Rice County, Minnesota - Chapter 45: Desobiptive - Situation and Ahea Surfai'e Fea, 1882

Chapter 45: Desobiptive - Situation and Ahea Surfai'e Fea

Eice county is one of the earliest and best settled counties in Minnesota, as well as one of the most prominent. It is well situated, has an abundance of wood and water, unexceptionally good soil, and excellent market facilities. The people are industrious and economical, and provided with good homes, the average farming facilities being second to none in the State.

The most important villages are Fariliault, Northfield, and Dundas, with several others of less pretensions. The two first mentioned have city charters, and each will be fully described under tlieir respective names.

Numerous expeditions and reconnoisances had been made through this romantic region long before and up to the time when the Sioux title to the land was extinguished by treaty stipulation. The point which became the nucleus for the fuial permanent settlement, tlie confluence of the Straight with tlie Cannon Kiver, had been \'isited, and glowing accounts given of its natural advantages, its magnificent forest, its undulating prairie, the verdure covered banks of its rippling streams, its health giving climate, and indeed, of nature's handiwork here in her happiest moods, for the creation of all the conditions required by man for tlie planting of his home, and surrounding it with those institutions which distinguish it from the wretched abode of the untutored savage.

When the land was opened up to settlement, anil the vanguard of the pioneers began to arrive, they remained right here; no representations could lure them on in search of a better land, because it was really unattainable, and the reports returned to the homes they had left were of such a glowing character, that others rapidly followed, and the whole country was soon taken up. Any person visiting this county to-day, with its advanced civilization, and not knowing the facts, could hardly l)e persuaded to believe that not (piite a generation has passed since not a l)uilding stood anywhere on its territory, except a rude bark or skin shelter for the few scattered savages who lingered here with the depressing feeling of impending extermination. What has been accom- ])lished is most wonderful, and the various steps that have been taken in this remarkable development will be seen as this work is perused.

The parallel of 44 degrees and 20 minutes north latitude runs through the center of the county. The surrounding counties are Scott and Dakota on the north, Dakota and Goodhue on the east, Steele and Waseca on the south, and Le Sueur on the west. The east line of the county is twenty miles from Hastings, on the Mississippi River; the north line is thirty-four miles south of St. Paul, and the south line is forty-eight miles from the northern boundary of Iowa. It is four government townships, or twenty-four miles in width, east ami west. The western portion of the county is of the same length - twenty-four miles north and south - but the eastern two tiers of townships are shorter by five miles. The county contains fourteen townships, each of them, except two, containing thirty-six square miles. Of these two exceptions, one, Bridgewater, contains forty square miles, and the other, Northfleld, forty-four square miles. Its area, then, is .330,240 acres, of which nearly one-half is timber land interspersed with many lakes.

There is but very little laud in the county unfit for tillage. That portion east of the Straight and Cannon Elvers is the finest of prairie land, while most of that west of these rivers is, or was originally, covered with valuable timber, which, on being removed, leaves a strong and fertile soil.

Natural Dh.Vinage

The drainage of the county is to the north and east. Straight River enters the county two and onehalf miles east of the middle of the southern border, and flowing northward about eight miles, forms a junction (where the city of Faribault now stands) with the Cannon River, which enters the county about two miles north of its southeast corner. From the junction of the Straight and Cannon Rivers - taking the latter name - the waters flow northward and leave the county four miles east of the meridian line upon which the Straight River enters its borders. The western half of the county contains about a score of shallow but pretty lakes, which receive the surface waters of their localities, and empty for the most part by very circuitous routes into the Cannon. The Straight and Cannon also receive the drainage from the eastern portions of the townships through which they flow; while the eastern tier of townships, for the most part, shed their waters through small streams into the Little Cannon and Zumbro Rivers in Goodhue county. The Straight River enters the county in the Lower Trenton formation, and cuts through into the St. Peter sandstone three miles north of the county line, near Walcott's mill.

A short distance from Walcott's the river makes an extensive bend toward the south, and on reaching Faribault has cut eighty feet into the sandstone.

At a point near the line separating Bridgewater and Cannon City townships the river has cut through the St. Peter sandstone and begins its flow over the Shakojiee Umestone. into whicli it

This descent of about 150 feet in crossing the county furnishes at least eleven or more available mill privileges which have been improved and are in operation.

Surface Features And Soil

Skirting the small streams there is a little timber, and along the east bank of the Straight River - and also of the Cannon, from its junction with the Straight northerly .to Dundas - there is a belt of timber averaging about three miles wide. The soil bearing, this belt of timber is sandy with grave subsoil, and is of comparatively little value for agricultural purposes.

The surface of the southwest part of the county lies above the Trenton formation, and is gently undulating. The surface of the northeast part is more broken because the Trenton is largely carried away, and the St. Peter sandstone is eroded to quite variable depths. The western portion of the county also is quite undulating - sometimes rough and hilly - and over the greater part is covered with heavy timber, interspersed with many beautiful but shallow lakes. The surface soil is usually a dark loam, but is generally very thin. A strong and productive yellow clay overlying thick deposits of blue clay - which is frequently exposed - characterize the soil of this region. Maple, Elm, and Basswood characterize the timber.

There are about twenty beautiful lakes in the western half of the county, ranging from one to ten square miles in area, and varying from ten to fifty feet in deptb. These lakes aljound in fish, and are much frequented by sportsmen. The southwestern 2Jart of the county, being lower and more sandy, furnishes better beaches for its lakes than are found further north whore clay deposits overlie and conceal the sand.

Rolling prairie. Soil a black loam with clay subsoil. The north liranch of the Zumbro River flows easterly through the northern part, taking the surface water of nearly the whole town.

Geology

Surface rolling, becoming blufl'y along the creek. The east branch of Prairie Creek heads near the center of the town, where there is a l)'.)(ly of about one section of timber. This creek Hows northeasterly, and forms a valley froin one-eiglith to one-fourth of a mile wide, about fifty feet lielow the general level of the prairie. From the blulls along this valley in the north part of the town, limestone crops out with sandstone below.

Surface mostly a high rolling prairie sloping toward Prairie Creek, which runs northeasterly through the township; a part of the town is drained northwesterly toward Cannon River. Soil a rich black loam ; clay suljsoil ; limestone in bluffs along the creek; sandstone below.

Surface rolling to hilly ; slEipes toward Straight River, which runs northerly through nearly the center of the town; a body of timber three to four miles wide lies on the east side of the river. Limestone appears in the bed of the river as tar north as section four. North of this point it appears in the blulTs from twenty to fifty feet aliove tli(^ river. Soil in the river valley light and sandy with gravel subsoil; rest of town black loam over clay.

Surface ipiite rolling; bluffy along the east side of river. The Straight River forms a junction with the Cannon River in section thirty, from which point the Cannon River runs northeasterly to the ceiter of the north boundary. The two eastern sections are prairie; the remainder of the town is timber land; soil a rich loam with clay subsoil. Limestone crops out of river bluffs with sandstone below; a small lake in section fifteen, containing forty-five acres.

Land rolUng; becomes bluffy along the river as far north as .section ten. Cannon River flows northeasterly through the eastern part of the town. About six sections on east side of town are prairie; rest of town timber land; soil black loam with clay subsoil, excepting on river bottoms, where the soil is light and sandy over a gravelly subsoil; limestone in the bluffs along the river

Surface rolling; drains toward the north; Cannon Lake, with an area of 1,475.28 acres, lies in the northwestern ])art of the township; four sections of land northwest of lake are timber land; rest of town is prairie and brush land; soil black loam over clay subsoil.

All timber land excepting sections thirty -five and thirty-six; surface rolling; soil black loam with clay below; area of meandered lakes 2,114.44 acres; drains toward the south.

Timber and l)rush land; surface rolling; drains to the .south and east; .soil light-colored loam over clay; area of meandered lakes, 208.81 acres.

Nine sections in southeast part prairie land ; remainder of town timber. Cannon River flows easterly through the center of the townshiji; surface rolling, slopes towards the river; soil a rich black loam with clay subsoil. Area of meandered waters, 935.70 acres.

Surface rolling, becoming hilly in some parts of the town; soil black loam over clay. Area of lakes, 2,574.23 acres. The Cannon River heads in Tuft's Lake, in section three.

Timber

As before stated the eastern portion of the county originally produced timber only along the streams. Through cultivation for shade, hedges, protcctit)n from winds, etc., timber is increasing over this area. The western half of the county was originally covered with heavy timber - excepting a few limited, enclosed spaces, which were open prairie, or sparsely covered with Oak and under-brush - and forms a part of what is denominated the "Big Woods." This region is being cleared up rapidly and there are now many line farms in every towuship of the timber regions of this county. The following list embraces all the native trees and shrubs that were noticed during the survey. It is not believed, however, that it includes all that grow naturally in the limits of the county :

The Chicago and Milwaukee railroad survey (Minnesota Division) found the elevations of natural surface, where the railroad crosses the northern line of the county, to be over 11150 feet above the sea level. At Faribault dejjot it is 993 feet; at Dundas depot, 94.5 feet; at Northfield depot, 90.5 feet. The entire western half, and the southeastern portions of the county, have a higher elevation. I have no means of knowing positively the relative elevations or the_highest point in tlie county; but judging from appearances I conclude that the rolling prairie, on which Cannon City is located, is the highest by at least 10(1 feet.

In general appearance these formations are not unlike the same formations as tliey are seen in other portions of the State, and carefully described by Professor Winchell in his reports made during the past few years. Nor did I find in the county

Tlie loam is deep, dark colored and fertile, over nearly all tbe eastern portion of the county ; but over the western portion as a rule it is thin.

Drift, consisting largely of blue clay overlain by a yellow clay, characterizes the soil of the western half of the county. Boulders of granite, gneiss trap, and porplyry are c]nite abundant in some places; but fine clay, with small quantities of gravel, are the rule throughout this region. No well yet dug in the western part of the county has passed through the blue clay - though some of the wells are over 100 feet deep. A hint as to the depth of the clay is found in the fact that a well dug last season south of Rice county, about thirty miles west of Owatonna - near Janesville - after passing through 200 feet of blue clay reached a sandstone said to be identical with the St. Peter's in appearance. An abundance of good water, which rose to within thirty feet of the surface, was found between the clay and the sandstone. This fact should be considered by the residents of this drift and timber region, as many of them have failed to secure good and abundant water in the clay. Indeed there is much uncertainty about getting good well water in this region. Some holes at 100 feet or over fail to bring enough water for drinking and cooking purposes. Some wells that furnish an abundance of water are so strongly impregnated with mineral impurities as to be nearly useless, while others are quite pure. It is possible that good water that would rise nearly to the surface might invariably be procured by boring through the clay to the underlying rooks.

Illustrations of the peculiarities of the deposits in this region are seen in the following facts: On the southeast side of Union Lr.ke (seven miles west of Northfield) Mr. B. Benton dug forty feet and secured an abundance of water, but is strongly impregnated with some mineral impurities. About forty rods from here Mr. M. J. Punk secured better water at sixteen feet; and abotit forty rods further Mr. S. A. Amsden secured nearly pure water at a depth of thirty-six feet.

It has been supposed by some tliat the formation underlying the drift throughout the timber region is the Cretaceous, and I see that Prof. Harrington^ in his report on Steele county, expresses his belief in the existence of the Cretaceous along that belt. I am not satisfied that such is the fact. To my mind there is but very little evidence of it; but I do not care to discuss the matter till I have procured more light on tbe subject. At present my belief is that the drift rests immediately upon a thin renmant of the St. Peter sandstone. Perhaps in some places the St. Peter is all eroded so that the drift rests immediately upon the Shakopee.

The Trenton limestone is nearly removed from the western part of the county, the bluffs along the Straight River to a point a little so>ith of Faribault, and a hill near Northfield, being the tmly places where it occurs. East of the river, however it is extensive, and furnishes abtindance of material for building purposes, of which mention will be made under the head "Material Resources."

In general character the Trenton resembles so closely that found in other parts of the State, and so carefully described in previous reports on the survey of the State, that little need be said here.

For builduig purposes, the most of that found in this county is superior to that quarried near St. Paul, in that it contains less clay and does not weather so easily. On the other hand tlie Rice county limestone contains more concretionary iron pyrites, and hence necessitates more care in its selection for architectural purposes.

The Straight River cuts through the Trenton and enters upon the St. Peter at Walcott's mill, three miles south of Faribault. At a point eight miles further north the river (having now become the Cannon) has worked its way through the St. Peter and enters upon the Shakopee. The thickness of the St. Peter, in Rice county, is from 100 to 12.5 feet. It appears in the form of cliffs at frequent points along both sides of the river from the place where it is first reached by the Straight to tlie northern limits of the county, and in the northeastern part of the county it frequently appears in the hills - indeed it largely gives character to the topography of this sectiim.

Judging from the topograj^hy also I am satisfied that many of the hills in the northwestern part of the county - in Wheatland and Webster townships - consist largely of the St. Peter; but they are so heavily covered by drift and timber that I could neither find nor learn of any exjiosures. In Cedar Lake there is an island, the topography and flora of which indicate the St. Peter, capped by Trenton. I was unable to verify this by excavations.

There is no place in the county where the St. Peter Siimlstone is sulKeieutly compact and firm for bnOding stone. As along the Mississippi, it may be removed by pick and shovel. In color it is - as along the Mississippi River - white to red, according to the percentage of iron, and its o.xidation resulting from exposure. No fossils are found in it here.

On leaving the county one-half mile north of Northfield, the river has cut into the Shakopee about thirty feet. The map shows approximately the extent of this formation as exposed. The descriptions of it in preceding reports will apply to the formation as seen here.

Limestone - both for building-stone and quicklime - and sand for mortar, are abundant along the valleys of the Cannon and Straight Rivers, and througliout the western half of the county; while in the western portion no limestone is found.

Stone Qdakuies are abundant throughout the eastern half of the county. The bluffs throughout this region are capped by a layer of the Trenton varying from a tew inches to several feet in thickness. The various neighborhoods of this section have their quarry, or quarries, from which all the building stone for general purposes is easily obtained.

Prairie Creek valley has scores of quarries opened along its bluffs; and the valley of the Cannon looks up to as many more. Good coursing stone is furnished at Northfield for about Sfi per cord.

At Fall Creek, three miles east of Faribault, tliere is a fine deposit which is being extensively iiuarried by its owner, Mr. Philip Cromer. The deposit of limestone here is about twelve feet thick, and is covered by about four feet of drift and loam. The strata in this quarry range from three to twelve inches in thickness, and ai-e easily quarried. The upper stratum, eight inches in thickness, is quite light-colored and filled with fossils which are so thoroughly cemented and transformed as to render the stone compact, while its fossiliferous nature is still clearly apparent. But few specimens of fossils can be enucleated.

The rock is infiltrated by gypsum and Iron Pyrites which often cement its seams quite firmly. Mr. Cromer sells undressed stone for prices ranging from $5 to $15 per cord. The greater part of his business however is in the best varieties, which he sells by the cubic foot, at prices ranging from twenty-five cents to seventy-five cents.

Mr. N. Lord, two miles south of Faribault, on the west side of the river, has two quarries opened, from which he has sold as high as 300 cords in one year.

In Richland township, bordering on Goodhue county, Messrs. Halver Johnson and Peter Halverson have each a fine quarry at which I saw about 100 cords ready for market.

Messrs. I. Lenhart, A. Revere, C. Stetson, D. Ferguson, and P. Oleson are the principal quarrymen in the vicinity of Northfield; and on Prairie Creek, in Wheeling township, Messrs. J. Thompson, A. Knapf, and S. Aslagson do quite a business in quarrying for their neighbors.

liiME Kilns. - The upper four strata of the Lower Trenton formation, as exposed in this county, furnish tolerably good material for quicklime, though in some places the deposit is too silicious, and in no place is the lime obtained sufficiently white for fine work. When fir^t burned the lime is yellowish in color, but when slacked is nearly white. It is excellent for stone work.

Though lime has been burned in every township of the county east of the Cannon Kiver, it is not now made a regular and paying business, except at Phillip Cromer's kiln, on Fall Creek, near Faribault. Mr. Cromer u.ses a patent kiln and burns from 3,000 to 3,.500 barrels a year, which he sells at sixty-five cents per barrel. Three other kilns near Faribault, owned respectively by Messrs. Pond, Lee, and riord,burn in the aggregate about 1,000 barrels per year. There is a kiln one mile from Northfield, in Dakota county, which supplies Northfield and vicinity. This kilu burns its lime from the best strata of the Shakopee formation. In general character the lime is like that of the Trenton.

Bkick. - Rice county contains an abundance of clay for tlie manufacture of brick, but none has been found sufficiently free from iron to make the white or cream colored brick. At Taribault Mr. J. G. McCarthy makes about 700,000 per year, which he sella at S6 per thousand. One season lie made one million. All the clav of this section

Henry Durham, of Faribault, burns about , 300,001) per year and fluds lying immediately under the elay a stratum of sand for mixture with it.

Another brickyard lias been started at Faribault, which has been a success. At Prairieville, Messrs_ Meisner and Li'onard are making about 300,000 per year. Their brick are said to contain considerable lime and to be very good. At Morristown, Mr. Pettiel makes about 50,000 per year. Three miles northeast of Faribault, Mr. Duugay is making the best brick yet produced iu the county. His product so far has been but about 100,000 per year, but these have been sold at from iJ7.50 to $8 per thousand. At HhieldsviUe one kiln is burned each year for home supply, and at Northfield one or two small kilns are burned every season.

In 1878, a bank of clay was opened about three miles from Nortlitield, and brick for the new college buikling ( St. Olaf's ) have been burned. They are jironounced of fine <|uality.