The Arkansaw traveler., 1889-04-13
JACKSON, MINNESOTA.

than Jackson, charming little cIty Of lOoO people. beautifully located in a loop on tho Des Moines river, almost surrounded by the heavily timbered bluffs which afford great protection from the wind and cold. 1t is on the southern MInnesotA division of the Chicago, Milwaukee X St Paul railway. 2l5 miles west of Lacrosse. l5l miles southwest of St. Paul and Minneapolis, and 70 miles south of Man. kato. in the midst Of one Of the most beautiful and productive farm districts in southern Minnesota. The country surrounding it is generally smooth. and rolling prairie inter. spersed with ine bodies of water as clear as crystal and abounding with many varieties of Ash. These lakes are the home and nesting place of many species of water fowl and the sportmans resort.
 Jackson county lies within the great blue grass belt and stock growing region of the state, whose products are largely sold and shipped from Jackson. The export trade of this bright little town for lssSs was nearly 5oo car loads of hay. grain and live stock. aggre. gating in value about slaO.OOO The export trade in hay and stock is unusually large, and the trade in general merchandise. lumber and farm machinery Is large for A town of this class. The total volume of business for lsss will exceed a million dollars. The trade of this town is handled by about thirty men and firms, among the foremost of which arc John K Brown and George R. Moore. hankcrs, whose loan, discount, deposit and exchange business for tho year foots up the handsome sum of sl. .s,S3 10.
 !. W. Cowing and Paul H. Berge take the lead in the mercantile business and each has \ large trade. They occupy large. commodi ous brick stores that would do credit to more pretentious towns. r. W. Lindsley and Clark D. Eddy handled most of the hay, live stock and farm machinery during the year. while Cargill Bros. and tho Farmers Elevator com. pany shipped most of the grain marketed here. These are the most prominent bu siness houses and firms, whose high standing in bust ness circles Is a fair index to the general sol vency and thrift of the community. Chief among other salient features of this pretty town Is the .Iackson Republic. bright and enterprising weekly journal. we'll patroniGed and whose columns speak volumes for the bus mess prosperity of the city. It IS edited by Abner F.. Allen. Four churches, nourishing Masonic and X. O. U. W. lodges. a strong post of the Grand Army; a large campof Sons of Veterans are here organized; all refined and social orders. and best Of all. the Jackson high school. embracing a beautiful new building
 
 a seating capacity of upward of IOO. and al mirAbly managed by corps of competent teachers. under the supervision of Prof. W w. Greasy.
 Jackson has & model houring mill of sOO bar. rels capacity. a tow mill that manu factures flax straw into upholstering material and has one of the best water powers in tho world. such as in the future mus. he ntillzed ny cap. itsl and thus make Jackson great man ufac turing point; and. unless I mistake the indi. cations, it Is to become a railway center of no mean magnitude. Four lines of railroad now traverse the county and another Is soon to be built in Jackson, extending from the coal fields on the south to the lumber supplies of the north. Coal has recently been discov cred in the Des Molnes valley. eight miles south of Jackson. and the indications aI that the same vein extends all along the river bed and across the entire county. Prospectors are now mak. ing preparations to sink & shaft at this point With all these natural resources why may we not predict for Jackson a great and brilliant future9 She has a city government on the broad gauge plan, with public library and reading rooms, which are fitting monuments to the taste, culture and pub blic spirit of her leading citizens. She IS fortunate. too, in the possession of rarely productive and attract i've tributary country. glorifed by the almost perennial green of the finest meadows and blue grass pastures nestling between the lakes that are scattered promiscuously over this fair land-a region where lands are cheaper than free homesteads on the border, where living is cheaper than anywhere east of the Mississippi, where normal health, a con. genial climate and bounteous production give the spirit of happy content, and the smile of Providence and plenty Is upon every body and all Flaw wAafarn fnwns haua aa rnnnA a.