Townships. the Redwood
river running from southwest to north
east through Eve Townships and the
| Cottonwood river running through SIX
Townships in tie Southern part Of the
Couaty. There are Lakes scattered
through the entire County surround.
in: which are, almost invariable
loaad valuable hays lands.
TIMER.
Wi;hia the County there aIo from
ten to twelve thousand acres Of timber
The principle kinds are Elm, Oak,
Maple aud Eastwood. there is also, to
be found, in considerable quantities,
Cottonwood, Ash; Hickory, blackberry
Walnut, &c,
1t is estimated that there is, now
standing, sufficient timber to meet the
wants o: the County for twenty years,
This; in connection with the we'll dem.
ons.ratcd fac: that timber can be grown
in ten years large enough for fuel and
fencing, and that almost every faruer
has from one to tea acres growing.
should set at rest in regard to Red
wood County, the fears, so often enter
tained with reference to prairie coua.
tries. that the supply of timber will
either become exhausted, or SO scarce
as to be ruinously high priced. At
the present time good seasoned wood
can be purchased at from $500 to
$3.50 per cord. The latter being the
price Of dry hard Maple cord wood de-
livcred in Redwood Falls.
SoIL.
Tie soil is unsurpassed in fertility
aad durability, being dark rich loan
iutermixed with sand, aud is from Que
TO three feet in depth, with clay SUBJ
soil.
There is not, probably, another por-
tion Of territory to be found in the
country, Of like extent, Of which it
might as t.uthfully be said There is
not foot Of Waste land in it,
It is a fact, invariably noted by
strangers, that the entire surface is ill.,
able, save only the Streams and Lakes,
which are Of much greater value than
the same extent Of p!ow land.
The soil is adapted to general farm.
ing All the cereals and every kind Of
vegetables grow pro!iEcalIy.
TuE TENURE OF THE LANDS
The Winona & St. Peter Railroad
runs through the Southern tier Of
Towns. In that section Of the County
one half the lands balong to the Il. Il
company, the remainder were open to
settlers under the Homestead and Pre-
Emption laws and large proportion
Of them are occupied, but there are
yet number of valuable claims vacant
In the central part Of the County
a small amount Of State swamp lands
ard portion Of the Internal Improve
mcut lands arc located, the remainder
open to Homestead Settlers and cor
siderable portion taken. The northern
part Of the county is portion of the
Sioux Indian Reservation. This Res
ervation comprises strip Of territory,
averaging ten miles in width, on the
south side Of the Minnesota river, be-
ginning few miles east of the boun-
Diary line Of r ,dwood Couaty aud cx-
tending west to the State line. These
lands we're not open to settlement un.
der the Homestead and Pre- -Emption
laws, but were sold for cash. At
present about 100000 acres, in this !
County, are oYned by non.residents,
and a large proportion Of them are
for sale There are cultivated farms
on all parts Of the Reservation
and occupied by more than ordinari.
Iy intelligent class of farmers, sener.
ally American. The only exception,
as to nationality, being Swede settle.
ment (and one Of the best in the Coun
ty) in the northwestern part.
These lands, and the adjoining lands
on the South are, for general agricul-
tural purposes, the choice lands Of the
State.
ESPECIAL OPPORTUNITIES TO PER.
SONS WISHING CHEAP FARMS.
There is no other portion Of the
west where the same quality Of lands
with the same advantages Of surround.
ings, can be purchased as cheaply as ir
Redwood County. Productive soil, |
easily cultivated, convenient to timber
and market, organized School Districts;
in fact, almost all the Social and bust.
ness advantages Of settled and we'll
organized farming community.
1t Is we'll known fact, that the soil
IN this pcrtion Of Minnesota, under in
ferior cultivation and the ordinary ap.
plances Of farming, yields more boun.
tiful crops Of grain than the Eastern
or Middle States produce under the
most careful and laborious treatment
and the most approved method Of
farming, while tho crops Of vegetables
equal those Of the most highly cultivat.