Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1911-11-29
IHE RED LAKE COUNTRY
AND THE NEBlSH TRACT
The Editor Of the WiIhnar Tribune Continues
His Narrative Of 4 Recent Trip TO
Northern Minnesota.

ginestwo small and one large one
for handling logging trains. The gen
eral manager is John Molander. The
president Of the road is Hon. C. A.
Smith Of Minneapolis. There IS a
scattering Of houses in sight, includ-
ing three stores, the hotel, a school
house, and a few residences. Pat
Cassin said that Redby cast 80 votes
in the last election. We enter one
store, and from the half breed in
charge purchase rubber covering for
our feet, for the ground is wet from
the snow. We read the Government
notices posted warning people to
deal with the Indians at their own
risk, as no orders signed by Red
man will be honored by the Govern
ment. Had this sensible rule been in
force fifty years ago it is likely that
the bloodshed and trouble perpe-
trated by the Sioux down in our
country might have been averted.
The smoke issuing from the round
house" and the snorting Of the little
engine warn us that it is about time
to go to the station to get aboard the
Continental Red Lake Express, get
ting ready for its daily trip forth
and back over the backbone (east
and west) Of North America
The trip thru the first five miles,
while inside the reservation, gives
one a good idea Of the pine woods
before they we're attacked by the
lumbermen. Here stand the lofty
Norway and white pine in majestic
clusters Of beauty. lnterspersed are
cedar swamps. Occasionally one
gets a view of the side Of long swell
or hillside for a half mile or more
covered with clean and tall pines
and again they stand with closed
ranks right up to the railroad right
of-way on both sides forming dark
canon by their lofty verdure. The
Indians are permitted to sell the
"dead and down. timber, and it is
said that when the dead trees are
scarce, they are not above starting
a little fire to replenish the supply
Lumber companies are viewing these
remaining forests with greedy eyes
and many attempts are being made
to get permission for the Indians to
sell their pine. No doubt this will
eventually be done, but it would seem
a pity not to reserve goodly por-
ton Of it. 49,. ~ -..... <~--..:,
| Pretty soon we come to the Neb-
ish tract. Nebish is the Indian word
meaning tea. The tract purchased
by the Willmar- Nebish Colonization
Company are cut-over lands abutt-
ing the Red Lake Indian Reservation
for the four miles that they extend
east and west. There are over SIX
thousand acres, from which the pine
has been removed or is being remov-
ed by the Crookston Lumber Com
pany. Mr.. Opsahl has had his eye
on this tract long time. He has
laid out the entire tract into greater
and smaller farms, always with the
view Of the lay of the land. Along
the Mud (Puposky) river he has laid
out larger farms to include some OF
the rolling land and bottoms and
some Of the fine level uplands. Near
the station he has laid out small
| truck farms from ten acres and up
We pass the station where there is
a dam and water power which has
been used by the lumbermen. This
water-power has been appraised al
$500 to be sold with the land thai
contains it. Pretty soon we arrive
at the Station of Nebish, and We
take farewell of our little train.
i We first went into the store. It i
owned and operated by P. X. Rufs.
void, Norwegian. He carries {
good stock of general merchandise
He does not depend only upon tn,
resident population Of Nebish for hi.
custom, as there are a number O.
homesteaders, living both east an<
west Of the Nebish tract. Forum
ately for these settlers there ar,
well graded roads extending in boil
directions. The grades of the Of,
; spur tracks used for taking out tn.
, timber are now available for wagol
!. roads, at least until the country shall
be advanced to the point where Their
. will be a demand to have the road
run on the section lines. These road
with their dressing of gravel ballast
: would be worth more than 81 90
mile as highways.
J, We take a general survey Of tn
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