The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1890-04-10
HIGH SCHOOL PAPERS.
Redwood County.

Grafton delivered by Wilbur T.
Chollar before the High school March
2sth, 1890.
AS some Of US we're born here and most of
us have lived large share OF our lives here,
it is only natural that this name should be
more familiar and interesting to us than that
of any other county in the state.
Redwood county is situated In Southwestern
Minnesota and has the following boundaries:
On the north Yellow Medicine and Renville
counties, on the east Renville and Brown, on
the south Murray and Cottonwood, and Lyon
county on the west. The county seat is Red
wood Falls. The county was organized in 1895
and ut that time contained four times as much
territory as 1t does now. The first sci Element
was made in the county in 1854. before that
the only inhabitants were the Indians, in fact
Redwood county was the centre Of the Sioux
massacre in the early part of the CO.'S The
first county officers were elected In 1885. In
the same year the first store was opened in
Redwood Falls and the town grew gradually
from that time. The surface Of the county is
undulating prairie land except In the vicinity
of the Redwood river, where it is broken up
by bluffs which are we'll wooded. The soil Is
as rich If not richer than that of any other
county in the state. and consists of black
sandy loan, averaging about two feet in
depth with a clay subsoil.
The climate Of Redwood county, 1t is true,
has some disadvantages, but it is steadily be-
coming more and more agreeable. During
the last few winters there has been none of
the cold weather which formerly character
lied the climate. The summers also are more
equablc, fewer storms and less intense heat.
In fact radical change is going on and if we
only live long enough we may see Redwood
county in the banana belt of the United
States.
The natural products of the county are
mostly cereals. which are unsurpassed by any
| IN the worll. Indee d, Southern Minnesota is
| the farmers paradise. Although many peo-
pie, attracted by the rosy descriptions of land
agents, b, come dissatisfied aud migrate to
Oregon or some other place, the world does
| not swing around In its orbit many times be-
fore the majority of them are back again, full
ly impressed with the fact that there is no
place like home" The climate of Oregon and
other western and coast states is bad. The
summers are long and dry and disease is
prevalent. The people composed of Chinese,
.,
populated eastern states do not make good
neighbors. The necessaries of life are expen-
sivc if not wholly wanting, and, take it all in
all, it is not Minnesota.
The live stock of Redwood county Is Of ex-
ceptionally good quality and will compare ia
vorably with any in the world. The county
has a splendid class Of people. Americans are
the predominating class, and the remainder
| is about equally divided among the Scotch,
Scandinavians and Germans, with sprink-
ling of other nationalities, all sober and indus
trious, and for the most part in comfor! able
| circumstances. The result OF this is that the
county poor farm is destitute of psupers a
large part CT the year Redwood county is
the banner county of the state Tor natural
advantages. Owing to the large number of
streams it has an excellent drainage system.
The scenery along these streams is simply
grand. Visitors are entranced, and the state
geologist goes into raDture> over the magnii-
cent bluffs and canyons Of the Redwood river.
In the Redwood and Minnesota river valleys
fine granite is abundant. In this vicinity
there are several fine beds of clay suit able
for brick, and which are to some extent de-
| vel ,ped. There have also been discovered in
this part of the county several out groupings
of coal, which article makes excellent fuel.
The Redwood river, which flows through the
county from south to north, has in this vicin-
ity sufficient fall to furnish power for al the
mills, which could be built upon its banks
In addition to the natural advantages Red
woad C, unity has good railroads giving the
people easy communication with all parts Of