. 



CHAPTER II. 



THE BONANZA FARMS. 



[The matter which forms this chapter was written by the author of this volume 

 for the Atlantic Monthly of January, 1880. It is here reproduced, with some ad- 

 ditions, for the reason that it gives a clear account of the methods pursued in a 

 system of agriculture that is monopolizing the lands, developing a system of 

 monster estates, swallowing up the small holdings of the people, and undermin- 

 ing and destroying the small farm interests of the country.] 



"YTTITHIN the past year or two a new develop- 

 V V merit in agriculture, in the great Northwest, 

 has forced itself upon the public attention, that would 

 seem destined to exercise a most potent influence on 

 the production of a]] food products, and work a revo- 

 lution in the great economies of the farm. But not 

 enough is known of this new development to enable 

 one to form any just estimate of either its force or 

 extent. For the purpose of obtaining the data neces- 

 sary to assist to a more correct understanding of 

 the operations of what are known as the " Bonanza 

 Farms/' and their present and probable future effects, 

 the writer went upon the ground to make them a 

 study. 



On reaching St. Paul I visited the Land Office of 

 the St. Paul and Sioux City Railroad, to gather some 

 facts in regard to Southern Minnesota. The Land 

 Commissioner, James H. Drake, Esq., learning of the 

 purpose of my tour in the Northwest, expressed a 



