The Worthington advance., 1879-06-05
EHESE PAULA SlOIzxclTYle RAILROAD
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Tie st. Paul Pioneer Press in Z re-
cent article q the rush ~ railroad
lands in ldinnssota, says elFthe> lands
along tho st. Paul and Sioux City
road: 81 ~ ~ + ,...
The st. Paul Il Sioux city road has.
opened up probably the largest area of
fertile prairie in tho Northwest, for
while it il conceded that the lands in
WatOnwan, Cottonwoo jackson, No.
bles and Rock counties is the richest in
the world, it Is also 4 fact that there 10
scarcely any land in all that vast sec-
ti0n that is not susceptible of tillage.
The st. Paul & Sioux City road possess.
es many Thousands Of acres of this mag.
nificent territory, where both Swheat
and corn reach their highest perfection.
The demand for farms in this golden
belt has become 30 great that the rail-
road company has not only enlarged its
land Office capacity, but has also estab.
lislled agencies in the leading cities,
where information can he secured by
the hundreds and thousands of persons
in the eastern and middle States who
are looking to the West for homes for
themselves and their children. The re-
porter found Mr.. j. H. Drake, the land
commissioner of the st. Paul & Sioux
City road, at work in his Office, sur
rounded by q corps of clerks and
draughtsmen, bnt that gentleman ceas-
ed his labor long enough to reply to 4
few interrogatOries. He said that the
amount Of land under cultivation along
the line Of his road was this year more
than double that of the year 1877; that
25 per cent more prairie would be brok-
en- this year than the last or any previ-
Gus year, and that the development Of
the country would continue to increase
until the whole country tributary to
the Sioux City system of roads should
blossom as the rose. Mr.. Drake said
that heretofore the Sioux City company
had made no special efforts to induce
immigration; and instead of employing
agents to secure settlements, the road
had largely depended upon the excep-
tional merits Of its lands to attract at
tention of purchasers. But the estab-
lishment of agencies and the extensive
correspondence that had been going on
of late were now producing their effect,
and the tide is setting in with rush.
" course there are no exact data upon
which to base calculation as to the
number OF people who have this spring
taken farms along the Sioux City road,
because the immigrants come largely
from adjacent States, and instead of
travelling by rail, as they do when seek
ing homes farther north, large numbers
I'M hu 0WnS f,s,S~>n
wagons, horses, cattle and household
goods; but the business in the land COM
missioner's Office of the Sioux City road
has assumsd proportions which clearly
enough indicate the enormous demand
TOR TIE lands OF that company; the nat
ural inference following that the gov
ernment sections are nearly all occu.
pied. AS to the character Of the immi.
grafton which is pouring into South
western Minnesota. Mr.. Drake says
that it is composed largely of the mid
die classes of the eastern States and of
England, while considerable quantities
are Being taken by capitalists for the
benefit OF tenants, who are furnished
with means at low rates Of interest to
improve their farms. Information from
correspondents in England and OH the
continent satisfies the officers of the
road that their lands will all be occu-
pied within the next two or three years
by an excellent class Of foreigners, un-
less they are sooner taken up by people
from the fever and ague districts of the
Illinois and Kansas tier of States, or
from the overcrowded population of the
Atlantic States.
We have frequently referred, during
the past few years, to the fact admitted
above, viz: that ''heretofore the Sioux
City company had made no special ef-
forts to induce immigration. It has
been one of our causes of complaint,
not only against the railroad company,
but against the State government. We
are glad to learn that the Company is
waking up and that it does not propose
hereafter to depend altogether upon
natural advantages" to secure settlers.
The next step for the company to take
is to make the terms on which its lands
are sold more liberal and not wait until
all the rest of the State is settled and
until the development of the country
brings the price Of lands up to the
schedule fixed by the Company.
SCHOOL VISITS OF COUNTY SUPERIN:
TENDENE
May 6, 1S79.-To-day visited school
in district No. 81, Miss Mary Bloom,
teacher.
Miss Bloom is doing a good work
here. She is in favor with her pupils
and is more and more proving her adap.
tatiOn to the school room.
There are 2l enrolled in this school,
| nearly all the same size-a flock of lit.
tie ones, and l c0uEted II pairs of black
eyes, and can't 60 back on the black
eyes. The order Of school is good and
plan of teaching excellent.
Writing is attended to every day and
the copy books show success.
l find here q promising little class oi
Abecedriaus, now commencing to spell
in two and three letters. THIS class
consists of Nettie Parshall, Annie
Brown, Dora Austin, Joseph Wright
and John Casper. Also James Brow,
and Thomas Austin in the first reader
These are all marching onward and vii
take the third reader on double quick
b+fure the term ends.
Richard Brown is doing we'll in ar
ithmetic. but can solve problems better
than recite rules.
In the second arithmetic class ar.
Annie Wright. May Walling, Hermor
Austin and james Parslall. This clas.
is in subt traction and u review of tn,
ruuiments and laying a good founda
ton for thorough mathematicians. II