Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-04-01

some Interesting Data Relative to Land (
Sales and the Tide OF Immigration Now l
Flowing Along the Line Of the n. r. r.
R.-Brief Sketch of the Road from Its
Inception TO the Present Time, With . !
Few Suggestions as to the Policy of
Land Grants to Railroads in General.
Noticing the immense crowds daily con-
tregating in the Office of the Northern Pa
cifc land department. in this city, a repre-
sentative of the GLOBE was induced to make ]
inquiry of the cause thereof with the view
of laying before its many readers, q brief
account of the business of the department.,
and also an idea of the amount of immigra-
ton now finding its way to the fertile prai-
ries along the line of the road.
Entering the Office, the GLOBE man met
with and was most courteously received by
the gentlemanly chief of the land depart
ment-Mr. j: B. Power, and on stating his
mission, was assured of his readiness to give
all information in his possession After brief
investigation it was ascertained that during
the months of January and February last
passed, the company's land sales amounted
hardly afford fair idea of the immense
amount of business transacted in this line,
as there is generally very little being done
in the winter months in comparison with the
spring and summer. For the present
month March, the books have not been
written up, but the sales, it is safe to say, |
will fully equal those of the past months.
But the most encouraging feature. said Mr..
Power, of all this business, and that which |
promises SO much for the future interest of
the road is the number of persons making
purchases of lands, and thereby becoming
interested in the welfare and prosperity of
that section of the country and of the road.
But few sales are made in large tracts, the
greater portion of the sales being in lots of
$40 acres and less, and as rule, to parties
who will at once settle upon and improve
their purchases.
IMMIGRATION.
The immigration to these lands is already
| assuming the appearance of rush, and a
big one at that, and early as it yet is in the
season, over thousand people have passed
through the st. Paul Office for different
points on the line, besides the numbers go
ing direct from all parts of the country that
do not call at the st. Paul Office Most of
the people now going on to the line of this
road are newcomers, coming thus early SO
as to secure their lands before, as they say,
''the rush commences and they all report
where we come that will be
here as soon as the spring fairly
opens and we want to get in before the
crowd comes.
The indications also point unmistakably
to the fact that in a short time, there will
be on the way hundreds of families, coming
to occupy the lands that were secured last
season, and at the proper time of year, q
traveller along the line will see thousands of
acres of the rich Minnesota and Dakota
prairies being broken up and prepared for
cultivation.
SALES OF GOVERNMENT LANDS.
In addition to the number of acres sold by
the railroad company during the past year,
the sale of government lands under the
homestead and presumption laws has been
equally as large and indicates even more
plainly than the sale of railroad lands,
/ the rapid settlement of the country.
From the records of the Fargo United States
land Office, we find that during the year 1877
, there were 1,O65 new claims taken, covering
2O3,915 acres in that district alone. This is
one only of five land Offices those of Du-
luth, St. Cloud, Detroit, Fergus Falls and
. lands pertaining to the road are situated.
CHARACTER OF THE IMMIGRANTS.
The immigrants to these lands are princi.
pally people from Michigan, Wisconsin
northern Ohio, northern Illinois, Iowa and
southern Minnesota, once pioneers in these
) States, and having made good farms there
are selling out at prices ranging from
: $25 to 500 per acre and are
now coming to this country
: with capital, experience, families of grown
up sons and daughters, and securing farms
t of sufficient area to make their own "family
colony" at from $3.50 to $500 per acre
e AS might be expected, such class of immi
r grants will soon be in better condition thar
i was possible, even in the best of the ole
. homes they have left behind.
THE RESULT OF JUD1cIous MANAGEMENT.
: This influx of settlement and the conse
y quent great absorption of lands along tn
> line of the Northern Pacific road is the re
suit, as the GLOBE representative believes
). in the main, of the liberal and judiciou
: management of the land department o
= the company. Through its admirabl
: management, the richness of the lands hav
II become we l-known all over the Unite,
g States and IN Europe, and this of course, i
the prime attractive feature for immigrants
But this inducement is supplemented in Civ
!, ing all settlers reduced rates of fare 70
!" themselves and families, as we'll as half rate
of freight on their household goods, farm
d ing implements and live stock.
a THE POLICY OF LAND GRANTS TO RAILROADS.
n The remarkable and now acknowledge,
success of this company in developing AM
settling up the country along the line of it
a road is suggestive of some thoughts in con
Is nection with the question now before th
people of the whole country, relative to tn
/ making of land grants to railroad companies
Il This road, the n. p. r. R., was first com
3. menced In 1871, at which time the popula
ton along its present entire line, was blu
some $500, with scarcely an acre under cul
tivation. To-day there is cultivated are
d of some 17O,O 900 acres, and a population o
h not less than $4,000. Other results may b,
le traced in q surplus wheat crop of last yea
- of over one million of bushels, and in tn
y fact that along its line, towns and village
have sprung up with their stores, mills, man
n. ufactories, schools, churches and every othe
N advantage found in older and well know
civilized communities.
This advancement, strange and remark
able as it is, during six years of the most de
d pressing period the country has known TO
d years, is the direct result of making acces
~ sible, by the building of a railroad, a ricl
. agricultural country that for years had re
,. NAMED in the possession only of the vaga
i, bond Chippewa and Sioux Indians.