The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1915-11-04
OLD STEARNS THE
BANNER COUNTY

So much has been published IN this Issue
of the Herald about Minnesota and Western
Central Minnesota that we feel that any ex-
tended article on Stearns County is unneces-
sary, for Stearns county is Minnesota, and
especially Western-Central Minnesota epito-
mixed. With the exception of iron mineral
wealth, there is not a single natural advan-
tage found in any part of the State but can
be found in this county.
1t is among the earliest counties in the
State, being organized in the winter of 1854
'55, by the territorial council.
In the original bill it bore the name "Ste-
vens" and so passed both branches of the
Council, but in the enrolment of the bill, in
some way, the name was changed to Stearns,
and was so permitted to remain. The official
description is as follows: Bounded on the
north by Morrison and Todd Counties, on the
east by the Mississippi river, on the south by
Wright and Meeker counties, and on the west
by Pope and Douglas and contains an area
of 1886 square miles or 983,O4O acres, of
which about $1,000 acres are covered with
water, and had 191O census) $4,000 popula-
ton.
The future possibilities of the county are
almost limitless. 1t is about one-ninth the
size of the kingdom of Belgium and in point
of natural resources if far ahead of that
kingdom. Belgium, before the present war;
maintained a King and Court its Navy
ranked ninth among the navies of the World;
it had an Army of 100000 men; raised an
annual revenue Of about S250,O0O,O00; and
it's people were among the most thriving and
oty
was as fully developed as Belgium, and it
would cost less to put it in that condition,
even to the bottom Of it's deepest lakes, than
it cost the Belgians to develop their terri
tory up to it's present condition, it would sus-
tain population of 100000, keep up an
Army of $4,000, and raise an annual revenue
of $25,000OO0 a year. The county is State
within itself larger than Rhode Island and
nearly as. large as the state of Delaware and
possesses all the necessary requisites to
maintain a creditable state government even
down to office-hoders.
1t is estimated that there are about $780,
900 acres of land under cultivation in Stearns
county. According to the st. Cloud Times,
about rs per cent of this area is devoted to
wheat, about rs per cent to corn, 20 per cent
to OATS 5 per cent to rye, 10 per cent to bar
ley, per cent to potatoes, and 13 per cent to
hay. The same authority estimates the value
of the wheat crop this year at $3,75OOOO;
the oat crop at $2,5O0,0O; the corn crop
100000; and other crops in proportion.
The normal average yield is placed at: wheat,
rs bushels, oats So, barley so, rye 20, pota-
toes from ITS to 200, and corn from As to SO
bushels to the acre.
Darying and stock raising are extensively
engaged in. There are about 40 creameries
in the county. These all do large business,
the butter output being between 100000
and 100000 pounds, and about $4,000
pounds of cheese.
The county contains 100 rural schools, six
graded and three High Schools. st. Johns
College, one of the prominent Catholic insti-
buttons of learning for boys is located in the
county, as is also the Sisters school at st.
Joseph.
The total assessed valuation of the county
is Sal ,631 ,319.78, of which $4,932,943 is
personal property.
AS residence locality this county is I'M
surpassed. Practically every farm is reached
by Rural Free Delivery mail route, rural
telephones are within reach of every farmer,
school and church advantages are excellent
and within the reach of every family, and all
the conditions that 60 to make an ideal home
are found, while land prices range cheaper
than in almost any other part of the country
where similar advantages prevail.
MINNESOTA'S BANK WEALTH
M
denced by the condition of the banks of the
state, says A. H. Turrittin, Superintendent
of Banks.