Letter From Dacota

Fauoo, D. T., Feb. 10, 1872. ) The Bed Kiver of the North. To the AkOUS : We have received a number of letters since coming here, from the frionda we loft behind not only in Washtcnaw, out in Mooroe, Ijynawee and other surrounding counties, asking about the Red River valley, - of itsagricultural resources especially. And whilo wo would advise all who havo coiufortablo homes in Southern Michigan to reinain where they are, we would like to 9ay a fow words through your columns to othora who are not so well situated, and who are thinking of bettering their coiiflition by "moving West," and who think of coming to this beautiful valley and casting thoir fortunes with us along tho line cf the N. 1'. K. K. That portion of the Ked River yalley south of the national boundary line is about 70 milos wide and 250 milea long. Through the center of this runs tho Rod Kiver, between high, bluffy bank, crookedly but rapiiUy to Lake Winnepog, and casily navigable from that point to this, the crossing of tho N. P. K. 11., 40 miks below Fort Aborcrombie. ■ Tho Ked Ïtiver iucreases rapidly as it flows north, from the numerous streams eonstantly flowing in froin the east and west. All of these streams ilow down through bóautiful, gently rolling prairi. :-, and like the Ked River, are. heavily timbered with oak, ash, clin, and other wood of largc size and excellent qnality. Many of the streaius, especialry Red Lake Kiver, ilow down from excellent pine lando, so that this country can be easily supplied with lumber from tho railroads, which deliver it here at a small advancc on Minneapolis pricos. (junio is abundant in the timber, and fish of an oxcollent quality in tho rivers The tultivation of fruits has never been tried north of Southern Dacota, in tho Missouri valley ; but I hold it to bc an esi ablished fact that tame fruit can bo grown, with a little care, whero wild f ruil of the samo variety grows naturally, anc I have nover scen wild plunis, grapes anc cherries grow lo suoh size and in tueh abundauco as they do here. The saim inay bfi said of the small berries - strawberries especially, which dyo the cartwheols of the Half Breeds red as they are drawn ovar the prairies. The soil is al that could be wishcd for farming, a deep rioh black loam and heavy olay subsoil. To the homeless and lanaless the Dacota sido of the Rod River presonts greater inducements than the Minnesota. Th land in Minnesota is to a great exten' held by speculatoia in large traota, anc theso large foreign land holders are a curse to any country. But the policj pursued by tho general government in Dacota niakes it impossiblo for one man to got íuoro than 1G0 acres, except b) buying it of the actual pre-emptor or hoHiesteader. Ilundreds of claims have been taken hero last summer, mostly bj New Englanders, and many moro are vacant. The E. R. lands will be in marke next suminor at reasonable figures, anc they will doublé in valué viíhm a year espocially those iinmediately surrounding this town. Previous to the building of tho X. P R. R. and tho St. Paul & ST. P. to this rivcr, therc wiri: no iuducemtmts to raisi more produce than was actually needefl for home con&umption, as there was no maiket for the supplies. Everything is now changedand we are in direct communicatiou with St. Paul, over tho St. 1'. cV N, I, and with Duluth, the groat shipping point of the Northwest, over the N. P., whilo a road will be finished to Pembijia in the spring, from Rt. Cloud on the Mispissippi, and these throo roads, terminating on the Red River, will be connected by a road running up and down this rivur on th Ducota sido. Four boats of lurgo size will ply on this river noxt summer, between this town and Fort ü.irry, to which point thousands of tons offreightmust be sliipped by the üudson Bay Co. Magnificent crops of wheat, oats, barloy, potutoos, and some corn aro raised. As for vegetables - cabbages, turnips, &c. - I have nevor scen botter. It does not follow because we aro so far north that our winters are severe. Up to the middlc of November we never experienced more genial weather, then winter closod in steady and unchangeable until the boginning of this nionth, sincc which time tho days have been warm and bright - so warm, in fact, as to mclt tho snow on the sunny side of buildings. Ico in tho river is onlv ló inches thick, and the ground ió frozen but IS inches, on account of an early fall of snow, which now is about one toot deup on tho prairie. Ve aio expecting a great rush of immigration here in tho spring, and to all we exteud a hoarty welcome. We need strong iivms and ïea-.ly hearts to help to build up this Tcrritory : to help build up chuichcs and schools, and to inako civilizad that which is barbarous. We already see in imagination tho homeless and landless pressing westward from tho crowded East, and hear the' shout go up of "Ho for Dacota ! " Already the whistle of the locomotivo is heard resounding up and down this valley and away over these beautiful prairies, heralding a bright and glorious future for Northern Daoota, where soon thousands of happy land -holden will 11 'l'iuink (ml tot rest wlu'it none molost, AjhI D006 ':in make ati ml ; For Peoce Ihere sii u plenty'a pnost l'-i n.;iüj thu Uj[ii'i.l ;i'l sliudü." Yours truly, G. J. Keeney. Yesterday, the 2'Jd, was Gen. Goorge Washington's birth day. It i rather singular, yet true, that Washington died in the lust hour of the last day, of the last weok, of the last montli, of tho last yoar, of tho last century. Jlu died on Baturday night, ut 12 o'cloclc, Deo. Hst, 1799. Reader, did you ever think of tliis 'r1 - Ktehange. Yes, "singular," but not moro thauhalt' true. Gim. Washinuton died tho last inonth of tho last yoar of tho last cuntury, but not the last day of the last week, nor the last hour of the day. Ho died lietween the hours of 10 and 11 o'clock P. M. of Dec. 14th, 1799, luufnot ou the uight of Dec. 31st