The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1907-08-02

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and unreasonable possibilities. Its flu
ture greatness is assured. There is ne
guesswork wrapped around its devel
opment. There is no drawback attached
| to its industrial growth and expansion
and above all it has the makings of the
| finest dairy country in the United
States, if not in the world. 1t is des-
tined to become the great agricultural
Isection of the northwest. Those who have
never visited that vast domain which
| lies north, northeast and northwest OF
the twin cities have no appreciation OF
the immense amount of wealth that
must come from the bowels of the
earth. the timber, and the soil, the pro-
ductiveness of which is a surprise to
those who have investigated crop con-
ditions. There is room in that north
country for thousands upon thousands
of people, and the day is not far distant
when immigration will move swiftly
i'm that direction and the land will be
made to blossom as the rose. There
are riches in store for those who do set
tie up and develop northern Minnesota.
Trip to the North Country.
n
especially that section adjacent to
Grand Rapids and the Hill Lake dis
trict, will convince any good Judge of
conditions that the country is worthy
of all the good things said of it. Far
be it from me to eXa9gerate and to
paint picture that is unreal. At the
present time much of the country is in
a primitive state, but | venture the
prediction that not many years hence
the traveller will find it clothed in all
the beauty which comes from mans eff
forts. However, the reader must not in
fer that that country is now unkempt
and sloven.! On the contrary, Nature
has fitted it out in that garb of grand
eur which is sure to appeal to those
who possess an eye for the picturesque.
The scenery is magnificent and varied
it is a monotony destroyer. There is no
barren waste to tire the eye, but all is
a continuous oasis and pleasing in the
extreme.
Development of Few Years.
In the fall of 1891 | visited Grand
Rapids. The town was then in its in
fancy and had just been connected up
with the world by the Duluth & Winni-
peg railroad, and was its northern ter
minus. In those days mixed train
made one trip day over the road and
the officials thought they were giving
the people along the line pretty good
| think they were, all
things considered But times and con-
ditions have changed. The road has been
purchased by the Great Northern, eN-
tended northwest and shakes hands with
the main line at Grand Forks, and trav-
elers to the Pacific coast can make the
trip nicely enjoying all the comforts of
a palatial home. Several daily trains
are now run between Duluth and Grand
Forks and they are all nicely equipped
with parlor cars, buffet cars, sleepers
and day coaches of the best construc-
ton. Travel is heavy. In fact the
road has all it can do to accommodate
the passenger traffic. This is but an
Indication of the development of the
since 1891. From a mixed train
to parlor cars-an excellent barometer
of country's progress.
Town on the Frontier
Grand Rapids is a town on the from
tier, but it doesn't look the part. Nicely
located. with substantial business hous-
es, hotel-the Pokegama-th would
size: two large and handsome school
houses, fine court house and jail
near by, besides other buildings of a
semi-public character. The town is
growing. 1t is the same lively place of
1891, but not so uncouth. The people
move about as if they had business af-
fairs on their mind and were bent on
attending to them. Everybody seems
to have something to do and are anX-
ious to do it. Grand Rapids boasts of one
of the largest and most thoroughly equip
ped newspaper print mills in the coun-
try, and look i'm upon the institu-
tion will convince anyone that the boast
is well founded. There are several
other industries which furnish employ
ment for many men. The town is the
headquarters for lumbermen and log
gers and these men spend great deal
of money with the merchants. Two
lakes furnish fine fishing and the Poke
CANA lake. large body of water, is
but four miles distant and the wagon
road to it is fit for an automobile ride.
Visit to the Experiment Farm.
While at Grand Rapids | had the
pleasure of meeting and forming the ac-
quaintance of A. w. Lownsberry of the
land firm of Lownsberry & Simmons, Ce-
dar Rapids. Iowa. accepted his invitation
to visit the states experimental farm,
situated few miles east of Grand Rapids,
and in charge of Superintendent A. J.
pleasant gentleman and one
who has an abiding faith in northern
Minnesota. He is wrapped up in his
labors to the extent of refusing promo
ton to higher station and an in
crease in salary. He has held his pres
ent position about four years and the
farm is in a prime condition, showing
the results of his splendid management.
The farm consists of $50 acres, $50
of which are under cultivation. While
Mr.. Mcclure is a dairyman extraordin-
airy, he is also an all round farmer and
is convinced that northeastern Mime
sofa has bright future.
i Products of the Farm.
Mr. Mcclure referred to the products
of the dairy herd on the experimental
farm. The value of butter, at % cents
per pound, $6s.sl; pounds of butter per
COW, 49, cost of feed per cow, $3l.O3;
net profit per COW, S3S.7S.
l.. Il