The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1875-11-25

sists of 1900 acres, of which about 25O
acres are meadow Of the finest quality:
the remainder being arabic land. black.
rich and level. This year the wheat
crop averaged "a bushels to the acre.
the oats 50 bushels, and the barley 35
bushels. There is fine residence on
the farm, with farm house tor the en-
ployes; ple: barns, sheds, BLACKSMITH shop,
After spending very pleasant even.
ing with Mr.. Swanson, who is thorough
scholar, a graduate of the famous Upsal
university, and an old settler in Mime
sofa, we started the next day to view
the land" Mr.. Swainson's oyerseer.
Mr.. John johnson, a Swede, son our old
FREUD Ole johnson OF Litchfield, drove
the team.
we found the country vast prairie
with groves OF timber in the distance,
and dotted with meadows and beautiful
lakes The soil is as black as ink and
as rich as Egypt. The grass in the
'swales" grew about three feet high.
The only objection to be found is that
which exists in all prairie countries.-
the lack OF timber. But this want is
rapidly being supplied. The govern
ment IS now giving away l6O acres to
any settler who will plant 40 acres to
timber; ten acres each year for four
years. Many ''timber-claimsn are taken
in this way. The railroad company un-
der the supervision of Mr.. Hodges has
already done noble work by planting
out millions of trees along their line and
in parks. The trees will be furnished
to settlers at cost to- wit: for from one
to three dollars per thousand. Ia few
years this whole section will be lined
with groves OF trees which will break
the force OF the winds and modify the
climate. We print in another column a
very interesting letter from Mr.. Hodges
upon this all important subject Of tree
planting.
On our return to St. Paul we secured
from the railroad company, for ourself
relatives and friends, about g, 900 acre9
Of the choicest lands tributary to Morris
and Douglas, the latter being an cmbrvo
village on The railroad ten miles north
Of Morris. We propose to open up q
large farm there in the spring; while
number OF those for whom we are acting
| will do the same. In the meantime the
demand for government and railroad
land is increasing with great rapidly.
We are informed that Mr.. Sticknev. Of
the Taylor Falls Railroad company. is
making age entries in that section.
Our friends Thomas G.. Hodgson and
Mr.. Sherman, of Castle Rock, in Dako-
IA county, have secured claims and will
open farms. In all probability before
July next not an acre of these rich
and fertile lands OF Stevens county will
be LETT in the hands Of the railroad
company or the government. A year
ago Hon. Robert Deakin, Of Red Wing.
opened up large farm close to Morris,
and he has been followed by q number
OF the best farmers of. Goodhue county.
who have secured railroad lands and
"broken" them. Next spring there
Will be, we understand, quite hegira
from Goodhue county to Stevens county.
Even while we were up there the other
day we found several men walking over
the prairies on foot, selecting claims.
The government land, Of which there
is large quantity open to settlement. in
the county, can be had under the pre-
emption act for % so il close to the
railroad. or it can bc taken under the
homestead act, free, l6O acres by an ex-
soldier. or so acres by one who did not
serve in the war, A tree-planting claim
OF 16O acres can be taken, SO that q
large sized farm can be obtained for
almost nothing. The railroad company
has adopted very liberal policy. Il
will sell a section of land for six dollars
per acre on four years time without in
tcrest so that the purchaser can take
three crops from the land before paving
one cent; the only condition being that
the purchaser shall at once proceed to
place as much Of the land in cultivation
as is fit to plow. We may add that the
affairs of the st. F. & r. Railroad Com
pany. under the supervision Of Gcnl.
Becker. seem to be very wisely and lib
orally managed. There are no "inside-
rings, or "draw- backs and the railroad
company is willing to carry wheat for
the farmer or speculator on equal terms
will eu. discrimination. Any farmer
can build his own warehouse on the line
Of the road and ship his wheat himself.
4 We publish elsewhere an article from
the Litchfeld News-Ledger. In 1868
we drove over the land where Litchfield
now stands; It was farm. A crop was
raised on the same land in 1869. sfx
years ago; now Litchfeld is large and
flourishing town, with mills, elevators.
churches, schools, stores, shops, and one
Of the best newspapers in the state. The
growth Of Wilmar and Benson has been
equally surprising.
i Ifany Of our readers contemplate mi
grafton to Stevens county and desire in
formation or assistance 10 securing lands
] We shall be glad 10 serve them.
i We propose to still further extend the
circulation Of the Anti Monopolist IN the
frontier counties. and to uss IL infu-
once to devslops still further TIE pros
perity Of tbat unsettled western part of
h 'tats.