Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-02-05
WEST FROM .LITCHFIELD.
WHAT A "G1oBEy REpoRrER FOUND.
The Main Line of the st. Paul & Pacific
How it Has Developed the Countrywide
Towns Beyond Litchfe1d--Condition of
the People--Prospects for Good Crop
Next Year--Seed Grain Needed.

ON THE MAIN LINE, ST. p. g. P. r. r., Feb.
with this place Q4itchfeld you leave all
evidences of timber, and are fairly launched
upon the wide spreading prairies of this sec
ton of the State. One hundred and forty
miles of railroad have been built, and are
now being operated by the enterprising st.
Paul & Pacific r. r. company, between
Litchfeld and Breckenridge, through coun-
try that, without it, would be simply unin-
habitable, but with it, having fertile and
prolific soil, to-day supports very consider
able population, and, freed from the locust
plague, will become very desirable resort
for those in search of homes.
BRECKENRIDGE.
Breckenridge, the present terminus of the
ST. Paul & Pacific main line, distant PIT
miles from the sanity city, is found at the
junction of the Bots De Sioux and Otter Tail
rivers, which here unite to form the Red
River Of the North AS a metropolis, Brock
inridge has not as yet assumed
very colossal proportions. In fact,
those who may entertain metropolitan ideas
concerning this dumping off place. will
find themselves disappointed in all save its
hotels, which latter redeeming feature al
ways leaves green spot in the memory of
the tourist which even the choice fare of st.
Paul's first class hostelries cannot obliterate.
The Red River valley, which extends some
thirty miles east of here is said to be rather
too level and wet for fine farming lands,
having clay sub-soil too hard to admit alb
sorption and not fall enough for drainage.
On the Dakota side, however, the surface is
more rolling, admitting of drainage and as
natural consequence it catches the lions
share of the settlers, for, aside from it's soil
being better adapted to agricultural pur-
poses, there are some things about the social
system of Dakota quite attractive, such as
the statute for instance, which allows one
person to hold two or more county offices at
the same time, and the fact that the Dako-
tians are privileged to enjoy the luxury of a
Legislature at the expense of their Uncle
S22"'s' THE CONNECTING LINE.
During the past season the St. Paul and
Pacific have built a connecting link between
Breckenridge and Glyndon on the N. P. r. R.,
striking the ST. Paul and Pacific branch line at
that point, giving them continuous line via
Breckenridge of some four hundred miles
from st. Paul to Fishers Landing, at the
head of navigation on the Red River, and
some seventy miles distant from Pembina.
It is understood that they will connect, the
ensuing season, from Fishers Landing to
Pembina with the Canadian road now under
process of construction, still further down
the Red River to Fort Garry and beyond.
Thus the heavy and constantly increasing
trade of Manitoba seems likely to be secured
by this enterprising line and to the city of St.
Paul. Their connections also with the N.
P. r. r. by the main line at Glyndon and
/ by the branch line at Sank Rapids
and Brainerd gives this Company also
the two shortest routes to Bismarck and the
Black Hills.
| AN EVENING SCENE.
AS we approached Breckenridge in the
evening from St. Paul, the Red River valley
exhibited the novel spectacle of grand
prairie fire in the dead of winter. Its APP
pearance was truly grand. Not an immense
sheet of flame borne along on the wind at
race-horse speed, but continuous line OF
Fsmall tongues of flame for miles in extent
along the horizons bar which flashed and
paled at intervals, giving the scene the ap-
pearance of a vast torchlight procession, OF
the innumerable street lamps of some I'M
mense city as seen from rising ground in the
distance. There is singular feature about
the view on these imitless prairies where
earth meets sky in continuous, unbroken
line around the entire circle of vision, as de-
ceptive in reality as the mirage at sea. 1t is
as if the spot where one stands was depres-
sion, while the circle which bounds ones
vision is apparently much higher. This most
singular phenomena impressed us most for
chilly although prepared for it by the expert
ence of others.
The first town of importance east Of
Breckenridge Gf we except Donnelly, which
is as yet less healthy infant than its illus.
trious founder and namesake) is Morris
This thriving place is situated SO miles east
of B., and 1853 miles west of st. Paul. is the
county seat of Stearns county; boasts lively
local newspaper, and when there is crop
does an immense trade.
Twenty-Five miles east of Morris you ar,
set down at Benson, county seat of Swif
county. This country, like Benson, has {
country both north and south of it som
forty miles in extent, which is directly tribu
tary thereto. In 1875 $4,000 bushels o
, wheat were purchased here. This is the gen
, eral place Of departure for Lac qui Parle
, Fairpoint and numerous other place
, on the Minnesota river, from thirt
to forty miles distant. Benson ha
the Times and 1dUoc0te, tw
spicy newspapers, a keen set of bushes
men, alive to the Importance of their town il
business point of view, and who hav
evinced tenacity of purpose in holding OF
in the teeth of misfortune, worthy of imita
ton, and which justly entities them to tn
reward of a prosperous business as soon as
, crop is raised.
f the county seat of Kandiyohi County, thirt
l miles east of Benson, and one hundred an
four miles from St. Paul, deserves more tina
passing notice. In 1875 this point bough
482 900 bushels of wheat, for which abor
half million of dollars were paid.
In spite of hard times they have yet
record the first instance of mercantile fai
;. ure, and of all the numerous business house
here not one of them is reported to be th
. least particle. shaky. Drawing the
trade like Morris and Benson from wild
extent of country, they have SO far ha
enough steady cash trade to keep their papt
), good, and have at last outridden the gat
But few days since, some three or four {
her business men were able to raise $25,O0
at st. Paul and Minneapolis, with which
purchase seed grain, and as soon as Gro
# can be raised, business will take q tn
, mendous impetus. A fourishing newspap,
= is to be found here which, like all their oil