St. Cloud visiter [sic]. [volume] (St. Cloud, Stearns County, Minn.) 1857-1858, 1858-05-20
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{ 5AINT1 CIo'UD-
s 9, Cloud il the point At which the Red Riy.
|sr trains cross the Mississippi on their way "a
=. Paul, which provesoit to be the natural
junction of land travel bet tween these two great
arteries Of trade. 1t il at the present head Of
steam navigation on the Mississippi. Boats
run regularly, during the Spring and early
summer months, from st. Anthony to this
place. - .,"'~
The map gives its position correctly with
reference to all the most important points in
the territory, but the peculiar beauty Of it's
location, and fertility Of the surrounding eoun-
Try cannot be transcribed. Within fifteen
miles Of St. Cloud, ON opposite sides Of the
river, and at different points of the compass
are eight lakes, varying in size from mile to
o miles in circumference, all, save one, bes.-
tifal, exceedingly, three Of them at least, deep
enough TO float man-of-war Wooded banks,
clean pebbly shores plentifully mixed with
cornelien :; and waters abundantly supplied
with fish. - -
u When Gov. Stevens made his survey Of -
northern railroad route to the pacific, :..s.ssa
he camped "on the western side of the Mis-
sissippi, below Sank Rapids" The place was
nameless-the present site Of St. Cloud; but it
Is here his route leaves the river. In thesum-
mer Of '55 claim cabin was built on the spot
where we now write, good saw mill, the
frame Of large Hotel and eight other dwell
ings were put up that summer. This last fall
there were three hundred md thirty-two votes
polled in the precinct. Not the votes of Indi-
ans or Half Breeds, for there are none here.
d majerity of the inhabitants of the county
are hardy Germans, with sturdy wives and
children, cultivating the soil and working ut
mechanical employments.
The subsoil is sand and although the soil is
from one to three feet deep, rich black loan
supporting rank vegetation, the drainage is
so perfect and the air SO pure, that breathing
is perpetual pleasure. As yet, our physi-
clans have discovered no diseases peculiar to
the climate, no Indigenous complaint except
the Minnesota Appetite which requires one
fourth more treatment than q modest Pennsyl-
vania or Ohio attack of corresponding dis
case.
q; Then, We have no dram shops but plenty
OF beer for Hauns, Catholic chapel, Baptist
and Episcopal church, regular Cumberland
Presbyterian Baptist and occasional Episcopal
service. A beautiful school house, part of the
time two schools, and first class Temperance
Hotel.
peace had better not come here. for the treaty
by which the land was acquired from the Sioux,
forbids its introduction; and the Legislature
has passed law enforcing that provision; but
people of moderate means and industrious hab-
its who have children to educate, will find few
places where the opportunity for correct moral
training, healthy development Of muscle, and
the means of pecuniary independence are bet
ter combined.
There are immense tracts Of pine lying above.
from which the mills at St. Paul, St. Anthony
and the Minnesota Valley are supplied These
employ large and ever-incrcasing force of
men, horses and oxen, who are to be supplied
With provisions clothing and feed. The soil is
waiting for an opportunity to produce unlimit-
ed quantities Of food, without troubling the far
mer crushing clods while the Mississippi from
St. Paul to Little Falls can afford to turn mill
at almost any point and has water power
enough to do the manufacturing for Cont
ncnt.
Our natural meadows produce grass from
four to SIX feet high and the beef killed off our
prairics is quite equal to any stall fed we have
ever eaten. Our venison is fine at ten cents
per pound, rabbits, prairie hens, cartridges,
ducks, &C., plenty. Thousands Of bushels of
aeorns for the hogs that are not here to eat
them. Fuel for the labor Of cutting and haul
ing eff the ground; and there is no likelihood
of the supply running out soon, as the ssBig
Woods extend from this place some twenty
miles or more, down this side Of the river, and
from eight to twelve miles back. Our prairics
are all dotted with strips of wood land, coax
Openings" which just look like old orchards.
dense thickets of plum trees bearing delicious
fruit, grape vines. doing likewise, thousands Of
acres of hazel bushes and strawberry vines en-
gagetlin the same business; while some hun
bred acres are in the cranberry trade and turn
out an article, which for quantity and quality
cannot be excelled. The blackberries, red rasp-
berries and hops tack up their shingles in the
woods; and seldom disappoint the most san
guine expectations of their customers. There
is still land ten or fifteen miles back which set
tiers can get, at government price, by building
q cabin and living on it until it comes into
market. Actual settlers can buy lots here at
from one to five hundred dollars, and specula-
tors can have the same lots at from five to if
teen hundred. :.,L So. = ,raa7
- In some of the river towns back, places that
will be pleasant villages, lots can be had erstis
by those who will build and live on them
This, in places where house can be built for,
fifty dollars, that would be . palace compared
to the dens rented in large cities for and 5
dollars per month, while the lot, with only the
aid OF q grubbing hoe. and . few days labor,
would bring vegetables to feed q family, and
every township has 600 acres appropriated to
the support Of schools. .G,ss>s- - .-,-,. -
JAMES F. KENNEDY
nasosn and P,la.s tIesraefs,
COLLECTS the patronage Of all persons in
- need of the services of q practical Mason
and Plasterer. His long experience in the
above branches Of trade assures him that he
will give universal satisfaction; his charges