Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1884-02-29
MORRISON COlJN 1Y. ].

y - = - - = - Z. -
A Good Place to Settle in-TAe
Reason Why tt rs Not Moro
Thicakly settled. Il.
The following letter article furnished
by An old settler for publication contains
some valuable information 70 emigrants
and Others. :@}-r'* ..''= =
Morrison, county is situated nearly In
the geographical center of the young
and partially developed State Of Mime
sofa. 1t covers an area that would equal
80 full townships or LISP square miles
and is divided into two nearly equal
parts by the father ofwaters, the Mis-.
sissippi river, witch runs through it
from north to south, and which has
many tributaries running into it from
nearly all parts of the county. It orig.
inally contained about seven townships
Of prairie land, ten of pine land and IF.
teen Of mixed timber and brush lands.
The pine,timber is probably two.thirds
cut; Of the balance of the timber (mostly
white oak and sugar maple) but small
part has been cut Most of the streams
are fringed with meadow bottom lands,
nearly all of which produce excellent
grass, which supplies the settlers with
abundance Of first class hay The county
contains *hirteen saw mills, some very
large ones, and four grist mills. The
principal business done is numbering and
raising stock and spring wheat. The
population is now estimated at $4,000,
An average Of about ten persons or one
good sized family to the sectioa-a very
small average for so central a position
which contains all of the neee essary snd
primary elements of wealth, which may
be equaled, but not surpassed, by any
locality in the United States While we
possess all the advantages of an old act
tied community, being already we'll snp-
Piled with mills and schools, railroads
and wagon roads, yet we have large tracts
OF as productive lands as this or any
other State affords, unoccupied, some Of
| which can he had under the homestead
law. and most is for sale at from the
government price of $1.25 per acre up
to perhaps $95 per acre for improved
farms, Nearly all these unoccupied
lands can be baught on long time if the
purchaser settles on and improves them
A large amount Of very fine farming
and pasture land, well located, is for
sale cheap, and on easy termu of pay
ment. The population has about dou-
bled within the past four years. The
different nationalities comprising the
present population are proportiened
about as follows: German, 1000; Po.
landers, 1900; French, 2,0o0; Scandina.
vian, 1000; American, 1900: all Others
1000. Each nationality are generally
settled together, SO that new comers can
settle among people of their own ma.
tionality if they so desire. The follow.
ing list shows the name and population
of each village in the county: Little
Falls, 1900; Motley, 500; Rich Prairie,
150; Rovalton, 200; Swanville, 100;
Gravelville, 100; Belle Prairie, so; Two
Rivers, 50; Elm Dale, 50. Each Of these
towns contains stores and other append
ages 10 greater or less degree such as
are required to accommodate the sur.
rounding settlers.
All who are acquainted with the facts
with regard to this section of country
Fare surprised to see long trains Of cars
loaded with ernigrants passing through
it nearly every day of the year, to settle
ON the vast prairie to the northwest,
where very little tirhber Is to be found
and no pure water, where the blizzards
in the winter make 1t dangerous to be
away from hohae, and the cyclones in
summer destroy crops and buildings
Now. the reason of all this spparen,
foolish and Inconsistent action on the
part of the emigrants is that this coun.
try is not properly advertised. All the
settlers who come in arc here by acct.
dent; they. were strolling about looking
for good place to make a horae, where
they could get timber, prairie and nea
dow land, and Morrison county just
suited them so they settled down. Many
are now rich who came here poor. The
railroad companies that have still q
considerable amount Of land id this par,
,,t the country are especially interested
to gel the emigrants to travel away ouI
to the ends of their liacs Of read; they
n,uch rather carry a man 1000 milue
! than 100. and carry supplies that dis
tahce than less. So they praise UP the
far off.alkalis desert. and say nothing
about the country near by, be IT ever sc
COED. Every thing is nicely i5usted tt
i that end. The emigrant trains are start
ed ont frsm st. Paul in the evening. ant
i when the day dawns the train has carried
1 The druwsY @emigrant far out upon tllt
vast prairie of the Red river valley. The
train steps to way station and twent,
minutes is announced as the time q
lowed for breakfast. The emigran
rouses himself up, saunters out from th'
| packe, car where he, can get breathe o
fresh air and I break fast, il he has no
brought lunch with him. On looking
to- see the sort of country beis In, hl
sees il every direction a vast plain cover
| ed with A white blanket Of snow In wintel
and a green carpet Of grass in summer
Ewifh no hill. tres or shrub il View. 81
4 1t first imagines that lie has reached III,
l Elysium fields OF .pafad ise. Forthwith
i he hunts a land shark. pays 40 enof.nou