450 



MINNESOTA. 



ting forth the advantages accruing to the set- 

 tlers upon her soil, the manifold resources of 

 the country, the salubrity of its climate, and 

 the readiness wherewith they may, on arrival, 

 occupy themselves in their several callings. 

 German and other immigration societies have 

 also been established there for the purpose of 

 forwarding and spreading such information 

 among their respective countrymen. In the 

 session of 1868, the Legislature appropriated 

 ten thousand dollars for promoting immigra- 

 tion, and a Board was instituted to see that 

 the money should be properly expended for 

 the purpose intended, the Board consisting of 

 the Governor, the Secretary of State, and the 

 Treasurer, together with the presidents of 

 the several immigration societies referred to 

 above. The money expended for this end in 

 1869 appears in the report presented by the 

 said Board, as follows : 



For Hewitt's English pamphlets, 50,900 copies, 

 printed and distributed $3,565 00 



For German immigration an agent kept in Ger- 

 many one year and 500 pamphlets in German, 

 printed and distributed 2,035 00 



For Scandinavian immigration 5,000 Swedish 

 and Norwegian pamphlets printed and distrib- 

 utedtwo agents kept for three months in 

 Milwaukee and Chicago 1,80293 



For Irish immigration condensed pamphlets 

 and publications about Minnesota, circulated 

 and sent to Ireland, and published in Irish 

 papers 



For Welsh immigration pamphlets printed and 

 distributed 



To agent in New York 500 00 



For general expenses 200 00 



955 00 



Total $9,427 18 



This report recommended a liberal appro- 

 priation for the present year also, and u that 

 a State pamphlet be prepared by the Commis- 

 sioner of Statistics, to be distributed by that 

 officer, under the direction of the Board." 



The most powerful inducement offered the im- 

 migrant for settling in Minnesota, seems to be 

 found in the provision of her law which not only 

 forbids any citizen to be imprisoned for debt, 

 or deprived of every thing in his possession, but 

 secures his property to him to a rather com- 

 fortable amount, by exempting it from attach- 

 ment or execution for any debt, except for 

 taxes ; so that, in case of failure in business, or 

 other contingencies, he and his family are sure 

 not to be left destitute, but allowed still to live 

 a comparatively easy life. The following ex- 

 tract from the Minnesota Monthly enumerates 

 both the kind and the amount of property 

 exempted by law from execution for debt, as 

 follows : 



The laws of the State of Minnesota allow to every 

 resident thereof, free from attachment, levy or sale 

 upon execution or any other process, except sale for 

 taxes, the following : 



A homestead, consisting of any quantity of land 

 not exceeding eighty acres and the dwelling-house 

 thereon ; or instead thereof, at the option of the owner, 

 one lot within an incorporated town, city, or village, 

 and the dwelling-house thereon, with its appurte- 

 nances. 



A homestead, like other property, may be mort- 

 gaged, but the mortgager "being a married man his 



wife must join therein, unless such mortgage shall be 

 given to secure the payment of _the purchase-money 

 or some portion thereof, in which case the "wife is 

 unnecessary. 



Any person owning or occupying any house on 

 land not his own, and claiming said house as a home- 

 stead, shall be entitled to its exception. 



By recent decision of the Supreme Court, a home- 

 stead is declared exempt from operation of a mechan- 

 ic's lien, and the filing of a lien becomes of no avail as 

 against such homestead. 



Also the following property is exempt, and none of 

 the same is liable to attachment or sale on any final 

 process issued from any court in this State, except an 

 attachment issued in action for the purchase-money 

 of the same, or for an execution issued upon judgment 

 rendered for such purchase-money, viz. : One family 

 Biblej family pictures, school-books, or library, mu- 

 sical instruments for use of family, and one sewing- 

 machine, a seat or pew in any house or place of public 

 worship, a lot in any burial-ground, all wearing-ap- 

 parel of the debtor and his family, all beds, bedsteads, 

 and bedding kept and used by the debtor and his 

 family, all stoves and appendages put up or kept for 

 the use of the debtor and. his family, all cooking- 

 utensils, and all other furniture not herein enumer- 

 ated, to the amount of three hundred dollars in value. 

 There are also exempt three cows, ten swine, one yoke 

 of oxen, and a horse, or in lieu of one yoke of oxen 

 and a horse, a span of horses or mules, twenty sheep, 

 and the wool ff om the same, either in the raw material 

 or manufactured into yarn or cloth; the necessary 

 food for the stock mentioned for one year's support, 

 either provided or growing, or both, as the debtor 

 mayjchoose ; also one wagon, cart, or dray, one sleigh, 

 two ploughs, one drag, and other farming-utensils, 

 including tackle for teams, not exceeding three hun- 

 dred dollars in value. Also provisions for the debtor 

 and his family necessary for one year's support, either 

 provided or growing, or both, and fuel necessary for 

 one year. 



Also tools and implements of any mechanic, miner, 

 or other person, used and kept for the purpose of car- 

 rying on his trade, and, in addition thereto, stock in 

 trade not exceeding four hundred dollars in value, 

 and the library and implements of any professional 

 man. 



During the last session of the Legislature, 

 five distinct memorials were resolved upon, 

 requesting the Postmaster-General at Wash- 

 ington to establish, or increase, mail service on 

 specified routes from place to place in different 

 counties ; and three more, petitioning Congress 

 "for an appropriation of $100,000 to preserve 

 the Falls of St. Anthony and to protect the 

 navigation of the Mississippi above the falls; " 

 " for the improvement of the St. Croix Eiver ; " 

 and " to aid in the construction of the North- 

 ern Pacific Kailway." The lands already 

 donated by the Federal Government to Min- 

 nesota for the construction of her railroads are 

 the following : 



i 



Roads. 



St. Paul and Pacific 



St. Paul and Pacific 



Branch of the St. Paul and Pacific. . . 

 Branch of the St. Paul and Pacific.. 

 Authorized change of route. 



Minnesota Central ; 



Minnesota Central .* 



"Winona and St. Peter 



Winona and St. Peter 



Minnesota Valley ] 



Minnesota Valley I 



Extends the time for completing said f 

 road seven years J 



Acres. 



660,000 

 600,000 



"750,000 

 725,000 



354,402 

 290,000 

 720,000 

 690,000 



860,000 

 150,000 



