St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-12-23
SECRETARY KALAMAZOO
Gives Toast to Minnesota and
Great St Paul

OEcdl 81. uuI.
Minnesota is one of the most beauti-
full states in the Union. Located almost
central in the North American conti-
nent, and nearly equi-distant between
the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, with a
mean elevation above ocean level of
1000 feet.
The state contains an area of "a, 2S7
square miles. The extreme length is
406 miles, and the greatest width 356
miles, having So, 94S,6S0 acres, including
upward of 700 lakes, varying from 80
yards to 30 miles in diameter. Prof.
Maury, of Washington, says: "There
is in this state greater number of these
lovely sheets of laughing water than in
all the country besides. They give va
riety and beauty to the landscape; they
soften the air, and lend all their thou
sand charms and attractions to make
this goodly land lovely place of resi-
dence. Minnesota is far from the sea,
but it is a better watered country than
either Kansas or Nebraska, i'll
deed, it may he considered the
best watered state in the Union"
One third of the entire state is covered
with timber. The big Woods" of Min
nesota are forty miles wide and 100
miles long with almost every variety of
deciduous timber, oak, ash, lime, wal
nut and maple the most abundant. The
lakes and rivers are supplied by springs
or pure living water, plentifully stocked
with fish and fowl. Connecting the 700
lakes are rivers with innumerable tribu-
taries, spreading out over every section
of the state and bringing almost to the
door of every farmer the priceless boon
Of litrirn 70 Cfnnly nd frr
power for mills and manufactures.
The state abOunds in abundance of
luxurious grasses (the natural blue joint
is often three to five feet high, which
are sweet and nutritious and eagerly
eaten by sheep, horses and cattle.
Timothy and clover are successfully
cultivated. Two million nine hundred
and ninety-siX thousand eight hundred
and fifty-fOur acres of land Throughout
the state was set aside for the support
of schools, which is being sold and the
money used for school purposes.
Five hundred thousand acres were
given for internal improvements, more
than half of which has been sold.
No state in the Union offers better and
cheaper land to the farmer, besides the
many natural advantages.
Some of the natural advantages of
Minnesota are iron, copper, slate, gran
lite, limestone, clay, salt springs, pine
and hardwood lumber, game, fish. wild
rice, blue Joint grass, healthful climate,
beautiful natural parks.
In 1868 Horace Greeley visited the
state and wrote about Minnesota: Her
soil warm, fertile and rolling enough to
secure proper drainage, grass ample,
wheat and oats better than [ had ever
before known; in lumber greatly
favored: vegetables surpassed only in
California. Her butter, cheese and
honey would Justify any prise. Every
one seemed to have work and to make a
business of doing it, Many had gone
to her for health, and most of them
found it,"
Cities are what the country tributary
make them. st. Paul is the great COM
mercial and financial center for the
wealthy and beautiful state of Mime
sofa and much of the vast territory to
the westward, with its wealth of agri-
cultural, pastural and mining districts.
which is being rapidly opened by the
influence of the great trunk lines of
railroads, with their many branches;
by the industrious farmers; by the i'm
mense stock ranches of sheep, cattle |
and horses: and by the wealthy corpora |
lions who are daily developing the vast |
riches of the mining districts: all of |
which are directly tributary to st. Paul, |
the natural source for their supplies. |
The admission of the great territories
of Dakota, Montana and Wyoming into |
statehood will add largely to the Won
derful flow of emigration from the older |
states to the new wonderland, all of |
which will cause the city of st. Paul to |
continue to grow and prosper.