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T'lIIS town is situated on the Sioux Wood river, and is the Western terminus of the Minnesota and Pacific railroad; the point laid down by Capt. Pope on* his map as the head of steam navigation on the Red river; the Valley of the Red river is about twenty miles wide on either side of the stream, and about five hundred miles long; the surface is level and drained by numerous streams which are skirted with elm, ash, bass wood, white wood and pine of the largest growth, the remainder of the valley is prairie, composed of rich, black loam free from sand barrens or swamps. Red river is a deep, slow stream, has no islands, sand bars or snags to obstruct navigation; the banks are about 26 feet high, and not subject to overflow ; many of the tributaries of the Red river are strongly impregnated with salt, and indications of iron and coal are numerous in the vicinity. The farmers of the valley of the Red river gave to Major Wood as the average of their crops ; wheat 30 to 40; barley 40 to 80; oats 40 60; and potatoes 200 to 300 bushels to the acre. At Pembina, [200 miles north of Breckenridge,] ex-Gov. Ramsey says, “ on the 2d Ootober, 1861, water melons and cantelopcs were served to us for dessert, and the first frost that occured was on the night of that day,” [see address before the Minnesota Agricultural Society, Oct, 10th, 1856.] Two large settlements have long existed on Red river— Pembina and Selkirk, both of which yearly raise a large surplus of the products of thefarm ; the whole valley of the Red river is rapidly filling up with an energetic and intelligent population ; the country being exceedingly healthy, and should the indications of iron and coal lead to the discovery of those minerals as large as is anticipated, this valley will soon be swarming with a population engaged in agriculture, mining and manufacturing, supplying eastern Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa and Missouri with the products of theirlabor and skill; the Minnesota and Pacific railroad will be placed immediately under contract as by the terms of its charter it must be finished from Stillwater to St Anthony within two years, and completed to Breckenridge within ten years from the 3d of March, 1857, or forfeit its franchise as well as the lands donated to it.Breckenridge is also at the point where Gov. Steven’s survey of a route for the Pacific railroad crosses the Sioux Wood river, an examination of the Western States, and a reference to the writings of Gov. Stevens, ex-Gov. Ramsay or the Congressional documents containing the reports of Maj. Long and Capt. Pope, cannot fail to convince that such is the geographical position of Breckenridge; that all that portion of the Territory of the United States which lays west of the Mississippi and north of the head waters of the Minnesota rivers must forever be tributary to that city, and that Breckenridge is to be not only the commercial centre for the north-west, but will forever be the gate city on the great north-west highway of nations.Breckenridge is now being improved by the Proprietors, who are erecting dwellings forthemselves, a hotel, grist mill, saw mill, a shingle and lath machine, c.Eor further particulars enquire ofHFXRY T. WELLS, Minneapolis, R CHUTE, St. Anthony,CHAS. N. M’KUBBIN. 8t, Paul, Executive Committee,Or to GEO. F. BROTT, Breckenridge.May 10, 1S68. tf.
Newspaper Details
Saint Cloud Visiter
Saint Cloud, Minnesota, US
Thu, May 20, 1858
Page 4
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Anonymous
IA, USA 16 Mar 2023
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