Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1914-12-09
MINNESOTA'S STORY IN
CONDENSED FORM.

The University Extension Press
Service has arranged t. publish d S.
ries OF short articles on the wei seff
nature and of man IN the develop
faes1t Of Minnesota. The first Of these
appears in this issue. TIE series
viii be written by E. NJ. Lehnert.
Professor Of Geology and Geography
in the G eneral Extension Division a
| the university Of Minnesota. and
Lecturer on the Resources of Min
resota.
1. The Coming of the Settlers. S.
Aside from the missionaries, the
first white men came to seek fur
trade with the Indians. Grand Port
aga, near the mouth Of the Pigeon
River in the extreme northeastern
part Of the state, was one of the ear
Is iur-trading posts. Here the canoe
route from Montreal left Lake Supe-
rior for the Rainy River, Lake VIM
Ejpeg. and Great Slave Lake. Fons du
Lac, at the mouth of the St. Louis
River. near Duluth, was another ear
4. center of the fur trade. Here the
pelts could be collected easily from
north-central Minnesota and from the
region of the st. Croix River. The
first settlers on the Upper Mississip-
ri were also engaged in the fur
trade, Later, in 1913, the Red River
carts connected the Young fur-traed-
ing center of st. Paul with the .Hud-
son Bay Company's post at Winni-
peg, Pelts from the forests of=Min-
nesota and from the far Northwest
developed st. Paul into the creates
primary fur market in the United
States and one of the greatest CEN
tiers for fur manufacture in America,
a double distinction which that city
retains to the present day.
The timber resources of the region
drew the second influx Of settlers,
who came from all parts of the coun-
try. Many lumbermen came even
from Maine, brigning with them the
logging methods SO well developed in
New England. The first logs were
cut for market on the St. Croix in the
winter OF 1S36-1S37. The lumber in
Gustry grew rapidly, many saw-mills
were built, and immense quantities
CT logs We're RATED down the. Mis-
sissippi as far as st. Louis. Just as
the ful. trade had brought most Of
tie men into Minnesota in colonial
times, so the numbering industry
brought most OF the settlers of terri
terial days. t
The third and largest wave of Ili-
migration was brought into the State
b,I wheat. In the decade from. 1865
to 1876, wheat-raising in Minnesota
developed on SO large a scale as to
riace the State among the leading
producers of the world. The causes
for this. rapid development were:
First, the open prairie lands, so easy
to cultivate; second, the fertile soil
and favorable climate; third, the in
PRODUCTION of labor-saving machinery
fol reaping and threshing; fourth,
the coming Of the railway; and, fifth,
revolution in the milling process.
In 1874, rollers instead Of mill
stones were for the first time used in
a Minnesota -four mill, the Washburn
A mill in Minneapolis. Minnesota
spring wheat which had yielded only
medium grade Of flour, by the olG
-n,ilstone method now produced ], the
very highest possible grade of -four
by the new roller process. The effect
was immediate. Minneapolis flour
commanded from 81 to So more a
barrel than previously. Minnesota
spring wheat, which had been at a
discount, went to a premium in the
markets. This advance in price
raade farming in Minnesota unusual
ly profitable, and caused an immense
rush of immigration during the next
few years.
About 1884, two new industries
made their appearance in, Minnesota,
iron mining in the north and dairy
ing in the south. Each. has developed
immensely, and each has added much
wealth and many settlers to the
State. The growth of cities and
towns in the iron ranges has been
phenomenal.
The reasons FOR the tremendous in
crease in the iron-ore production are:
The quality, quantity, and accessible
ity of the ore; the low cost of mining
especially on the Mesaba and Guyana
ranges where steam shovels are used;
the low cost Of rail transportation
down grade to Lake Superior and Of
water transportation on the Great
Lakes; and the economic methods Of
loading and unloading the ore yes
sells. This ore is delivered at the
blast furnaces in South Chicago.
Gary, Cleveland and Pittsburg at
prices that defy competition.
The dairy and stock industry has
spread northward across the entire
state, a source of immense benefit to
the soil and Of large direct income to
the producers. Minnesota has special
advantapes for the dairy and stock