The Press., 1883-06-07
LETTER FROM MINNESOTA.
Clearwater, Minn., April 25. 1888.

Clearwater, Minn., April 25, 1883.
 On train of nine passenger coaches, which recently went out of Sleepy Eye for Dakota, there were, by actual count, one hundred and three infants under three years of age; and, including those under ten years, there were not less than two hundred and twenty. Evidently some people out there will have chance to grow up with the country. There will be work, also, for Sabbath school missionaries, and all others interested in the moral >and re- igious training of the young. But just think of it these infants represent many families, or large families, and families are what the new territories want. Another thing infants are found in young familiesl; hence, the blood going into Dakota is largely young and vigorous. Now here are facts of the most encouraging kind for the rapidly forming new states.
 The season still continues backward, al- though it is no more so than it was 8 year ago. We have had many frosts this month and continuous chilly wind. For the wheat crop the season is good enough. That grain is up well and growing nicely. Corn planting is getting late and will not be over before into June. A good grain year is apt to be unfavorable for good corn yield.
 Destructive wind-storms have hap pened all around us, and are becoming quite the common thing. They spring up, and rush around, in the most unex- pected and lawless way and do their de- structive work with an eccentricity unac- countable. The papers are theorlzlng over them, but have not yet shown any remarkable wisdom in accounting for their appearances in so many different parts oi the country at the same time. While the theories multiply, the devastations contin- ue, and life and property are swept off the earth in breath. Here is phenomenon which it is easy enough to keep clear from it's theory. We may not be able to accept the theory of it, but can hardly deny the fact. What an opportunity there is here for homily on the importance of clearly distinguishing between theory and fact. How much scientific and religious fact if wholly lost to view, in the maze of theory, which men contrive to account for It. Theologic and scientific battles are the contentious of men who fight more fol their theories than for the facts which they are used to explain. Men become skepti cal about facts from theoriNngs to account for them.
 The cut of logs the past season in this state and Wisconsin exceeds 4,OOO, ,OOO,OO feet. This, some one has figured out would be equivalent to the clearing o1 thirty five townships of land or trees grow. ing on one thousand two hundred and fifty square miles. The most of this cut be- longs to Wisconsin, and one fourth of 1t to one district. The demand for lumber is very great and will increase from year to year, as the treeless prairies become GOV cred with settlements. Families will choose to live above ground while mortal breath is in their bodies, and will, therefore, try hard to get material for houses ; and that material will be lumber, as being more convenient than either stone or brick. Since wire has come into use for fencing, thousands of feet of lumber will be released for other purposes and, when you think of it, there is great blessing in this in- vention. A wire fence can be constructed to look well, as I can show you in walk about this village, or to some of the farms near here, and everybody knows that 1t will outlsst wood or lumber. In making barrels, invention has saved great deal of lumber for other use. We can't yet build houses out of cloth or paper, but we can use both to market our four and save, in this way, the forests for many needed pur- poses.
 Dakota has rowing capital commission which has been around and around in the territory receiving bids from the various towns that are ambitious to have the cap- ital. The commission law required min mum bonus of $1OO,OOO in money or bonds, and one hundred sixty acres of land for site. A number of towns offer ed this, some going far beyond. Thus Bismark offered, in addition to the $100,- 900, three hundred twenty acres of land which can be sold for $4O0, ,00O. The ques- hon of location will be decided ere long, and with the decision will be determined some what the question of the division of the territory into two states. That the terri tory should be thus divided there can be no question. The country at large is in- terf sted in this location of the Dakota cap- itaJ. O. P. CHAAP1M.