The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1882-08-18
THE NORTHWEST /.
What H. G. Howard. Of Blue
Earth County,
Thinks Of ths Country and Crops in an
Around the Red RIVER Valley.
Facts That Will he Of Interest to THE
FR,sE PREss Readers.
FARGO. ID. r.. AuR. 9th

When l lat Mapkato, ! rashly prom
Iscd {" Writ you my impressions of the
country l passed through on my way to
Miles City. l begin 10 see that l can
not do Justice to- the 'impres
sions" | receive by merely writing
you. On leaving ST. Paul l did not see
anything of interest until l reached
"Sauk Centre" This town has a
"boom" just now. 1t has three rail.
roads, 1000 inhabitants, two roller -four
mills, 5000 school house and good
crops around the village. Richard Wood
81 Son have started new industry here
this summer by planting 200 acres OF
sweet corn to dry. They gave me the
following figures as their estimate of
results: One acre of sweet corn will yield
from five to eight barrels of dried corn,
weighing 100 pounds 1t sells for from
$40 to SIS per Dbl. wholesale. 9 OF. of
dried corn are equal to 2 lbs. canned
corn. The result is $50 to SIS per
acre. l think it will ply our Blue Earth
farmers to post themselves up in this
matter. The wheat fpm Sank Centre
to Alexandria looked thin. The coun-
try on line of road is tat and swampy;
small folds of poor grim and groves of
poplar brush and SHALL lakes fill up the
landscape. They eaim 90 bushels per
acre for wheat on thdline, but if it was
in Blue Earth we wod d be glad to see
it yield Is bushels.
An old Clifton Hous landlord, NJ. 7.
c. Flowers, keeps the eating house ut
Ossckis, and is doing well. Osackis
Lake Is beautiful SHEET of water and is
destined to be one of the future summer
resorts of Minnesota. l saw large
black bear tied t, tree there and asked
what they fed hin with and was in
formed everything but oyster cans. As
we came up from Osackis there was u
lake In sight neatly all the time. The
country Is full q them, but hay is
scarce, as the hig ground covered with
brush extends neatly to the water and
when it does not tie marsh is so soft
they cannot run uAo,rer on it, conse-
Nque - ''r"s Sir aof hay is gut with
~ slow to one fam
liar with cutFug = -; fifteos1ons pr
day on Blue Ea :. meadows with
moving machineid But l don't SC,
many cattle and t. refore suppose they
don't have to cut much hay.
Sunday, the 9th was very hot, tn,
thermometer at Fergus Falls standing
1000 in the shade. The crops improv,
some as we near "Fagus." This plac.
has 1000 population, splendid water
power on the Red River consisting o.
three different falls, sggregating nearly
as much power as st. Anthony Falls, a,
Minneapolis. The st. p. NJ. & NJ. and
N. p. railroads run into this place
Saloon licenses are $500, and the city
received $1,000 for fourteen licenses thi.
year which they are using in grading
the streets. There is big boom herr
and lots are held ut $4,000 on MAR
street. A half dozen policemen IN full
uniform give the place metropolitan
airs. l find many Blue Earth men here
among them Mr.. Drake. Of Lyra, and
Mr.. Kaufer & Son. of Mankato. Mr.
l.. Wallace, Of GAINESVILLE, is here super
intending the construction of the N. p
branch to Pelican Falls, and we accepted
an invitation to take dead head rid,
up there, lS miles northwest of Fergu,
Falls. Crops are light all the way up
wheat not exceeding IA bushels PEI
acre, but 1t was claimed BY the villagerl
that it was better away from the river
Our old friend Webster intends Start
ing drug store at Pelican Falls. 1t il
lively little village of 200 people, and
has good water power with roller foul
mill Of 800 Dbl. capacity. They also
have two tame black bears to entertain
travellers with Ny friend Smith il
fooling around them got nipped a it'll.
by one, aad since then he is afraid thu
cattle will bite him. 1T is good coun
try for BEARS"
! Leaving Fergus Falls, Tuesday, at
o'clock P. NJ, we reached Fargo at
P. N. For 30 miles before getting into
Fargo the country is a dead level.
Very littlsfs undH- cultivation; could
not see ons farm house for five miles
in some places. The grass was about
one foot high and the great number "t
prairie flowers made it look like a
beautiful carpet. The wheat was thin
and short. I judge about 10 bushels per
acre. Oats were light, except a few
fields; saw no corn to speak of. have
been inquring for the heavy crops we
read of AMI am always informed they
are just beyond. As ! am now in the
famous "Red River Valley" shall look
closely for them and report the facts.
!AxEsTowE, D. T., Aug. 10, 1882.
| On entering Fargo was surprised
at the rusl and hustle of business. The
sidewalks are crowded with people;
splendid stores full OF goods, street rail-
roads; electric lights-all give it q
cityfed air not seen this side of Chicago
in any other place. met many fanlil-
lar faces here, among them are 8. ].
Watkins, Tom Pugh, Esq. Mr.. and Mrs.
Brockway, all well known in Mankato.
Tho ground is full ofwater and stands
| in every h,le two feet deep. don't