THE BOOMING RED RIVER VALLEY. A Trip Up the Manitoba Road – Everything Flourishing and Prospect Bright - The Outlook for Warren. A. E. Johnson, immigration agent of the Manitoba road returned yesterday from a short trip to the Red river valley, on the Minnesota side. The weather was very pleasant and the people of the valley are looking for an early spring. A large number of men and teams have been employed during the winter in cutting and hauling cordwood to the various stations on the Manitoba road. Price of wood at Warren is $5 per cord. The proprietor of the brick yard has 500 cords piled up and expects to make it 1,000 before fall. Many new buildings are to be built this season at Warren, notably a new bank block. Several buildings have been built during the winter and are now being finished up for occupancy. The Whitney block will be ready for occupancy May 1. The new flouring mill will be ready at the same time. All the county officers are comfortably located in their quarters in the new court house. Messrs. Ramsey & Hughes, Red river valley farmers, near Warren, are now in Chicago purchasing 100 head of horses and mules to be added to their present stock of sixty head.
Mr. F. Furlong of the same firm is now in Scotland and will return home about the middle of this month, bringing with him sixty experienced Scotch farmers. This step the firmed deemed expedient on account of the scarcity of farm labor. The going wages of farm hands this season, will probably range from $25 to $30 per month with board. Several newcomers have already arrived this season from Illinois and Pennsylvania. Some of these bought land last season, had it broke and put in the seed and now will come and take possession and live permanently. The people in the valley are happy and contented and look forward to another busy and profitable season. Last Sunday evening a temperance meeting at Warren brought out an attendance of 185. The various church societies are prospering. Much larger facilities for the public schools are needed. There are only two saloons in Warren, and these are very orderly and peacefully kept. From the best obtainable information the increased acreage in cultivation this year in Marshall county will exceed that of last by at least 50 per cent. (The Saint Paul Daily Globe, Wednesday Morning, March 7, 1883, Volume V, Number 66, Page 2)
WARREN, MARSHALL COUNTY, MINNESOTA. The Queen City of the Red River Valley. WARREN is the county seat of Marshall county. It is a progressive city of 1,700 inhabitants. It is situated on the Great Northern railway and possesses many attractions worthy of more than ordinary mention. The city itself is built upon the high banks of the Snake river, a very swift running stream that crosses the country from east to west and empties into the Red River of the North. Heavy growths of timber, consisting of large oak, elm, ash and basswood trees along the banks of the river protect the city from the north. On the south it is open. It is indeed rarely located for a prairie town, from both scenic and climatic standpoints. The last few years have marked many changes in Warren, so at this writing it can be said that Warren, with its mixed population of Americans, Scandinavians, Irish, English and Germans possesses buildings devoted to business purposes that in number, design and cost cannot be excelled by any other of its size in the state.
It has six churches, nine elevators, with a capacity of 350,000 bushels of wheat; a flouring mill, with a 100-barrel capacity per day; a court house, costing $25,000; school house, costing $16,000; a brick yard, and is the trade center of the garden spot of the Red river valley. The large and well-stocked stores are an evidence of the push and enterprise of its business men. The excellent schools and churches are monuments to the intelligence and liberality of its citizens. Warren is not a manufacturing town nor a railroad center, but it is the center of a great agricultural district. Eastern people coming here can be sure of finding the best of schools, for Warren has one of the best high schools in the state of Minnesota. Warren has three of the best banks in the state and the owners are for building up the city. Warren has very wide and clean streets, which are electric lighted throughout. The city has installed a municipal water works and electric light plant at a cost of $30,000, and one of the finest in this section of the state, and last, but not least, the best hotel in the state outside of the Twin Cities for a clean bed and a good meal.
Marshall County. Marshall county is rectangular in shape, seventy-two miles long by thirty, containing about sixty townships. It is bounded on the south by Polk county, on the east by Beltrami county, and on the north by Roseau and Kittson, and on the west by North Dakota, the Red River of the North forming the boundary. The surface of the country is level, yet high enough to be easily drained by the natural waterways which it possesses. The Thief river flows south from Thief lake and empties into the Red Lake river near the southern line of the county, and the streams in the western part of the county are the Snake, Middle and Tamarac rivers. Marshall county is foremost among the counties of the Red river valley in its large area of highly productive farm lands, and offers great opportunities to the actual settler. The new-comer is no longer invited to make his home in a wilderness.
It has at present a population of about 20,000. It requires nine elevators to handle the grain that is produced in the territory tributary to Warren, and there have been crop seasons when that number was not sufficient. The shipping record is 1,500,000 bushels in a single season. The people of the county have given particular attention to the building up of their public schools. At present there are about 100 organized school districts in the county, and teachers who are well qualified to impart information. The public schools of Warren, Argyle and Stephen are of the best. Lands in this vicinity are steadily advancing in price, but at present are within the reach of all who have an ambition to own them. If you secure a home in Marshall county you will find there is good soil, good climate, good roads, the best of schools, good water, plenty of timber for both fuel and building purposes, and where you are offered the advantages of modern civilization, and also you will find the best of markets.
Soil. The most marked feature of Marshall county is the remarkable productiveness of its soil. Nowhere on the earth’s surface can be found a natural soil of greater productiveness or more suitable for agricultural purposes. The soil consists of a very rich black loam twenty inches to many feet in depth. It is so rich in the elements that produce vegetation as to seem to be, if not quite, inexhaustible. No finer wheat can be raised anywhere. What the soil does for wheat it also does for all other farm products that are raised in the temperate zone. The surface of the land is level, with just enough fall from east to west to insure thorough drainage at all times. The finest grade of wheat – No. 1 hard – has been produced on its farms until it is recognized as the great staple crop of this locality. Vegetables grow to an enormous size. Grasses, both tame and wild varieties, can be produced in great abundance. Oats are a good crop, and can be depended upon. Corn is grown with success, and the near future will witness large fields of corn throughout the county. Barley, flax, rye, millet, timothy and clover are good crops and can be depended upon. Potatoes are always a good crop and bring good prices.
Stock Raising. This industry is proving to be very profitable to the farmer. Plenty of timber for shelter, and the native grasses are well adapted and the results favorable. Cattle, sheep and hogs can be raised at a very low cost, as hay is very plentiful and also other grains. Cattle always bring good money, and butchers’ cattle are in demand. Climate. Many have a wrong idea of the climate of Northern Minnesota. The summers are warm in this section; the nights are uniformly cool. The winters are cold, but the high altitude, giving a clear, dry air makes them no less healthful than the other seasons and less trying than the damp atmosphere of a lower altitude. Droughts are unknown, as the clay subsoil retains moisture to carry the crop through any continued dry spell.
Fuel. The people of the county have given from $4 to $6 per cord; soft wood, poplar, at from $2 to $3 per cord. Hard coal sells for $8 per ton. "You can build cheap, common lumber selling at, per thousand, $15.00; flooring, $15.00 to $18.00, and best cedar shingles $2.20 to $2.50. Plenty of good water can be obtained at slight cost. Flowing wells are reached at a depth varying from 80 to 150 feet, and surface wells from 15 to 40 feet, costing from $35.00 to $75.00 per well. In an interview with R. C. Mathwig, of the Marshall County Land company, he says: "In my travels through Iowa, Wisconsin and Illinois and some of the other Eastern states, I have nowhere found a soil that responded more quickly and generously to cultivation, and am convinced that this entire county has a splendid future before it." His company owns a number of well tilled farms and a large acreage of unimproved farm land in the vicinity of Warren at from $25.00 to $30.00 per acre. Now the writer can say this much for Marshall county: Anyone wishing to live in a country of plenty and good markets come to Marshall county, Minnesota.
Following are a few of the leading business men of this town: K. J. Taralseth is one of the heavy dealers in general merchandise and hardware; is mayor of the city and has been in business for twenty-one years. Fred Swanson is one of the leading harness makers of the town. His harness goods are all hand-sewed and give fine satisfaction. Ed Franson is the leading dealer in fruits, confectionery, cigars, snuff and tobacco and has been in business twenty-two years. Julius J. Olson is one of the leading attorneys of the county, having been in the county for three years; has a very large practice. The People’s Trading company runs the large department store of the town and has a very large stock. John E. Ostrom is the secretary and treasurer and C. E. Lundquist is the manager. C. A. Tullar is one of the well-to-do farmers of the county and one of the old pioneers. A. A. Lodoen is one of the leading blacksmiths and carriage makers of the town, having been in business twenty-one years. Swenson & Johnson are the leading machinists of the county, having been in business for three years.
I. N. Lodoen, dealer in general merchandise, just opened a very fine store this spring. Lundgren, Wittensten & Co. are one of the leading implement firms of the county and have a very fine trade. Peter Peterson is the manager of the Robertson Lumber company’s business at this point, and gives satisfaction to all. Richard Sullivan is one of the leading wine merchants of the town. Frank Sigue is proprietor of the Lyons house, the leading $1-per-day house in the town. Oscar Bossman runs the Scandia hotel; also feed and livery barn in connection. P. F. Spauling & Son run one of the large elevators of the town; also own the Oakfield farm of 2,000 acres. H. I. Golden, dealer in furniture, wall paper, jewelry, clocks and silverware, is one of the pioneers. First National bank is one of the solid banks of this county; W. F. Powell, president. F. W. Flanders is the cashier of the bank and also dealer in real estate in Marshall and Polk counties.
Powell, Wood & Co. is one of the leading farm machinery firms of the country and does a fine business. W. S. Day has been manager for the St. Hilaire Retail Lumber company for four years and has worked up a large business. E. F. Whitney is proprietor of the Pioneer drug store, and has been in business for twenty-two years. State Bank of Warren does a general banking business and is one of the solid banks. It was established in 1892. H. L. Metgaard, president; K. J. Taralseth, vice president, and C. A. Nelson, cashier. Frans Fransson runs a regular department store and keeps a very fine stock. He has been in business since 1881. William Forsberg is sheriff of the county, and has given good satisfaction. Louis M. Olson is in his second term as register of deeds, and also owns a very large farm. A. B. Nelson is the county auditor of Marshall county, and has lots of friends. G. C. Winchester, dealer in general merchandise in Warren and Angus. Mr. Warren has been in business since 1878. L. Lamberson is one of the leading real estate men of Marshall county. Lands rented and taxes paid for non-residents; has been twenty years in the real estate business.
D. Farrell, dealer in jewelry, silverware and musical instruments; also a full line of bicycles and bicycle sundries always on hand. William J. Brown is one of the leading attorneys at law, and has been in Warren for nine years. Hilleboe & Johnson are proprietors of the Warren Flouring mills, and also a 2,000-bushel elevator. The mill is a 100-barrel mill and turns out fine flour. D. R. Whitaker is one of the land men of the city. He owns large farms near this town, all improved land and good soil. Bank of Warren is the oldest bank in Marshall county, having been in business for nineteen years. B. G. Gill, president; L. Lamberson, cashier; W. A. Knapp, assistant cashier. Marshall County Land company has worked very hard to attract settlers to this section of the state. This firm does a very fine business and will answer all letters of information about this county. Charles Wittenstein came to this county in the spring of 1882, and has been farming ever since. He says farm lands in Marshall county are as good as any in the state. (The Saint Paul Globe, Monday Morning, November 16, 1903, Volume XXVI, Number 320, Page 3)