Little Falls weekly transcript. (Little Falls, Morrison Co., Minn.) 1894-19??, 1898-05-17
PIONEERS.
Speech of N. Richardson at the
Association in St. Paul
Last Week.

banquet held ut the Merchants hotel
In st. Paul, by the Minnesota Terri
torial Pioneers association. was
Northern Minnesota In General
and Morrison County In Particular. -
To this N. Richardson. Of Little Fails
was called upon to respond, and
spoke as follows:
MIR. PRESIDENT AND PIONEERS OF
MINNESOTA:
Not being professional speaker l
am at a loss to understand why l
should be called upon by our com
rnittee to speak upon this important
toast. l, however, always make n
practice OF talking when called upon.
1 always feel at home among the Ola
pioneers, and know you Will not
censure me even though my speech
may not grade No. l hard. Acting
on the advice of Horace Greedy, to
Young men to go west l arrived in
st. Paul early in November, 1854
Finding no employment here l went
to st. Anthony, hired out to h l um-
Der firm, went up to lumber camp
on Rogus brook, a tributary OF Rum
river, both of which are significant
names. l had some money lett be-
yond paying my fare to Minnesota,
which invested in buying up time
bills against the firm was working
for, and on my return to st. Anthony
In the spring I learned that had
been working for q bogus concern as
we'll as on Bogus brook. l., how
ever, succeeded In getting $500 out
OF my investment In time checks and
winters work. With this sum, by
taking Foot & Walkers short line
to Little Falls, jnow the county seat
Of Morrison county, l arrived there
in May, 1855, where have since re-
sided.
At that time l found that the
population consisted principally Of
wolves and Indians, and the CHIEF
commodity in trade consisted OF
very bad whiskey. The man who
did not freely use this as beverage,
and did not have a squaw for a wife
or hali-breed children was oustracised
by the early pioneers In northern
Minnesota. The history OF northern
Minnesota, so far al known. dates
back to its occupancy by the Dakota
Indians, who were, about one hun
dred years ago. driven out of north
ern Minnesota by the Chippewa
Indians, who came in from Northern
Wisconsin and the Lake Superior
region, and a continuous warfare
was kept up between the two tribes
until after the Sioux massacre In
this state took place IN 1862, when
the Sioux were driven away and
settled west Of the Missouri river,
while the Chippewas removed and
are permanently settled upon reser-
yations in Northern Minnesota.
From the time Minnesota became a
Territory in 1919. until she became
state, northern Minnesota had but
few white settlers, as shown by the
census but a large population as
shown by election returns. Develop
ment v as for many years slow, but
In recent years it has been
She originally pos
sessed all the pine timber IN the state
and still has a large amount left.
She embraces portion oi the un-
sailed sea OF North America at the
head OF which stands the Zenith city
Of our state, destined to be the Pekin
Of America. Besides Duluth many
Dung and beautiful cities are being
built up all over northern Minnesota,
while it is gridironed with railroads.
A ship canal connecting the Father
of Waters with the Great lakes OF
North America is contemplated. We
have an abundance of timber land
the best OF soil. The water shed OF
this continent is In northern Mime
sofa. OF the ten thousand lakes in
being more than In oil
the other states combined, well
stocked with the finny tribe. the
greater number are In the north half
Of the state. These lakes add great
" to the health and pleasure OF those
who are 80 fortunate az to secure q
home among them. Our iron mines.
though just becoming developed, are
the marvel OF the world. We have
the choicest granite and rock for
purposes in unlimited
quantity. and believe every citizen
Of the state feels that a great in
Justice will be done, II every stone In
tho new capitol does not come from
Minnesota quarrles. Our gold mines
are yet in their infancy SO we Gun
only hope that q Klondike is in