Minnesota
2 of the 7 encyclopedias on this shelf carry an entry for Minnesota. Both are reproduced below, so you can see where they agree and where they differ.
Aiton's Encyclopedia (1910)
a north central state of the Union. Owing to the possession of a few square miles of land lying north of the forty-ninth parallel between two bays of the Lake of the Woods, Minnesota is the most northerly state of the Union. The general shape is oblong. The southern boundary is the parallel of 43 deg. 30' N. The boundaries are partly artificial and partly natural. The extreme length from north to south is 380 miles. The breadth varies from 263 to 338 miles. The area, including over 10,000 lakes and the rivers, is 83,365 square miles. With regard to drainage the state occupies a unique position. The general surface is level, and yet the waters of the state flow into the Hudson Bay , the Great Lakes , and the Gulf of Mexico. The Height of Land, as it is called, is about 1,462 feet above the level of the sea; yet one may cross it without noticing any change in altitude. The lowest part of the state is the shore of Lake Superior, 602 feet above the sea. If deep canals were cut, the entire state, including the Red River Valley of the North and the Mississippi Valley as far south as the state line, would drain into Duluth harbor. The average altitude of the state is 1,275 feet above the sea. The greatest elevation in the state is in the Mesaba or Iron Range, nearly 2,200 feet above the sea. MINERALS. While the surface of the state is ordinarily level, the northeastern part rises into a rocky swell, known as the Iron Range. It is composed of primary rocks, said by geologists to be a part of the first land formed on the face of the globe. In this respect Minnesota may lay claim to be not only the oldest state in the Union but the oldest country in the world. The Iron Range takes its name from the abundance of iron ore which it contains. Iron mines have been opened up extending from Ely northwestward to points on the Mississippi. The ore obtained is said to be unsurpassed for quality. It exists in apparently unlimited quantities. Some of the best paying mines are mere open pits of iron gravel. Trains of cars run in on spur tracks and are loaded with steam shovels. The ore is carried in cars shaped not unlike a miller's hopper. The mines are from fifty to 100 miles from Lake Superior. Railroads have been built into the iron region. As the track leads down hill for the entire distance, a single engine is able to draw a lengthy ore train. The cars are run out on high trestles at Two Harbors, Duluth, Superior, and other points. The ore is dumped through the bottom of the cars into enormous bins, from which it is conveyed by chutes into boats that carry it to Cleveland and other eastern lake ports. Minnesota now lays claim to be the greatest iron-producing state in the Union. The state has granite, sandstone, and limestone quarries, producing stone unsurpassed for building material. There are also unlimited beds of brick and pottery clay. Coal is entirely wanting. FORESTS. The southeastern part of the state was covered originally with hardwood timber. The north was covered with dense evergreen forests. The western part of the state from the southern boundary to the northern was a fertile prairie. The hardwood forests have disappeared rapidly before the axe of the settler. The lumbermen have all but stripped the pineries. CLIMATE. The mean annual rainfall for different parts of the state varies considerably. It is about thirty-four inches a year at Winona, about thirty inches at Duluth, twenty-eight inches at St. Paul and about twenty-two inches in the Red River Valley. January, the coldest month in the year, has a mean temperature of 14 deg. at Winona, 12 deg. at St. Paul and Duluth, and about--2 deg. at the extreme northern boundary. The average temperature for July varies from 76 deg. in the southern part of the state to 62 deg. in the Iron Range. The air is allowed by all to be unusually bracing and healthful. The waters of the state are excellent. AGRICULTURE. Minnesota is distinctly agricultural. It is one of the great foodproducing states of the Union. The annual production of the farm has reached a total of $250,000,000. Minnesota is the leading wheat-producing state of the Union. The annual crop ranges from 65,000,000 to 100,000,000 bushels. The southern part of the state may lay claim to be considered in the corn belt. The yield of corn decreases as one proceeds northward. Only the earliest varieties will ripen in the northern part of the state. In addition to wheat and corn, the state produces an annual crop of about 30,000,000 bushels of barley, 75,000,000 bushels of oats, and 15,000,000 bushels of potatoes. The cereal crop of the state is worth from $150,000,000 to $200,000,000 a year. Minnesota takes fifth rank in the value of dairy products. Seven hundred creameries pay out $13,000,000 a year for milk. The total dairy product of the state is from $40,000,000 to $60,000,000 a year. GAME AND FISH. When open to settlement, the state was a sportsman's paradise. Myriads of waterfowl nested in the prairie grasses. The early settler had actual difficulty in protecting his crops against flights of pigeons in the spring and enormous flocks of prairie chickens in the autumn. Grouse, prairie chickens, partridges, and quails are still to be found. Ducks, teal, geese, and brants drop down to feed for a few weeks in their autumnal migration from Manitoba to the south. Large game has retired into the evergreen region. The deer, bear, elk, and moose are still numerous. Snipes are plentiful everywhere. Gulls, pelicans, and other fishing birds find protection in the wooded islets of many lakes. The lakes of northern Minnesota are full of perch, pike, walleye, bass, croppies, and other game fish. Whitefish, sturgeon and lake trout are found in the larger lakes only. The state was once a paradise for buffalo. The last herd wintered near Sauk Center in 1856-7. Stray animals were seen near Fairmont as late as 1862. MANUFACTURES. Aside from milling, the manufactures of the state are concentrated chiefly in the large cities. The state ranks first in the manufacture of flour and third in the manufacture of lumber and linseed oil. The railroads center at St. Paul and Minneapolis. HISTORICAL. So far as known, Minnesota was first seen by a white man in 1655, when two French explorers reached a point in the Mississippi River above Lake Pepin. Du Luth and Hennepin explored the Mille Lacs country in 1679-80. Le Sueur explored the valley of the Minnesota in 1683-1700. Jonathan Carver, a colonial captain from Boston, wintered near New Ulm in 1766. Lieutenant Pike was sent by the government to explore the country in 1805, shortly after the Louisiana Purchase. In 1820 General Cass, governor of Michigan, explored the upper Mississippi as far as the lake which bears his name. Fort Snelling, at the junction of the Minnesota and the Mississippi rivers, was established in 1822. The first steamboat to visit the region came up the river to Fort Snelling May 10, 1823. The Territory of Minnesota was organized June 1, 1849. The portion of the state lying west of the Mississippi River was part of the original Northwest Territory . The state was admitted to the Union May 11, 1858. Roughly speaking, the Ojibway Indians occupied the evergreen portion of the state; the Sioux Indians the hardwood and prairie region. The settlement of the state was held back by an outbreak of the Sioux begun August 18, 1862. Eight hundred settlers lost their lives and thousands of others fled from the state. Although the Indians were promptly suppressed and were driven into what was then Dakota territory, the terror inspired by the massacre did not subside for many a year. Prospective settlers turned their faces in other directions. EDUCATION. A state system of education was organized in territorial days. One-eighteenth of the area of the state was set aside to create an endowment for educational purposes. In 1909 this fund, the interest of which only is used, amounted to $19,709,383. A complete system of common schools reaches every child in the state. There are five normal schools for the education of teachers. In 1909 there were 206 high schools receiving a special bonus of $1,750 each from the state. In point of attendance, the state university, located at Minneapolis, ranks third among the institutions of learning in this country. It maintains the usual literary and professional colleges, including an agricultural school considered one of the most successful in the country. Various denominations maintain colleges. In 1900 the population of the state was 1,751,394. The state census of 1905 reported 1,979,912. Minnesota is popularly known as the "North Star" and the "Gopher State." The name is derived from the Minnesota River. It is said to mean "Sky-Colored Water." The lady's slipper is the state flower. STATISTICS. The following statistics are the latest to be had from trustworthy sources: Land area, square miles 79,205 Population 2,025,615 Minneapolis (1909) 309,378 St. Paul (1909) 224,189 Duluth (1909) 74,520 Winona (1906) 20,458 Stillwater (1906) 12,458 Mankato (1906) 11,075 Number counties 82 Members of state senate 63 Representatives 119 Salary of governor $5,000 U. S. representatives 9 Presidential electors 11 Assessed valuation of property $1,037,000,000 Bonded indebtedness $700,000 Acres improved 18,000,000 Agricultural Productions-- Wheat, bushels 94,962,000 Corn, bushels 58,464,000 Oats, bushels 89,467,000 Barley, bushels 31,600,000 Rye, bushels 1,748,000 Buckwheat, bushels 76,000 Flaxseed, bushels 4,140,000 Potatoes, bushels 17,825,000 Hay, tons 1,622,000 Onions, bushels 250,000 Tobacco, pounds 140,000 Butter, pounds 82,000,000 Eggs, dozens 50,000,000 Beet sugar, pounds 5,500,000 Honey, pounds 1,000,000 Wool, pounds 2,500,000 Domestic Animals-- Horses 723,000 Mules 8,339 Milk cows 1,040,000 Other cattle 1,279,000 Sheep 459,000 Swine 1,267,000 Goats 3,821 Manufacturing establishments 4,756 Capital invested $184,000,000 Operatives 16,000 Wages $45,000,000 Raw material $210,000,000 Output of manufactures $308,000,000 Tons of iron ore 35,000,000 Clay products $1,689,000 Quarry products $1,500,000 Miles of railway 8,500 Teachers in public schools 13,928 Pupils enrolled 429,000 Percentage of male teachers 11.3 Average monthly salary of men teachers $65.60 Average monthly salary of women teachers $43.72 Average annual expenditure per pupil $33.59 See St. Paul; Minneapolis
Collier's New Encyclopedia (1921)
a State in the North Central Division of the United States; bounded by Manitoba, Ontario, Lake Superior, Wisconsin, Iowa, North Dakota, and South Dakota; admitted to the Union May 11, 1858; counties, 86; area, 79,205 square miles; pop. (1890) 1,301,- 826; (1900) 1,751,394; (1910) 2,075,708; (1920) 2,387,125; capital, St. Paul. Topography. The surface of Minnesota is undulating, with no mountains but having a broad low elevation in the N., 280 miles in length. This elevation constitutes the watershed for three great basins, the Mississippi, the St. Lawrence and the Hudson bay. This elevation is about 1,000 feet above the S. of the State toward which it descends in a gradual slope. There are several elevated plains W. of the Mississippi, of which the Coteau des Prairies, and the Coteau de Grand Bois, are the most extensive. The principal river system is the Mississippi which has its source in this State. The principal affluents of this river are the Minnesota, the Root, Zumbrota, Cannon, Crow Wing, Willow, St. Croix, and Rum. The Red river of the North forms over half the W. boundary line of the State and is fed by the Buffalo, Wild Rice, ice, and Red Lake. Many small streams flow into Lake Superior, and several discharge into Rainy Lake river, and the chain of lakes running along the N. boundary. The State has numerous large lakes, including Red Lake, Leech, Mille Lacs, Vermilion, Big Stone, Traverse, Otter Tail, Itasca, and Winnebegoshish. The Mississippi river has numerous beautiful waterfalls, the largest being the Falls of St. Anthony, and the cascade of Minnehaha. Geology. The rocks of the N. and S. E. portions of the State are of Lower Silurian origin, and the river valleys are underlaid by magnesium limestone. The lake shore is principally of metamorphic origin, with schists, alternating with sandstone, basalt, and occasional drift deposits. Soil. The soil is of alluvial deposit of great richness, and especially adaptable to wheat-growing. It is a rich loam from two to five feet in depth. The top covering of the land known as "black dirt" is due to the residuum of prairie fires and accumulations of decayed vegetation. The climate is less rigorous than usual in such latitudes. The winters are long, and the temperature even, with but little snow. Annual rainfall from 20 to 30 inches. The principal forest trees are the oak, beech, elm and maple; spruce, pine, and other coniferous trees; ash, birch, linden, basswood, butternut, wild plum, and crab apple. Mineralogy. The N. E. portion of the State is known as the mineral region and is rich in mineral resources. Mineral Production. -Minnesota's high mineral producing State rank as a comes entirely from its iron production. In this it ranks first. There was shipped from the mines of the State in 1918, 43,263,240 tons of iron ore, valued at $144,706,532. The larger part of the production comes from the Mesabi Range, which is the most important iron-producing district in the world. Production was begun in this field in 1892 and has steadily increased. The output from the Vermilion Range has decreased in recent years. The only other important mineral products are clay and stone. Agriculture.- Minnesota is one of the great agricultural States. The production of the principal crops in 1919 was as follows: corn, 118,000,000 bushels, valued at $141,600,000; oats, 90,160,000 bushels, valued at $57,702,000; barley, 18,200,000 bushels, valued at $21,112,000; wheat, 37,710,000 bushels, valued at $94,276,000; rye, 7,830,000 bushels, valued at $10,179,000; hay, 3,800,000 tons, valued at $55,100,000; potatoes, 26,100,- 000 bushels, valued at $39,933,000. Banking. On Oct. 1, 1919, there were reported 309 National banks in operation, with $33,606,000 in capital, $14,122,- 000 in outstanding circulation, and $81,- 249,000 in United States bonds. There were also 1,120 State banks with $24,- 753,000 capital and $9,342,000 surplus; 19 trust and loan companies, with $5,- 551,000 capital and $1,440,000 surplus. The exchanges for the year ending Sept. 30, 1919, at the United States clearing houses at Minneapolis and St. Paul amounted to $3,181,855,000. Education. The enrollment of the public schools is about 500,000, with an average daily attendance of 375,000. The teachers numbered about 18,000. In 1919 there were 236 high schools in which were enrolled 45,457 pupils, with an average yearly attendance of 37,422. Under the high schools there were 179,- 637 graded pupils, with an average daily attendance of 148,913, with 5,260 teachers. There are normal schools at Winona, Mankato, St. Cloud, Moorehead, and Duluth. The University of Minnesota is a part of the educational system of the State. Other institutions of higher learning are Carleton College, Hamline University, Macalester College, and Gustavus Adolphus College. Albert Lea College is for women only. Churches. The strongest denominations in the State are the Roman Catholic; Lutheran, Independent Synods; Methodist Episcopal; Lutheran Synodical Conference; Lutheran General Council; Regular Baptist; Presbyterian; Congregational; and Protestant Episcopal. Transportation. The railroad mileage of the State is about 9,000. The lines having the longest mileage are the Great Northern, 2,100; Minneapolis, St. Paul and Sault Ste. Marie, 1,131; Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul, 1,233; and the Northern Pacific, 1,021. Finance. The total revenue of the State for the fiscal year ending June 30th, 1919, was $32,493,164, 4. while the total expenditures were $33,689,641. The balance at the beginning of the year was $8,153,000 and at the end of the year was $6,986,513. The State has no bonded debt. Charities and Corrections. - The State Board of Control has control over 13 of the charitable and correctional institutions. Among these are the St. Peter State Hospital, the State Hospital at Rochester, the State Hospital at Fergus Falls, State Asylum at Onaka, State Asylum at Hastings, and schools for the feeble-minded, deaf, and blind at Faribault. State Government. The governor is elected for a term of two years. Legissessions are held biennially beginlative ning on Tuesday after the first Monday of January, and are limited to 90 days each. The Legislature has 67 members in the Senate and 131 in the House. There are ten Representatives in Congress. The State government in 1920 was Republican. History. The site of the present State of Minnesota was first visited by a French exploring party under Louis Hennepin, a Franciscan priest, who ascended the Mississippi river as far as the Great Falls. By the treaty of Versailles in 1763, this region was ceded to Great Britain, and in 1766 it was explored by Jonathan Carver, a native of Connecticut. In 1783 the Northwest Territory, including Minnesota, E. of the Mississippi, was ceded to the United States. No attempt was made to extinguish the Indian title till 1805, when a purchase was made of a tract of land for military purposes at the mouth of the St. Croix, and another at the mouth of the Minnesota river, including St. Anthony's Falls. In 1827 a small tract of country between the St. Croix and Mississippi was ceded by the Indians to the United States, and lumbering operations commenced upon the St. Croix. The Territory of Minnesota was established, and the government organized in 1849. It embraced nearly twice the area of the present State, its W. limits extending to the Missouri and White Earth rivers. In 1851 the Sioux ceded to the United States all their lands in the territory between the Mississippi and Big Sioux rivers and in 1858 Minnesota was admitted to the Union. That portion of the State lying E. of the Mississippi belonged originally to the "territory N. W. of the Ohio," while that portion W. of the Mississippi was included in the territory known as the Louisiana Purchase. In 1862 the Indians attacked the frontier settlements, and in a few days killed about 800 settlers. In consequence the Sioux and Winnebagoes were removed from the State, and their lands opened to settlement.