, 1889-08-15
THE NEW NORTHWEST.
Conservative Review of the situation
From a Commercial Standpoint.

THE NEW NORTHWEST.
Conservative Review of the situation
From a Commercial Standpoint.
SPECIAL Corr cspondenee Bradstreetsl
ST. RAuL, Minn., July 2a,-The ap-
Eproaching admission OF the Dakotas,
Montana and Washington as states In
Rnow going on between the hake super
ior transportation routes and the Chi
oago lines for tretfic to the seaboaId, has
drawn public attention to the develop
mept of The Northwest which has taken
place during the last few years. For
SIX years, commancing in 1880, the inn
migration tp shat quarterwasyery large,
brought by individuals may have
been small, the aggregate sum
| was considerable, causing an
immense STIMULUS in every Ihe of
trade. In the pepiod referred 70 large
srms We're also spent by corporations in
the construction of raitroads, whAh pro,
Pduced ready demanuNfor nfaterials and
labor and eaused money 70 circulate
ffreely amongst large number of peo-
| pie connected with the works. These
causes stAl operate to some extent, but
not. so largely during the last two years
as formerly, the community being now
more dependent on its own resources
rather than on an influx of wealth from
| other parts, This has produced 2 tenn
porary reaction from the Unprecedented
activity which prevailed for several
years, but II is gratifying to learn that
the community possesses aht.nuant re-
sources to prosper without incentives
IRON any temporary cause
| In country where the large mass of
the population is Engaged ~ agriculture,
the general prosperity varies with the
abundance of the yearly crop and the
price obtained for products. Such is the
case with the Northwestern states, For
l though the lumber interests centered
1 there are very large, and the mineral re-
sources extensive, still u Is the farming
Foommunity that must be regarded as
Fsome exceptions, the olass engaged in
this line has settled on the land with the
most limited msans, and the same may
be said of those who are now seeking Tor
themselves homes on the pr9iriss. Yet
in the older-settled parts Of Minnesota, in
the southern counties and in the Red
River valley, we find that the more in
dustiious and intelligent haye attained
2 position of comparative independence.
1t is learned that many mortgages made
twelve and fifteen years ago have been
| discharged, and that the owners now
enjoy their lands free ofail ineumbrances,
having become in many instances lend
FtfS VI ttiDittl themselves anu OWDeTS Ol
| bank stocks and other Investments
| From districts where formerly loans
| could readily be effected on almost any
terms the lender might dictate, appli.
cations TO controllers of capital in large
centers are now few, local sources being
able to supply the demand for loans Sc
cured by real estate, the land thus be-
| of non residents. When it Is considered
| that sorne years ago large number of
the farming class throughout this terri
| tory suffered great loss from grasshop-
| pers, and that as rule prices have not
been uuduly intiaGed, this result is most
encouraging, and it seems only reason
able 30 look for similar developments in
! those localities which have been more
recently settled.
| Experience has taught the advisabihty
of varied agriculture in these districts.
In the early days of settlement atten-
ton was mainly directed to raising
wheat, but this is less SO than formerly,
and the farmer is becoming each year
less dependent on the result of one crop
for his Aying and the means with which
| I'd pay his storokeeper for merchandise
which he needs from the outside world.
IL has been found that corn tloarishes
as luxuriantiy iii some some districts oi
Minnesota and Dakota as in tha more
southern states, giving every facility for
raising hogs, which has been found
voyy profitable. In st. Paul and Mime
apolis have been established packing
houses which could advantageously use
larger quantities of pork than have ye,
been offered from these sections, aud
this branch of industry may be con.
siolered in it's infancy. The same may
be said Of the dairying interests. It has
been said that the farmers of Minnesota
and Dakota are becoming to like tht
l Ipursfay Df thp Eina tta,, l.
of the thresher, the former being more
profitable and less pre-
oarious source of income, not beinf
50 much dependent on the clements ane
the caPfices of nature peculiar to tn,
country. Those who have established
oreameries in the Northwest have foun(
satisfactory returns For their outlay ant
while their own investment has been re,
munerative, they have also been th,
means Of securing work for many em
ployes, and have at the same time con
terred boon on the agricultural classes
II Is as0ertainod that near the cities Ant
towns where ereameries have been es
tablishoa the number of cows kept ha,
materially increased and "a stimulus
breed been neglected, for the farmer
haye3become fully alive to the econom
zeal advantages gained by iudiciou
selection of stock, and poor blood is be
ing weeded out. Foremost among thos,
WHO have devoted themselves 10 the ag
rtoaitoral interest and who have beer
largely concerned in improving th,
grade of cattle in this district may IL
named J. J. Hill offSt. Paul, preslden
of the st. Paul, Minneapolis b Manitobt
railroad system, who by liberal ex
penditure of time and money, has don,
much to import excellent breeds and Il
disseminate them through the country
The culture Of fax, hitherto but littl,
resorted to, affords another variety or
which the husbandman may depend
The absence of factories TO utilize tn,
fibers of this product has prevented the
crop from being more general, but tn,
establishment of works for the manufac
ture of rope, Irvine, sacks and som
qualities Of linen fabrics is under con
sideration, and in the near future an ex
tensive industry in this line may be re
, gar,led as a certainty. The soil and eli
mate of Dakota and Minnesota ar
admirably adapted TO the growth of flax
N and In this direction lies a source @
wealth which invites the attention an,
, investment alike of agriculturist an,
: manufacturer.
Though primarily a. agricultural re