St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-12-05
Aitkin.

There is perhaps very little of interest to
the general reading public transpiring here,
and yet our village forms one of the integral
parts of the state and has its own particular
features and interests Formerly, and to a
certain extent now, we were looked upon by
many as a sort of semi-barbarous people,
whose principal occupa ions lay in numbering
and selling whisky to Indians, to say nothing
of the cheap notoriety we achieved from the
smallpox scare of three years ago. 1t is
strange how far wide of the truth rumor will
sometimes run. For example. during the
winter of 1882 and 1883, while we were being
coIumiserated as ''plague-strcken village
at the mercy of the dread disease" not a sim
gle case of smallpox occurred primarily or
was imported into the village. While in
many of the lumber camps above here it pre-
vailed to considerable extent and with
marked fatality, not one case occurred here
We are quite numbering class of people,
however; that is, many OF US are engaged in
that line of business. There are lumber
camps to be found within two hours ride of
here and we have three very fine saw mills
located here, with united capacity for 1885,
QUO feet per day. But our people are not all
engaged in selling whisky to Indians either.
LAUNDERING, merchandising and agriculture
claim each their share. Located as we are,
the highest railway town upon the Missis-
sippi, with 100 miles of navigable river above
US, upon which are several large steamers,
and with this immense numbering region
above us coming here for entripot to their
scene of operations, and all of them making
Aitkin their depot of supplies, and it will be
readily seen that merchandising forms a very
important feature in our business interests.
During the latter part of the boating season
the steamer Andy Gibson took out over one
hundred and sixty tons of lumbermens sup
plies at single load. As soon as the roads
permit each fall the ''tote teams" begin their
Ekai,- 70 I,ott
vast bodypf men and teams at work in the
woods are kept well supplied with provisions
and clothing, and it is not surprising that our
merchants furnish the bulk of their
supplies But while these two interests are
yer, important in our little business world,
and while single firm here have sold in one
winter season over $4,000 worth Of goods,
agriculture is beginning to play an important
part in our business interests. " bile there
Is vast amount of poor country between
Brainerd and Northern Pacific Junction, it is
q well-kuown fact that the vicinity Of Aitkin
lies In the rich and wonderfully productive
region OF belt of country which extends from
the north shore of Lake Mile Laos up the
valley of the Mississippi, which for many
miles above here is lined with a magnificent
forest of hard wood timber. Farms are be-
ing rapidly opened up, and although not sub
dued and rendered productive at once, as are
the great prairie districts, still our grand
QdTO WOOu lduoS WuOu OuCS ClCdTOu, are per
petual in their productiveness. Stock raising
too, is fast becoming feature here, and a
most successful one, too. There never could
be O more remunerative home market than
the numbering operations furnish and the
wonderfully rich natural meadows, almost
unlimited in extent are rapidly being covered
with cattle. Material for the construction of
warm shelters for stock is to be found every
where. Cattle subsist all winter on the rich
natural grasses alone when cured and
made into hay, and come out fat
in the spring, and the pure water found
everywhere completes the natural requisites
for successful stock raising and dairying.
Our farmers do not spread out quite so fast
or so far as the prairie farmers do but what
they get they hold and their farms are not
plastered over with mortgages given to the
machine men and money sharks. Atkin vii
lage proper has a population of about 800
people, while the county has 1000, the larger
portion being located near or within a few
miles of the village. 1t would be hard to find
a neater, prettier village, with its nicely
graded streets, fine plank walks, neat private
residences, substantial business structures,
churches and school house, and more quiet
and well-governed village would also be hard
to find. Whatever degree of truth may have
attached to the claim made several years ago
that we were bad lot up here anyway, does
not find lodgment in point of fact now. 1t is
true that we have an occasional whisky
case" where some saloonkeeper will be
snatched away from home and run down to
ST. Paul on evidence created in the same
manner that Stead Of the Pail Mall Gazette
did his, but the day of Special wallace" and
the rest of those who have been running the
federal department of justice (so-
called in Minnesota is about played
out, and 'smade cases." where half
breeds and renegade Indians are furnished
with money and sail here to prepare cases for
the officers to get rich rake-of on fees, will
not be the rule hereafter. As an evidence of
the state of society which exists here, 1t is
quite in order to notice that at our late term
of court, not one single criminal case was
upon the docket. In fact, we are quite well
satisfied up here that We are about as good q
community, morally, as the average and are
not Obliged to be ashamed of anything in par
ticular
just at present we are little doubtful but
what we are going to have an open winter,
ana OF course, that Will retard and restrict
the iumoerlng operations very much. There
Will De plenty Of time after New Years,
tnougn, TO get out all the logs wanted, and
we may ger cold enough weather by that
time. We are very much in favor of an ex-
IRA session THIS winter, and think, in view of
the recent tax decision, that there would be
enough found to do to employ orr LEGISLATORS
quite profitably. The GLOBE is standard ar-
thority at Aitkin. and We feel as if we wanted
our interests represented once in while. We
have got a good country for people
who mean business to come to for aericnl-
tural purposes or for business generally. and
the GLOBE can do more for us than any other
medium by saying SO to its readers When
operations in the woods get fairly under way
will write you again. B. f. E.
Red Wing.
Atthe regular monthly meeting of A. Ed
wards WEIGH Post No. IS, G. A. R., the fol-
lowing officers were elected for the ensuing