The finances of the county were in good condition until 1872, from which time, owing to heavy expenditures for new roads, with possibly injudicious management, and two defalcations of county auditors, considerable embarrassment ensued. In 1876 the state legislature bonded the county indebtedness of $10,000, in ten year bonds, at ten per cent interest. These bonds were readily received by the creditors, and the county is now free from debt. During the last year a bridge 800 feet long was built across the Kanabec river near Pine City, at a cost of $3,350, for which the State appropriated $1,500 and the county $1,850. The Lake Superior & Mississippi railroad was completed to Kanabec river in 1868, and in 1869 extended northwest to the county line. The building of this road was speedily followed by the erection of numerous mills along its line, a list of which is appended, with the very remarkable statistics of the losses by fire, from which but four of these mills were exempt: North Branch, Swenson & Co., flour mill; burned; loss, $8,000. Rush City, Taylor & Co., capacity 1,000,000 feet yearly; burned; loss, $3,000. Rock Creek, Edgerton & Co., capacity 2,000,000 feet yearly; burned; loss, $8,000; rebuilt. Rock Creek, Strong & Co., capacity 1,000,000 feet yearly; burned; loss, $1,500; rebuilt. Rock Creek, Long & Co., capacity 1,000,000 feet yearly; removed. Pine City, Ferson & Co., capacity 10,000,000 feet yearly; burned; loss, $50,000; rebuilt. Pine City, Ferson & Co., capacity 10,000,000 feet yearly; burned; loss, $25,000; rebuilt. Pine City, Munch & Burrows, stave mill; burned; loss, $10,000. Pine City, Brackett & Co., capacity 3,000,000 feet yearly. Mission Creek, Taylor & Co., capacity 3,000,000 feet yearly; burned; loss, $12,500; rebuilt. Mission Creek, Taylor & Co., capacity 3,000,000 feet yearly; burned; loss, $12,500. Hinckley, Grant & Co., capacity 1,000,000 feet yearly; burned; loss, $3,000. Hinckley, McKean & Butler, capacity 3,000,000 feet yearly; burned; loss, $7,000; rebuilt. Miller Station, Robie & Co., shingle mill; burned; loss, $3,000. Kettle River, S. S. Griggs & Co., capacity 3,000,000 feet yearly; never operated; loss, $5,000. Moose Lake, McArthur & Co., capacity 2,000,000 feet yearly; burned; loss, $30,000. Barnum, Cooley & Co., capacity 1,000,000 feet yearly; burned; loss, $5,000. Barnum, Bliss & Co., capacity 10,000,000 feet yearly. Northern Pacific Junction, Payne & Co., two mills burned; loss, $50,000; rebuilt the third time. POKEGAMA LAKE.