The Northern Pacific farmer. [volume] (Wadena, Minn.) 1878-1885, 1882-03-16

preston which our town and the nat
ural advantages surrounding it, made
upon one Of the gentleman represent
ing that valuable paper.
WADENA. MINNESOTA.
A Splendid Sia.wing tor a Young
TOwn..Largc EusiNess..Enterprt
Ing Tradosmczl, and Il Rapid
Growth.
Special Correspondents of tho Rural New Yorker.
| No town of its size upon tho North
ern Pacific Railroad impressed u
moro favorably than Wadena. Wade.
IA county, Of which this little town
is the county seat, is beautifully To-
Gated within the great timber region
Of the Mississippi and its tributaries.
It is really the s'divide" between the
pine region which lies to the north
and east, and ths hardwood timber
| belt to the south, both being very
easily accessible. Its principal pop"
ulatioa is from Now York, New Eng
land, and the Western and Middle
States. The County Agricultural So
ciety has held two worry crsditable
annual exhibitions. Being away from
the main body of the timber to some
extent, partially open spots are not
an unusual thing. Often these fertile
acres are covered with growth of
young trees, but they are not at all
difficult to clear and subjugate to the
plow. 1t is we'll known fact that
such land, when once cleared and Gull
tivatsd, is much more productive than
prairie land in general.
There is one point of special sig.
niGcancc, viz, the near proximity Of
The hardwood forests, and it suggests
the feasibility Of establishing wagon
and carriage factories, furniture fac
tories, wood paper mills or pulp mills;
in fact, any of the numerous manu-
featuring industries dependent upon
the nesrness and chsapness of hard
wood timber, and here the refuse
would furnish all the fuel for power
and the steam for bent-work at NOM
inal cost.
| Wedena county has no bonded in
debtodness, and has floating debt Of
only $4,000. The aggregate taxation
is Is mills, exclusive of school taxes.
The assessed value of real estate in
the county is 1914, 20l; personal prop
erty, $247, SIT. on basis of one-third
actual valuation. Many ho1nesteads
and railroad lands not taxed add to
real estate values $54,5l4.
The city of Wa0ena (you know
western towns assume the title Of
cities early, has now population OF
500 or over, though in June, 1880,
there were only 80 inhabitants. One
of the most important elements of
growth is the excellent railway facil-
tiles. The Northern Pacific Railway
! furnishes means Of transportation
either south via St. Paul; east, via
! Duluth and the great lakes; southwest,
via Wadena Brancl, of the Northern
| Pacific sy*tem; west to the mining
| regions of Montana. The advantages
| of cheap lake transportation for iron
OF grain are too we'll known to require
| more than mere mention in this ar
| ticle. but the nearness of Lake Supe-
! ror on the east would be an important
| factor in manufacturing interests.
There is a good Methodist church,
| and a Congregationalist church will
be built this year. We learn of Epis-
copal and German Methodist organi-
cations also. The public school has
| furnished 81 teachers to surrounding
localities within the last three years,
md this. fact alone is sufficient enco-
MUM upon its efficiency. There are
lodges Of a. 0. u. w.; X. of P, and
[. Q. O. F.; a we'll supported good
public hall (Peake's), with stage 36
by so, and dressing rooms, is seated
with chairs, and conveniently located.
The handsome local paper, THE
NORTHERN PACIFIC FARMER, is a
credit to town and county. There
Are two banks here, viz, the Bank of
Wadena and the City Bank, with al
aggregate business of 1927. 81l.S6, in
1881, exclusive of the deposits.
The commercial business of the city
for the past year exceeded 1000.
The permanent improvements for the
same time have reached $4,000.
among which are a church, a school
house. 3 plow shop, and a Jail. Prop
erty has appreciated IS per cent.
Business lots are now selling at $3.50
to 81, 900; residence lots, $50 to $3.50.
The. wheat crop Of this county Is not
as large as that of many others, but
is fully up to the average yield. and
is being augmented each year. The
wheat marketed in Wadena, from the
crop of 1881 to Dec. 81, is 10000
bushels.
| Wadena has good roller Touring
mill, Il planning mill, and a plow fac
tory in process of erection. Thus the
nucleus for 4 development in manu-
featuring interests already exists.
The abundance and large yield of po.
tatoes suggest this locality for a
; starch factory. W0 ale told that
I, brick yard is needed; also mer.
chant tailor, a livery stable, and {:
good hotel. The site of Wadaua is
, quite attractive, lying, as it does, Oh
the edge Of the forests, partially sur