The anti-monopolist., 1876-06-29
dent home for himself and his family.

tnu la1Se plcJureS OF THIS portion OF the
state. 1t has fine soil and plenty of it,
with an opportunity of getting its rail-
road lands at prices lower, in many in.
stances, than the price of government
lands. an opportunity which hundreds of
people, | suppose I might now say,
thousands, have availed themselves of;
but. at present, it is treeless country
weere the wind has full sweep and
settlers must expect to have the extreme
rigor of our severe winters.
Without any doubt, there will be in a
short time, Incredibly short to those
unacquaiEted with the quick growth of
trees set out on prairie land) plenty
of healthy groves to check the rude,
| boisterous winds and temper the heat OF
summer and the rigor Of winter; but
| from Swede Grove in Meeker Co., to
the Red river, the country is now as |
have set it down and in saying this / but
fulfill the duty Of faithful chronicler
without subtracting from the real and
solid advantages which that portion Of
the state | am writing about, has
While we are, | regret to say, getting
bad reports about the crops in other
parts OF the state the crops in Swift and
Stevens counties are giving a most lux
uriant promise, Judge Robert Deakin,
who has opened ailarge tarmnear Morris,
told me that on the 18th of this month
(June) he saw growing on Geo. L. Beck
cr's farm the finest crop of sod wheat he
ever saw in any country, the first crop
and actually lodging on the 18th OF June.
set back to the fine yield of wheat now
promised in this portion Of the state
West of the Big Woods, large as the
immigration is this year it will be three
times as large next year, for there is a
wide scope OF territory, yet to be occu-
pied, extending to the Dakota line. Four
miles west OF DcIraff,S. s. Murdock, OF
st. Paul Harvester works, has nine break
| ing plows at work, so that there is fair
prospect OF his being Il good customer
for his own goods next fail; u rare in
stance where it is profitable for man tc
be his own customer, | met Mr. Muir
| dock on board the train and he told me
that he was already repaid by his new
Il, J.l.
spirits his visits to the prairie gave tc
him, in the cheerful rest his new occupa.
ton gave to his mind. That is the best
OF agriculture. The land smiles up q,
one and ones heart photographs the
smile There is no smile in dry goods
4 CT hardware.
found Benson, the county seat 0
Swift county, rs Captain T. NJ. Thornton
expressedit it, .'overilowing with prospcri
ty." He also informed me that the i'm
migration to that portion OF the count,
lying west OF Benson, known as the Han
cock Ridge, was very large; that tht
settlers were all more than pleased witt
their locations. and that the people o
Benson gave the ANTI-MoNopoLIsr ful
credit tor directing attention to this tn
finest part OF the county.
Since last Fall, Benson has increase,
about sixty per cent. in population; ,h
county about fifty per cent TwentT
five new buildings have gone up ,hi
spring. Captain Thornton has built
fine farm machine warehouse and oliic
close to his elevator \ new hotel, ma
king the fourth in the town. is also 90
ing up. \ halt and 4 court house is t
be built this summer
When | was in Benson last February
it appeared to me to bc the best supple
, town on the road with machinery. bu
since then three new firms have been ad
ded 10 the four old ones. namely. Rob
ins. Rice Il Co.. OF Willmar: Rhodes l
NcCarger. OF Willmar; and Campbell
White 4 Co., OF Li,chtield, and both th
old companies. and the new arrivals
found themselves, this spring. run out c
plows more than once.
| met VIM. Campbell. OF the firm {
Campbell 4 White. at Benson. overflow
ing with good nature and high spirits. te
he had more work to DO than any thre
ordinary men would wish 10 unaertak,
He is keeping up . fire OF business a
along the read. Ny countrvman $
Boyle Roach. Of happy laundering men
ory. said. that no person could be
two places at the same time, barring 4
tcdS bird; :" but if tha. difficult feat
ever performed. think VIM. Campbe
: is the coming man
The following figures taken from II,
books cf the gentleman who kindly fl,
: nished them will give al idea OF III