The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1902-11-20
rum RIVER VALLEY.
Its Transformation from a Rich Pine
Belt into Great Stock Rails
ing Section. zS

Some Heavy Purchases Made Dur
= ing the Past Summer - A
Great Future. 55.<z--.-
F.: Rum river valley, famous for it's
white pine that has furnished the lum-
Der marts millions of feet of clean,
sound timber for so many years, and
from which most Of the pine has long
since been cut, is rapidly being changed
from pine to a pastoral section. When
the lumbermen with ak and saw went
into that region years ago to divest it
of its great pine trees the lumbermen
little dreamed that within few years
the land would be- converted into a
great stock region, and that cattle
would be grazing on nourishing and fat.
producing timothy and clover where
once the pine cones bounded profusely.
No sooner had the country been de-
nuded OF it's forests than Nature began
to robe the apparently barren soil in
rich crops of grass. Then it was that
the observing ones saw that the coun-
try gave promise of becoming a rich
stock section and close on the heels of
the lumber jack came the stockman
and the farmer to enrich the land made
lonesome and desolate by the devour-
ing lumberman. The seed from the
hay from the lumber camps had taken
root in the soil and began to grow up
in great profusion. A short time ago
one of the men who has seen the golden
days of numbering in the Rum river
valley, remarked that there was more
wealth under the soil than was ever
taken out above the soil of this valley.
and developments already have proven
that his statements are more than an
idle dream.
:, From Milaca to the source of Rum
river at Mile Laos lake the whole val
ley offers great inducements to the
rancher and the farmer. Already there
have been enough practical demonsta-
uons to determine the value of Rum
river lands for stock raising and agri-
cultural purposes. The Pleasant Val
ley stock farm at Page eighteen miles
south of Mile Laos lake, and located
on Rum river, with its large stock
barns and sheds, its corn fields and
meadows, and Shorthorn cattle and
Shropshire sheep grazing on the hill
sides rich with native grasses, is
grand example of the adaptability of
this valley to stock raising purposes.
The proprietor, Mr.. Geo. F. Thompson,
a short time ago went into what was
once the heart of the great pine forest
of Rum river, and he has to-day one of
the prettiest and best stock farms in
the whole State. The location is a
beautiful one, the river winding it's
way through the farm in a picturesque
way. On sunny slope he has erected
his farm buildings, and across on the
other side of the river may be seen the
fields OF corn, while root crops and
small grain are grown very success
fully. Mention is made of this farm
because it is really right where logging
operations were the heaviest in the
whole Rum river valley and where the
largest and some Of the best timber
was cut. A visit to Page and the
Thompson farm will convince anyone
that the land is a stockman's paradise.
But the Thompson farm is not the
only farm in the valley, for scattered
here and there are many stock ranches.
A short ways beyond Page is the Rush
ranch, a large tract that is fenced in
and is being made good ranch.
Further north and located west of
Onamia is the stock farm and ranch of
W. c. Prouty, who has several hundred
head of cattle that thrive on the rich
grasses of that section.
Last summer Senator Somerville and
brother of Sleepy Eye, MIMI, bought
a tract of 1000 acres adjoining the
Thompson farm on the north, part of
the land purchased being a portion of
the Thompson farm. The Somervilles
intend to make large ranch out of
the tract which is finely situated on
the main travelled road. They have
built house and will erect many other
farm buildings next year. Senator
Somervilles brother will be manager
of the farm, which will be made one of
the best in the valley. -.
DR.. Gibson of Minneapolis has also
bought a tract of 800 acres south of the
Thompson farm and intends to convert
it into q stock farm. Mr.. Butterfeld,
formerly manager of The Thompson
farm, has invested in section of land
about five miles west Of Page and has
commenced to develop it.
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