JAN. U 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
ittxscfltaneons. 
LITCHFIELD, MINN. 
Past Growth, Present Business and 
Future Prospects—Meeker County’s 
Attractions. 
MESSRS. HOLMES AND SW'EETLAND. 
[Special Correspondents of the Rural New-Yorker.] 
As promised iu the Rural of Dec. 24, we 
will write an outline of this portion ot the 
“Garden of the State,” as the last of our se¬ 
ries of letters from this section, at least for 
the present. 
Of the “ Park Region” and its remarkable 
beauty and fertility we have written so much 
of late that it seems superfluous to repeat it, 
though the rehearsal, be it ever so frequent, 
could not exaggerate the attractions of the 
one or the intrinsic merits of the other. It is 
probably true that of the several counties in¬ 
cluded under this appellation none more 
thoroughly embod.es all the advantages be¬ 
stowed by fortune than Meeker, containing 
an area of 410,305) acres. Its topography is 
beautifully diversified, yet without abrupt¬ 
ness, its area beiug interspersed with groves, 
lakes, farms and villages, and possessing a 
soil of alluvial cast, with requisite sand for 
good drainage and the promotion of rapid 
vegetation. The northern and eastern por¬ 
tions of the county have uu abundance ol' 
oak, hickory, elm, usb, maple and some other 
varieties of timber, with openings here and 
there occupied by thrifty farms. In the 
central part of the county are alternations of 
grove un i prairie, while the southern portion 
is an open farming country, dotted with lakes 
and their timbered surroundings. There are 
1(18 of these lakes scattered over the county, 
having pebbly shores, well defined banks, 
fringed with timber and nearly all containing 
an abundance of fish. The water in some of 
them is hard; iu the others soft, but in all of 
them limpid Drive wells of pure water, free 
from surface impurities, aveiage 40 feet in 
depth; they are apparently inexhaustible, 
and cost, complete, only from $30 to $40. No 
traces of alkali are lound in any water iu the 
county. There are two good-sized streams, 
affording nine improved water powers (seven 
flouring mills and two saw-mills) and there 
are yet four desirable sites unimproved. All 
the cereals and root crops are raised here, 
giving prolific yields, und there is a growing 
interest in stock-raising. In 1880 there were 
4,004 cows in the county, and yet, with the 
best of grazing, water and climate, there is 
not a creamery in it. 
More attention should be given to raising 
blooded horses and to sheep husbandry. It 
is estimated that four-fifths of the meadow 
grasses of the county are going to waste; if 
this is true, the opportunities and the profits 
in any department of stock culture are ap¬ 
parent. The population of fully 13,000 is 
largely American-born, and the foreign ele¬ 
ment is of the better, more educated and 
enterprising class. Lands sell at from $5 to 
$15, and farms from $10 to $30 per acre. The 
assessed valuation of real and personal prop¬ 
erty is $ 8 , 037 , 084 ; but this is less than one- 
half of the actual value; the aggregate 
tax is 10 8-10 mills; there is no county 
bonded or flouting indebtedness, and county 
warrants stand at par. With this showing, 
there is not to exceed a quarter of the avail¬ 
able land, exclusive of timber and water, 
under cultivation. 
Litchfield is the county seat, prettily 
situated, having groves near-by in every 
direction. Lake Ripley is a beautiful body 
of water just beyond its southern limits, and 
in the distance lies every requisite for a 
pleasing landscape. It is on the main lino 
of the St. Raul, Minneapolis and Manitoba 
Railway, 77 miles west of St. Raul, regularly 
laid out with broad streets, good side-walks, 
and it has many business and residence 
buildings of line architectural design and 
substantial construction. There are five 
church edifices—Episcopal, Methodist, Rresby- 
terian, Swedish Methodist and Christian, and 
the Catholics are now building. There are 
two school buildings, one frame, worth 
$3,000, aud one of brick, costing $12,000, said 
to bo the finest west of Minneapolis. There 
x s a graded system of schools, with six de¬ 
partments and teachers, vVhich ranks with 
the State Superintendent 100 in its excel¬ 
lence. 'I'lio schools are equipped with mod¬ 
ern appliances und apparatus, and constitute 
an important feature In the attractions of 
the place. The A., F. and A. M. have a lodge 
of over 100 members, including many leading 
citizens, and the A. O. U. \V. and E. A. U. 
have prosperous organizations. 
The News-Ledger, a six column quarto in 
its fifteenth volume, and the Independent, an 
eight-column folio in its seventh, constitute 
the local press, and are contributing ably to 
the best interests of town and county. A 
hall, 26x80, with stage aud scenery, is the only 
present convenience for public entertain 
ments. It would be characteristic of the 
enterprise here to build an Opera House or 
Academy of Music, and we believe they have 
it under consideration. 
A Board of Trade, organized for the ad¬ 
vancement and protection of all public in¬ 
terests, includes in its membership the most 
enterprising and reliable business men of the 
city, and any correspondence addressed to the 
Board would come to the attention of reliable, 
responsible, progressive men. There are two 
banks, doing an aggregate annual business, 
independent of deposits, amounting to $1,000,- 
000, while the deposit and collection accounts 
amount to $750,000 for th year 1881. The 
permanent improvements for the same period, 
costing $50,000, include the “ Howard Hotel,’ 1 
a three-story brick, with mansard roof, costing 
$20,000, a pleasant, inviting stopping-place for 
the traveler, and the Meeker County Bank 
building and block, a two-story brick, costing 
$14,000. 
The four elevators, with a total capacity of 
200,000 bushels, report 450,000 bushels of grain 
marketed here the past year, while fully 150 
cars of stock were shipped and driven out of 
this county from Litchfield in 1881. 
Besides the St. Raul, Minneapolis and Mani¬ 
toba Railway, already referred to, the St. 
Cloud and Mankato Railroad has been sur¬ 
veyed, aud a land grant perfected, thus se¬ 
curing to Litchfield a north aud south rail¬ 
road through the county, which fact will, 
doubtless, stimulate needed manufacturing 
interests, at present represented by two 
brick-yards, manufacturing an “A No. 1” 
quality of brick, for which excellent deposits 
of clay are found. The people need, and 
would well support, a woolen mill, foundry 
aud machine shops; a creamery, for which 
every requisite exists, even to an abundance 
of ice, easily and cheaply attainable. Any 
other forms of business adapted to the pro¬ 
ducts of the country or demands of local 
trade would prosper; aud the business men 
of Litchfield would co-operate heartily aud 
financially in the establishment of any manu¬ 
facturing interests. There are in Meeker Co. 
eight villages, whose residents, by coming to 
Litchfield as the county seat and largest com¬ 
mercial center, pay more or less tribute to its 
business, and take pride in its past develop¬ 
ment, present prosperity and future great¬ 
ness. 
THE TUBE WELL TROUBLE --No. 2. 
Continued from Rural of Dee. 24, 1881. 
The testimony given concerning the driven 
well at Brott’s hotel, in VVutertord, in 1860, 
was then followed up by proof of a well on the 
county fair grounds at Salem, Washington 
County, New York, in 1858. The construction 
of the well was witnessed and proven by H. H. 
Ingalsbe, of Hartford, New York, who is the 
Secretary of the Washington County Agricul¬ 
tural Society, and who was Superintendent of 
the fair of 1858, and it was an iron tube driv¬ 
en after the same plan as the method claimed 
to have been invented by Green. He was ful¬ 
ly corroborated by Win. Boyd aud Win. 
HcMorris, of Salem, New York, and by Albert 
J. Beringer, of Shushan. Then the witness, 
E. G. Atwood, of Salem, New York, swore to 
such a well being put down in his brother's 
shop at Birmingham, Connecticut, several 
years before his death, which occurred in 1857; 
and all the mill hands there used the water 
from it. Then came evidence as to the Tall, 
man well of Rreblo, Cortlandt County, New 
York, which was proven conclusively to have 
been constructed in 1855) on the farm occupied 
by W. E. Tullman, of Preble. This was shown 
by Moses T. Tall man, of Preble, brother of 
Wm, Talhnan (the latter being dead); also by 
George Way, of Fabius, who was the black¬ 
smith that “fixed” the pipebeforeit wasdriveu, 
and was at the well when it was about to be 
driven. Evidence with regard to it was also 
given by C. F. White and D. C. Callen, the 
latter being present when they were driving 
the pipe. There are numbers of others whose 
names can be given, if needed, who knew of 
this well. A wind-mill was attached to it and 
water pumped for several years to water 
stock on the farm, and it was near the ro>id 
leading to Cortland Village, some eight miles 
distant from the pluce, where Greeu (hen lived 
and where some years later he pretended to 
invent the method and put it first into opera¬ 
tion. 
After all this evidence, and much more, had 
been adduced by the defendant und the testi¬ 
mony on bis part had been closed Fob. 4, 1881, 
at Cortlandt, New York, the complainants, 
W. D. Andrews & Bro., of New Yolk City, 
commenced their rebuttal, and continued 
steadily for four months trying to upset the 
proofs of defendant, but they signally failed 
in every instance. As it became apparent to 
them that they could not succeed in so doing, 
they changed their tactics, and since J une 10 
have been constantly making delays of all 
sorts, having their time extended at three 
different dates, on application to the Court, for 
the sole purpose of delay, but ostensibly to 
procure their co-plaintiff, Nelson W. Green, 
the patentee, and each time when the defend¬ 
ant was cited to a place where the testimony 
would be taken, they were never reedy, and 
Green has not come forward. The last circus 
of this character has just closed. The time 
for complainants to close their proofs was ex¬ 
tended by his Honor, Judge Wallace,'at Syra¬ 
cuse, on Nov. 26 until Dec. 18, 1881, when the 
defendant was to have sixty days thereafter. 
The defendant’s solicitor was notified to be at 
No. 1 Montgomery Street, Jersey City, N. J , 
beforeUnited States Commissioner Wm. Muir- 
head on Dec. 15), 1881. As Mr. Keach was that 
day at Ilion, New York, engaged in examining 
George Mallery, he procured the services of 
John W. Suggett, of Cortland, to attend and 
cross-examine Mr. Green, if he should put. in 
an appearance. The case was called, Wm. D. 
Andrews appearing in person for the plaintiffs 
and Mr. Suggett for defendant; aud again on 
application of Andrews the case was ad¬ 
journed until Dec. 21, On that day parties 
again appeared, and Mr, Andrews had en¬ 
gaged Counselor Clayton, of New York, to ap¬ 
pear, and they pretended that Green could not 
be produced yet, and on their application and 
against the protest of defendant, the cuse was 
further adjourned uutil Dec. 27, On the 27th 
Mr. Suggett again put in an appearance, but 
no Green had yet shown up, and the examina¬ 
tion was adjourned sine die. Now defendant 
w'ill at once commence the taking of his sur- 
rebuttal proofs, and in less than two months 
will complete the same and commence the 
printing of the case, and at the earliest possi¬ 
ble date will proceed to a final hearing, when 
there is no doubt the complainants w ill be put 
to flight by the overwhelming proofs against 
them. Legis. 
CATALOGUES, ETC. 
Reports from the Cons-uls of the United 
States on the Commerce, Manufactures, etc., 
of the Consular Districts No. 13. Nov., 1881. 
Illinois Industrial University report 
on the manufacture of sugar, sirup and glu¬ 
cose from sorghum. This report, of 21 pages, 
is based upon experiments made m 1880 and 
1881 at the above University by H. A. Weber, 
Rh.D., Professor of Chemistry, an l M. A. S. 
Scovell, M. S., Professor of Agricultural 
Chemistry. The pamphlet gives much infor¬ 
mation of use and interest to those engaged in 
sorghum raising. 
The subject of this sketch, whose portrait 
we present as a supplement to this week’s issue 
of the Rural Nkw-Yorkkh, and who has 
obtained a natiouul repmtation as “The Dako¬ 
ta Farmer,” is of Scotch-Irish descent, and 
thoroughly imbued with the integrity, energy 
and perseverance characteristic of the coali¬ 
tion of the best blood of the two nationalities. 
His grandfuthors upon both sides, one as a 
citizen of Massachusetts and the other of New 
York, assisted iu the Revolutionary War: that 
struggle fur ohr national independence elicit¬ 
ing their fullest aud warmest sympathies. 
Oliver Dalrymple was born in Sugar Grove, 
Warren County, Pa., in 1830, his father hav¬ 
ing removed thither from Massachusetts, and, 
as a pioneer, settled among the rugged hills of 
Northwestern Pennsylvania, in the fertile val¬ 
ley of the Alleghany River. Here, surrounded 
by the natural grandeur which still attracts 
thousands of tourist-' annually, the time of 
youthful Oliver was divided between labor 
and study; between t he forest, mill and school¬ 
room ; and the stern virtues developed by iu. 
dustry and rigid discipline were so thoroughly 
inculcated as to make their imprint for bis 
lifetime. Between the ages of 16 and 21 he 
attended Alleghany College at Meadville, and 
subsequently spent some time in attendance 
upon the lectures of the various departments 
of Yale College, in the prosecution of an ec. 
lectio course marked out by himself, though 
not seeking to graduate. 
After attendance upon the Law School at 
Yale, aud familiarizing himself with office 
duties, he was admitted to the bar at Warren, 
Pa., in the year 1855. 
Having become interested in the reports 
concerning the resources, inducements aud 
opportunities afforded in the West for the ac¬ 
cumulation of a competency, he determined in 
the Spring of 1856 to investigate by a tour 
West, and, if satisfied, to identify himself with 
the rising fortunes of a new country. After 
traveling in various Western States, he set¬ 
tled at Chatflehl, in Southern Minnesota, and 
engaged in the practice of his profession, in¬ 
cluding also a land and loaning business, iu 
which he extended his operations to other 
points where U nited States Land Offices con¬ 
centrated u large business. 
29 
Three years later, in 1855), he removed to 
St. Paul, and continuing his legal pursuits, 
soon acquired there also a fluttering reputa¬ 
tion. In 1862 the Sioux Indians massacred 
nearly 1 060 settlers on the western frontier 
of Minnesota, and burned and destroyed thei 
property; Mr, Dalrymple was of the opinion 
that the General Government should indemni¬ 
fy the settlers for their loss of property from 
the large annuity funds held in trust by 
Uncle Sam for ths hostile and outlawed Indi. 
a ns; he therefore espoused the cause of the 
settlers aud presented their claims, which ag¬ 
gregated nearly $1,000,000, spending a year 
in Washington as their attorney to procure 
the necessary legislation and the required ac¬ 
tion of the Department, in all of which he was 
successful. 
After five years’ law practice in St Paul) 
and having accumulated some capital, Mr. 
Dalrymple, in 1865, turned his a tention to 
farming, and purchased 2,500 acres of prairie 
land, near the Mississippi River, below St. 
Paul, at $10 per acre, which he cultivated with 
profit for ten years, and then sold it out in 
small tracts or farms at from $85 to $45 per 
acre. In this enterprise Mr. Dalrymple was 
really the pioneer in that system of grain- 
culture, which from its magnitude became 
the stepping-stone to the Bonanza farming to 
be discussed and illustrated in this series of ar¬ 
ticles, and which has contributed largely to 
attract the attention of immigrants and capi¬ 
talists to the West, and aided in demonstrat¬ 
ing the richness, productiveness and value of 
Western lauds. 
In March, 1870, Mr, Dalrymple took a life 
partner iu his prosperity, joys and sorrows, by 
his marriage to Mary E. Steward, daughter 
of Hon. John Steward, of Chautauqua County, 
New York. Their union has been blessed, and 
his family' at present consists of himself, wife 
and two sons, aged respectively eight and ten 
years, who spend a part of each Summer with 
him on his farms. 
Mr. Dalrymple has in St. Paul a residence 
unassuming iu its exterior and appoinments, 
yet provided with every requisite comfort and 
convenience which culture and refinement 
suggest. Here, iu his cozy home, he spends his 
Winters with his family, with metropolitan 
surroundings. 
In 1875 the Bonanza farming enterprises of 
Northern Dakota were inaugurated by the 
purchase of what is known as the " Alton 
Farm,” of 6,400 acres, iu the valley of the 
Red River of the North, on the line of the 
Northern Pacific Railroad. This tract was 
then unbroken prairie, and there was at that 
time no agricultural development, and only a 
few foreigners and half-breeds along this por¬ 
tion of the Red River Valley; but upon exam¬ 
ination of the soil, ami canvassing the oppor¬ 
tunities, aided by his experience, Mr. Dalrym¬ 
ple, with characteristic nerve and discretion 
decided to solve the question of farming iu 
wheat culture upon a larger and more exten¬ 
sive scale than had hitherto been known. 
In the Winter of 1375-6 Geu. Geo. W. Cass, 
of New York, Vice-President and a Director 
of the Northern Pacific, with 6,000 acres, and 
Hon. Benjamin P. Cheney, of Boston. Mass., 
also a Director of the Northern Pacific, with 
5,000 acres, which they had located in the same 
vicinity, and Messrs. Uiandin Brothers, bank¬ 
ers at Tidioute, Warren Co., Pa., to the ex¬ 
tent of 10,000 acres (the acreage quoted in all 
these includes only that under cultivation), 
further down the valley', all of these lands 
having been located with Northern Pacific 
bonds, formed a partnership with Mr. Dalrym¬ 
ple upou a basis which should make him in 
time an equal owner in their investments, they 
furnishing the money, respectively, for all 
improvements, stock, implements, etc. Al¬ 
though the new Northwest was then unsettled 
and thought by many to be uuiuhubitable, 
these entei'prises have been successful; each 
year 500 acres or over have been put under cul¬ 
tivation, and this year Mr. Dalrymple raised 
27,00*3 acres of wheat, in which he has a two- 
thirds interest; and each year witnesses new 
extensions, as the gentlemen named own, in 
the aggregate, about 75,000 acres. 
The sy'stetn under which this mam¬ 
moth enterprise is conducted, now gen¬ 
erally known as “ Bonanza Farming,” we 
shall have occasion to refer to fiom time 
to time in (his series of articles, and iu the 
last, or No. 7, of the series we will endeavor to 
summarize all the features of the system re¬ 
maining unnoticed, und show some tabulated 
results. 
Mr. Dalrymple manages this entire interest 
in person, and the discipline is so thorough 
that, with his efficient superintendents, fore¬ 
men and clerical force, he handles his army 
of men with the precision of a military organ¬ 
ization or vast manufacturing establishment. 
Telegruph, telephone, signals and messengers 
all fulfill their parts, ami in the season for 
work the enterprise—inextenso—would prove 
an interesting and profitable study for any 
one, especially so fo»* capitalists interested in 
agricultural pursuits and investments. 
