St. Cloud Democrat. [volume] (Saint Cloud, Stearns County, Minn.) 1858-1866, 1859-06-23
THE GIT. ouR*DEMoCRAT
:ASE d.3swIssnELM md 4sDmooR
Thursday, June 23th. 1859.
VOL. !: Il u ~ Il l. ;1E.Gsg-.NO. tx&f:a

thursday, June 18th 1853.
VOL. .44-f 4 /: i; ttEEG1TrN No. fxE1R;s
II q Nv IN; S.
SAIEIT.CLQ;UP-
ST. Cloud 10 the point, At which the Red Riv-
er trains cross tilc Mississippi on their way to
81. Paul, which proves it. to. he 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 tho Spring Add early
place W. - - 10 ~4s - a.& ~ ~
The map gives its position correctly: with
reference to all the most important points in
the Territory, but tile peculiar beauty Of its
location, and fertility of the surrounding co,ln-
Try, cannot be Transcribed. Within fifteen
'olls 0: st. Cloud, on opposite sides of the
river. and at different points Of the compass
are eight lakes varying in size from mile to
. miles in circumference, MI, save one, beau
t'tul, exceedingly, three OF them at least, deep
enough to float man-ofwar. Wooded banks,
Gle an pebbly shores p!entifully mixed with
cornelian; and waters abundantly supplied
with fish,
When Gsy. Stevens made his surrey Of
Northern railroad route to the Pacific in '53,
hc canrci con tho western side Of the Mis-
siSsippi below Sank Rapids" The place was
na1neless the present site Of St. Cloud !; but it
is here his route leaves the river: In the sum-
mer OF 'J5 Il claim cabin was built on the spot
where We now write, q 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 shirt y-two votes
po!cd ia the precinct Not the votes Of Inyi-
or Half breeds, for there are none here
\ majority OF the habtants Of the country
arc hardy Germans, with sturdy wives. aud
children cnl!iva!iux the soil and working at
u,cchan:c:sl cm{loymcnts.
The subsu il sandy and although the soil is
from one to three feet deep, a rich black loan
supporting q rank vegetation the drainage is
Perfect ard the air SO pure that breathing
is 4 perpetual pleasure. AS yet, our physi-
clans have discovered no diseases peculiar. to
tue climate, no inleg .nious complaint except
the '.Nnnesota Appetite which requires one
toVtll more treatment than a modest lennsyl-
vana or Ohio attack ola corresponding dis
:ta;c. r d ,'.
Any bo.!y who wants to drink whiskey IN
peace had better not come here, for the treaty
by which the land was acquired from tire Sioux
torbids its introduction; and the Legislature
has passed a 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 pecun:ary independence are bet
ter combined. e. <~.:-
There areimmensc tracts Of pine lying above,
from which the mills at St. Paul, St. Anthouy,
and the Minnesota Valley are supplied. These
employ large and ever-increasing force of
men, horses snd oxen, who are to he supplied
with provisions, clothing and feed. The soil is
waiting for sn opportunity TO produce GnliRli-
- ted quantities OF food, without troubling the
farmer crushing clods; while the Mississippi
from St. Paul to Little Falls can afford to turn
ii mill at almost any point and has water pow-
er enough to do the manufacturing for q Con-
tincnt. s>;.yz*,... = !. s<ss.ts :
Our natural meadows produce grass rom
four to six feet high, and the beefkilled off our
prairies is quite equal to any stall fed we ave
ever eaten Our venison is fine at ten cents
per pound, rabbits, prairie hens, partridgcs,
ducks, &C., plenty. Thousands of bushels OF
aeorns for the hogs thatar not here to eat
them. Fuel for the labor Of cutting and hsul
ing of tho ground; ana there is no likelihood
OF the supply running out soon. as the ''BiG
Woods" extend from this place semc~ twenty
miles or more, down this side Of the river and
from eight to twelve miles back. Our prairics
arc al dotted with strips Of wood land, soak
Openings which Just look like old orchards,
= dense thickcts Of plum trees bearing delicious
: fruit, grape vines, doing likewise, thousands Of
acres Of hazel bushes and strawberry vines, en-
yasc'l in the same business; while some hun
-drcu acres are in the cranberry trade and turn
out an article, which for quantity7and quality
coano: be cxccllcd. The biackberrics red rasp-
berries and hops tack up their shingles in the
q woods and seldom dissappoint the most san
.. ga;ne expectations of their customers. There
sis still land ten fifteen miles back which set
'4lers can get, at government price, ny building
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 ff-
teen hundred. -: 80 49,
. In some of the river towns back, places that
i will be pleasant villages, lots can be had gratis
: BY those who will build and live on them
This, in places where a house can bic built for
+ fifty dollars, that would be 4 palace compared
i toythc dei.s rented III large cities for 4 and S
;. dollars per month, while the lot, with only the
:. aiIof j grnbb:ng hoe and few days labor,
,wSuld bring vegetables to feed a family, and
every ,townshipyhas 600 acres Appropriated to
4. the support Of schools. =,
:; Seventy thousand acres arc appl epriasEd to
State University: a fine Building has already
Aeen erected for the use OF that institution It
: is situated ST. Anthony, built of stone on an
! eElinancs commanding a view Of the falls, and
no State in the Union has better foundation
for good system Of popular education. No
thea prairie State is 50 well timbered as Min
= nesota and no State more abundantly supplied
r. with clear water. III the, country surrounding
: St. Cloud and as far North and West MS we have
any reliable account, settlers find no difficulty
lin locating land on a running stream or. trans
parent lake with plenty Of timber st hand for
building, fencing and fuel, and as the land on
the West side Of the Upper Mississippi is only
oHon to prescription, there is little opportunity
! Tor Spectators, and settlers have assurance Of