STKKLE COUNTY. 395 



Topography.) 



Clinton mills are at Clinton Falls, Sherman and Winship, owners. They have ten feet head 

 of water, and three run of stone. It is a custom and export mill. 



Medford mills are at Medford, White, Beynon and company, owners. They have ten feet 

 head of water and four run of stone. They do only an export business. 



There is said to be an available water-power, unimproved, at Lindersmith's, between Owa- 

 tonna and Clinton Falls. 



Toftyrapky. This county is for the most part moderately undulating 

 or nearly level, and is covered heavily by drift. As will be seen the rock 

 appears at the surface only along the Straight river, near its exit from the 

 county. Grassy swales are common and characteristic of the swamps, 

 especially in Lemond township. Gravelly knolls are quite common in much 

 of the county, especially in the southern part. They are short and steep in 

 the southeast part of Somerset and the adjoining parts of Aurora. Summit 

 and Blooming Prairie. 



The following notes were taken from the field-notes and plats of the government survey in 

 Steele county, access to which was obligingly given by the county register. The surveys were 

 made in 1854. 



Blooming Prairie was covered by "thickets and low scrub for the most part. Marshes were 

 numerous and there were two small lakes in the northern part of the township. 



Aurora. This township much resembles the last ; thickets and scrub over the most of it 

 and numerous marshes, some of them quite large. 



Havana. This township contains the major part of Rice lake. It is for the most part 

 brushy or wooded, but the southwest part is prairie. Marshes are numerous but not large. 



Merton. This township was found to be wooded on the south side and in the northwest cor- 

 ner. The remainder was prairie. A large marsh was located in sections 23 and 24, and many 

 smaller ones were scattered over.the country. 



Summit was wooded in the eastern half, prairie in the western. A large branching marsh is 

 located along the streams, and there are a few isolated marshes. 



Somerset had several sections of prairie in the northeast corner, and the portion of the town- 

 ship lying west of the Straight river was prairie ; otherwise it was wooded. The marshes platted 

 are few and not large. 



Owatonna. A band of woods, two or three miles wide, crosses the township, accompanying 

 the Straight river and lying on its eastern bank. The remainder is prairie. The banks of the 

 stream are bluffy. The site of the city of Owatonna was already in part claimed when the survey 

 was made (1854). 



Clinton Falls was mostly wooded, though a wedge of prairie lay between the Straight river 

 and Crane creek. There was also a little prairie on the eastern border. There was a long marsh 

 platted in sections 26 and 27. 



Medford. This township is prairie, except for a wooded strip two to four miles wide, east of 

 the river. The banks of the stream are rather bluffy. 



Berlin was wooded through the center of the township; the remainder was for the most part 

 prairie. The plats indicate marshes along the streams, and some other scattered marshy spots. 

 Near the center lie Lonigan's and Beaver lakes, and in the southwestern part a pond. Beaver lake 

 is said to be deep and clear, and to contain only soft water. This item, and much other valuable 

 information concerning tins county, the writer owes to Rev. G. C. Tanner, superintendent of 

 schools for the county. 



Lemond. The northwest part was woody and marshy, and there are besides two or three 

 isolated groves of small extent. An extensive marsh crosses the north end of the township. 



Meriden. This township was nearly all prairie, a little wood being found north of Crane 



