St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-03-29
Especial Reports from the GLOBE Mankato office
March 2S.

Southeastern minnesota Home association.
HERON LAKE, Minnesota, March 28.-
The garden of Minnesota, and most
promising section in all its wide expanse OF
territory and varied soil and climate is en-
braced within those six southwestern coun-
ties of Rock, Mobiles, Jackson, Cottonwood,
Murray and Pipestone, which have recently
associated themselves together by means Of
the above organization for the purpose OF
internal improvement and to secure the
more rapid settlement and development Oh
their region.
As indicated by the title, this section occu-
pies the extreme southwestern portion OF Inc
state, and is in extent thirteen and one-halI
town ships east and west, by eight north and
south. less two townships in the northeast
corner which belong to Brown comfy. The
tract contains about 3,816 square miles, or
about 2, 442, 24O acres, and is every inch of
it arabic land, with the exception of that
space occupied by the lovely little lakes
which dot its surface.
vast portion of this territory has, until
recently, been in dispute, having been grant
ed by act of congress to the st. Paul and
Sioux City railroad, but, under supposed
conflicting grant to the Southern Minnesota
Railway Extension company, a contest has
been on hand and has virtually tied up one
half of this great region from sale, and, con-
sequently, from settlement and improve
ment The recent settlement Of this claim
in favor of the st. Paul 81 Sioux City com
pany now offers the opportunity for the set
tlement and development of this most desir-
able section, and hence the formation OF this
society or convention, which is composed OF
delegates or members from each of the coun-
ties included within its scope.
Without going into any sort of an extend
ed argument to show why the more fertile
lands of southwestern Minnesota, where all
kinds of small grain, Indian corn, clover
and other crops can always be raised and
where stock, hog and wool growing and the
profitable operation of the dairy can be car
ried on, are more preferable for general
farming operations than that more northern
section where the only reliance of the farmer
is upon wheat, it is enough to say that when
public attention is once turned this way
there will be an immigration such as no
portion Of the west has ever seen.
The live progressive men who form the &C
tive population of these counties have for
some time past been agitating the formation
of some sort of immigration society which
terminated in a meeting last January and
the final organization soon after, with duly
elected officers.
The following gentlemen were present to-
day:
Murray County-B. W. Woolslencroft,
Neil Currie, A. Simpson, A. Terry, H. G.
Grass, S. O. Morse, Col. T. O'Leary, L. c..
Herr, Slayton Gazette; Rev. NJ. Mahoney,
representing the .Sweetman Colonization So
ciety, of Currie.
Mobiles county-Peter Thompson.
Cottonwood county-Paul Secger, Geo.
Iselin, Julius Sumers, D. E. Gum, E. c.
Huntington.
jackson countv-Rev. W. Wilkinson, E.
J. Graves, E. D. Griggs.
Pipestone county-A. H. Merwin, r. W.
Sloan and wife, E. G. Phillips, stenographer
representing Clare Bros.
Waterman county-Joseph Farmers.
The association met at the school house at
this place and were called to order at two
p. m.
The routine of reading of minutes of pre-
vious meeting and reports of committees
followed. When the committee on advertis-
ing was reached Col. Joseph Flanders of
Madelia, Watonwan county, was introduced
to present plan to meet the requirements
of the situation which was full of good points
and was loudly applauded.
The secretary then read the following table
of reduced rates from Chicago to points
named, which was furnished to him by W.
o. Thrall, general ticket agent of the Chi
oauO 81 Northwestern railroad.