The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1877-05-03

DILLON O'BRIEN. Editor.
EDITORIAL CORRESPONDENCE.

THURSDAY. MAY 3. 1871.
EDITORIAL CORRESPONDENCE.
In my last letter I promised that IN
my next should speak of Morris ana
Stevens county.
AS one travels along the Main Line of
the st. Paul & Pacific r. r. toward
Breckenridge. the first town met with,
in Stevens county, is Hancock, and from
this to Donnelly, formerly Douglass
distance of seventeen miles. and for some
miles bevond, there is one OF the finest
tracts OF prairie country to be met with
in the State. On every side the land rises
in gentle undulations, the soil is rich
loom with clay subsoil, and l have
heard it said that it would be difficult to
find poor section OF land for miles on
either side of the track. | believe that
most of the land ar,und Hancock Is al
ready taken up, but beth government
land and railroad can still be had, in the
section OF country | am now writing
about.
After another year, in case the grass
hoppcrs disappear, think it will be diff
ficult to find vacant sections between
Hancock and Donnelly. and l would
strongly advise those ofour own farmers
who are anxious to procure more lana
either for themselves or their children
to pay a visit to this part OF the State be-
fore doing SO.
Most of those who have within the last
two years or so opened farms in Stevens
county are Minnesotians, and nothing but
the grasshopper pest, prevented rush
of Minnesota farmers there this spring
And very right is it that men should be
cautious in investing in land or incresss
ing their farming operations until this
grasshopper question is settled 'favora-
bly. as trust it will be tor the State.
The farm of the Hon Geo. L. Becker.
to whom is chiefly due thtsettlement OF
Stevens county-for Mr.. Becker did not
say 90. but comedies about two miles
and a half from Morris; on the 18th OF
April he had 800 acres seeded and by this
time. suppose he has nearly. it not al
together, one thousand acres under cul>
tivation. A. Cogel broke in the neigh
borhood of Morris, 600 acres last year.
has put up six houses, he intends to
rent his tillage land in farms OF one or
two hundred acres and go into stock
raising himself. j. Mccarthy has be-
tween two and three hundred acres seed
cd on his farm. West of the village OF
Morris, r. w. Wilmington has seeded a
whole section. Hon. Robert Deakin.
two miles north of the village about
three hundred acres. Hines q Wilcox,
three miles from the village, six huns
dred acres, and south OF the village
within an area of six miles there is quite
a gathering Of Minnesotas practical
farmers, men who hold the pillow anc
know what to do and how to do it.
Among them is MIR. Michael Johntsor
of Dakota county. Mr.. JOHNSON ha
seeded about one hundred and fifty acres
OF his new farm this season. Messrs
Casey, Maloney, Brennan and Melon
ough, Leonard from one hundred to tive
hundred each.
This would do for start, | shOul(
think, around Morris while Hon. l. Don
nelly and his crowd, up at Donnel,
Station, have put in large breadth Q
country under crop and brag tnat within
few years 1.-THE seat Of Empire" vii
be Donnelly.
However / think Morris in the futur
will hold its own with any town west Z
Minneapolis. 1t has country aroun
it which cannot he surpassed for agri
culture, and it has good business mer
who believing in the location pitche
their tents here ut an early day. some
them ahead of the railroad. The success
OF those intelligent, brave pioneers, VIII
go ahead OF others, and, as it were, staE
out civilization is source of great gra
ification to me and always teel pc
sonal anxiety for their prosperity.
Hon. j. ID. Good, one of the Garlic
settlers at Morris, is an active busino
man and good fellow likewise;
keeps large lumber yard and has ju
completed q building 22x60 for far
machinery.
Among the business men are VOL
Weiss & Stone, general merchandise
Larson & Nelson do, Chas Wilson do
Tobin dry goods. Tell druggist. Drag
hardware.
About fifteen new buildings went \
last year, and some four or Ave
stores were opened. Messrs. Girls
& Todd have establisheda law firq
and are doing good business
Griswold is treasurer Of the Con
Mr.. Todd formally of Carver q