St. Cloud Democrat. [volume] (Saint Cloud, Stearns County, Minn.) 1858-1866, 1859-01-06
SAINT CLOUD.

st.. Cloud is the point ut which the Red Riv-
CT trains cross the Mississippi onsthcir way TO
st. Paul, which proves it to be the natural
junction Of land travel between these two great
arteries OF trade. 1t is 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 it's position correctly with
| reference to I'LL the most important points in
the territory, but the peculiar beauty. Of it's
location, and fertility Of the surrounding coun-
try cannot be transcribed. Within fifteen
miles OF St. Cloud, on opposite sides Of the
river, and ut different points of the compass
are eight lakes, varying in size from mile to
miles in circumference, all, save one, beau
titul, exceedingly, three Of them at least, deep
enough to feat u man of-war. Wooded banks,
clean pebbly shores plentifully mixed with
comedian; and waters abundantly supplied
| with fish.
! When Gov. Stevens made his survey of
northern railroad route to the pacific, in '53,
ne camped ION 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 theriver. In the sum-
mer of '55 claim cabin was built on the spot
where we now write, a 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 and thirty two votes
polled in the prec met Not the votes of Indi-
ans or Half Breeds, for there are none here
ajority of the inhabitants Of the county
are hardy Germans, with sturdy wives and
children, cultivati ng the soil and working at
mechanical emplo,7ments.
The subsoil is sa md and although the soil is
from one to three feet deep, q rich black loan
supporting rank vegetation, the drainage is
SO perfect and the Dir so pure, that breathing
is a perpetual pleasure. As yet, our physi-
clans have discover ell no diseases peculiar to
the climate, no in }igenious complaint except
the minnesota Ap; oetitc'' which requires one
fourth more treatnl mt than q modest Pennsyl-
vania or Ohio attac of a corresponding dis
case.
ANY body who wants to drink whiskey in
peace had better not come here, for the treaty
by which the land W IS acquired from the Sioux
forbids it's Introduce ion and the Legislature
has passed law chi orcing that provision; but
people Of moderate cans and Industrious hab-
its who have children to educate, will find few
places where the OPP ortunity for correct moral
training healthy Development Of muscle, and
the means Of pecuni:sry 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 a large and evcr-increasing force Of
men, horses and oxen, who are to be supplied
with provisions clothing and feed. The soil is
waiting for an opport unity to produce unlimit-
cd quantities Of food, without troubling the far
NOR crushing clods: while the Mississippi from
St. Paul to Little Falls can afford to turn a mill
at almost any point and has water power
enough to do the manufacturing for CONT
nent
Our natural meadows produce grass from
four to six feet high, and the beef killed Of our
prairies is quite equal to amy stall fed We have
ever eaten. Our vcnison is fine at ten cents
per pound, rabbits, prairie hens cartridges,
ducks, &c., plenty Thou sands Of bushels OF
acorns for the hogs that are not here to eat
them. Fuel for the labor Of cutting and haul
ing off the ground and there is NO likelihood
Of the supply running out soon, as tho Big
| Woods extend from this place some twenty
miles more down this side OF the river, and
from eight to Twelve miles back. Our prai,jes
arc all dotted with STIR ps Of wood land, Coax
Opcn;ngs' which just look like old orchards.
dense tllckets Of plum trees bearing delicious
fruit grape vines, doing likewise. thousands OF
acres Of hazel bushes and strawberry vines. ell
gagged in the same business; while some hum
bred acres are in the cranberry trade and turn
out article. which for quantity and quality
cannot be cxccllcd. Ihe blackberres, retirasp-
berries and hops tack up their shingles in the
woods and seldom disaproint the most sam
guine expectations Of their customers. There
is still land ten or fifteen miles back which set
tiers can get, at government price, by building
IL cabin and living on it Until it comes into
market. Actual settlers car. buy lots here at
from, one to five hundred dollars and spccua-
tors can have the same lots ut from, five to fit
| teen hundred.
In some of the river town oack, places that
Will be pleasant villages, lots can be had gratis
by those who will build and live on them.-
This, in places where q house can be built for
fifty dollars, that would he a palace compared
to the dens rented in large cities for and 5
dollars per month"; while the lot with only the
aid of grubbing hoe and !, few days labor.
would bring vegetables to fe ed a family, and
every township has 600 acres appropriated to
the support of schools.
Seventy thousand acres are appropriated to
a State university A fine building has already
been erected for the use Of that institution 1t
is situated at St. Anthony, bnilt Of stone on an
eminence commanding a view of the falls and
no State in the Union has a better foundation
for good system of popular education. No
other prairie State is so we'll timbered as Min
nesota and no State more abundantly supplied
with clear water. In the country surrounding
st. Cloud and as far North and West as we have
any reliable account, settl ers find no difficulty
in locating land on q running stream or trans
parent lake with plenty Of timber at hand for
building, fencing and fuel, and as the land on
the West side Of the Upper Mississippi is only
open to presumption, there is little opportunity
for spectators, and settlers have assurance of
neighbors and that rapid increase in the value
of their lands and in social advantages which
arise from the system of land in limited guam
titles to actual settlers.
The country around St. Cloud, west of the
Mississippi was purchased of the Indians in &.
treaty made with them by Hon. Alexander
Ramsey and Luke Lea III 1852 and ratified by
the senate the same year. The Sioux had
owned the land from 1927 but had not occupied