River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1879-03-13
Fran the st. Paul Daily Globe
SETTLING THE STATE.
~ that IL Being Bone Along the Southern
minnesota Railway.

NAhhcsota RAILWAY
The present year promises to be hYeiy
season in Southern Minnesota, and especially
aa1ng the line of the Southern Minnesota rail-
way. The last season the road was extended
from Winuebago City to Jackson, forty six
miles, though the company was only required
by the land grant act to build but seventeen
miles. 1t has until 1881 to build to the west
ern line OF the State, but it is proposed TO
build the entire distance, eighty-tye miles,
during the present year-the ties are already
purchased and surveys made. When the
rs,ad reaches the western boundary OF the
State in PiDestone county, there
w1ll have been opened in two brief
81 asOns $50 miles more of our beautiful prairie
| 10 settlement and advanced civilization, and
portion of our State unsurpassed Tor fertility
! aid resources. Not only the distance In our
o.gn State is destined for grand wheat field
and stock range, but as the road penetrates
| Dakota il strikes one OF the finest sections in
| all our bOundless West. The road will be
promptly rushed through 10 Big Sioux river
In Moody county, Dakota, which county al
ready contains population of nearly 1000
people. One reason for the increased settle
ment of eastern Dakota, is he fact that near
" every quarter section has a settler upon II
and no odd sections are taken by railroad com
snies.
THE SOUTHERN MINNESOTA POLICY.
The Southern Minnesota Extension com
pany acquires large tracts Of land as 1t pro
F. tsreses, and the manner 1t has opened them to
settlement is worthy example Tor other land
grant companies. 1t puts }ettlers upon the land
/ sud contracts TO allow 81 so for breaking and
/ 81 cents an acre for the first crop, and c0nse
| cuently no money is required down. We are
| Informed that the sixty miles of the st, Paul
| x Soux City land grant, which this road passes
! through, is being held by the Sioux City Co.,
/ IL from seven TO ten dollars for wild prairie.
! This certainly is the wrong policy to pursue,
| and one that tends to make the country almost
/ d desolate waste. This company owns nearly
! III the odd sections in the north half OF Martin
county and much more in Jackson, Mobiles
and other counties. 1t can but be regarded as
( uuWiSe po,icV 20 keep these splendid lands
| from settlement by high prices. Homestead
trs have settled around the lands and are pay
/ ing the taxes and improving the roads, and
/ building the bridges and school houses and
/ supporting local and State governments,
while the railroad IS holding these broad
acres for high prices. We trust this policy
Z will not be adhered TO.
] 1HE JEsSrP, JAMES AND ROOSEVELT LANDS,
being a special trust Of the Southern Mime
sofa Railway company, and consisting OF
about 100000 acres in Faribault Martin, j ack-
son, Murray, Rock, PipeStone, Cottonwood.
/ LYON, Redwood aud Blue Earth counties, are
about to be offered on the same terms as our
State aud school lands are sold. These lands
have been so thoroughly and carefully exam
/ ned that parties desiring TO purchase can as
certain of the general agent. j. Z. Easton,
LahtSDuEO, MINI, OF Oh iuctti agents uctI ChG
/ lands the exact character OF the different
sections or quarter sections. To make them
the more generally and publicly brought TO
the notice Of immigrants and settlers, and
feeling deep interest in settling our prairies
we understand that Hon. o. P. Whitcomb,
State land commissioner, has consented
to sell these lands after offering
and selling the State lands, if parties
are DESTROYS of purchasing. 1t is intended to,
at least on some plan, to have two public
sales during the year, and in the meantime
they can be purchased on the same terms at
private sale at any time. The policy Is to get
the lands into the hands of actual settlers
aud under cultivation.
All these plans seem so liberal and as a
consaq uence are likely to be the means Of
bringing to our State a large immigration,
That we deem it our duty TO give this extended
rotice Of what our friends III the Southern
part Of the State are doing and can but com
mend the course adopted by the Southern
Minnesota railway to other land grant COM
panies holding larger tracts for high prices.
1t certainly does seem to be the wrong policy
to exact high prices for laud. Settlers raisin z
( wheat and cattle to transport may prove
more profitable than the extra price received
1 by holding the lands.