St. Cloud Democrat. [volume] (Saint Cloud, Stearns County, Minn.) 1858-1866, 1859-06-16
THE r. CLOUD DEMOCRAT.
2 ;lSE G.: sWIssHELM,ss EDITOR.
Thursday, June 18th 1853.
u VsOL.1.s "a 4 = Il Ssxs NO. s46. ~
I TO WINS ; s..
5.AINTCIOUD.

5A INTCLOUD
Ste is the point at " hioh the.Rsd Riv-
.er trains cross the Mississippi on their way to
: ". Paul, which proves it to be the natural
junction of land. travel between these twogreat
arteries Of trade I, is ct 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. - .~,a
TAe.nap gives its position correctly with
reference to all the most important points in
the Territory, but the peculiar beauty Of its
location, and fertility ofthe surrounding coun-
Try cannot be transcribed. Within, fifteen
male OF -. Cloud, on opposite sides Of the
river, and 1t different points Of the compass
are eight lakes varying in siza from l mile to
. miles i'll circumference, all, save one, beau
t11ul, exceedingly, three OF them at least, deep
enough TO float man-of-war. Wooded banks,
elean pebbly chores p!entifully mixed with
corae!ian; anu waters sbundantly supplied
With Gsh I - =. -
When usy. s:c7eas made his survey Of a
northern railroad route to the Pacific in '53,
he camped ION the western side Of the Mis-
s:.s;ppi below Sank Rapids" The place was
nau1e!css-the presea: site Of St. Cloud; but it
is here his route leaves the river. In the sum
MGR CT s. q clea, cabin was built on the. spot
where we now write, q good saw mill, the
frame Of . large Hotel and eight otaer dwell
ings were put up shat summer. This last fall
there were three hundred and thirty-two votes
Pulled in the precinct. Not the votes Of Indi-
ans CT Half Breeds, for there are none here.
\ uajocity Of the inhabitants OF the country.
are hardy Germans, with sturdy wives aud
cAi.ics-. cul,lva ing the soil and working at
mechanical euployments.
Tic suhsoil is sandy and although the soil is
fro:a one 10 three feet deep, a rich black loan
supporting rank vegetation, the drainage is
80 perfect and the sir 50 pure that breathing
Is 4 perpetual pleasure. AZ yet, our physi-
clans have discovered no diseases peculiar to
the climate, no iadcg ,nious complaint except
the minnesota Appetite which requires one
fourth more treatment than a modest rennsyl.
+ania or Ohio attack CT a corresponding dis
ease.
ANY body who wants to drink wliskey in
peace had better not come here, for the treaty
forbids its Introduction; and the Legislature
;ass passed a law enforcing that provisions; but
people Of moderate means and industrious hah-
its who have children to educate, will lind few
places sEhere the opportunity for correct moral
train:ng. healthy development Of muscle, and
the 1neaas Of pecuniary independence ore bet
ter combined.
There areizamensc tracts Of pine lying above,
from which the mills ct St. Paul, st. Anthony,
and the Minnesota Valley are supplied. These
employ large and eyer-increasing forco of
men, horses snu oxen, who are to be supplied
with provisions, clothing and feed The sell is
waiting for. ga opportunity to produce unlini-
ted quantities Of food, without troubling the
farmer crushing clods; while the Mississippi
from St. Paul TO Little Feals can at;.-d to turn
mill ut almost any point and his water DOW
-. enough to do the manufacturing for Con-
:i1e1:. - ~
Our natural meaaezcs produce a grass from
four to six feet high, and the beefkilled off our
prairics is quite equal 20 any stall fed we ave
9ver eaten Gar ven;son is finc 1T ten cents
per pound, rabbits, prairie hens. partridges,
ducks, Sc, plenty. thousands of bushels Of
1eeorns for she ho;;s that are not here to cat
zhcu. fue! for tho labor Of cutting and haul
ing ez the 81 ound; and there is no likelihood
Of the supply running out SOON rs the 'Dig
miles Or more, down this side Of the river and
from eight TO twelve miles back. Our prairics
are al dotted With strips Of wood land, coax
Openings which just look Ike old orchards,
dense thickets Of plum trees bearing delicious
fruit, grape vines, doing likewise, thousands Of
acres of hazel bushes and strawberry vines, en-
gagged in the same business; while some hun
dred acres~are in the cranberry trade and turn
ont al article, which for quantity and quality
coanoi be excelied. The: blackbe:ries red rasp-
berries ant. hops tack up their shingles in the:
woods aAcl seldom dissappoint the most san
g1ine expectations oc their customers. There:
is sti!l land tea or fifteen miles back which set
tiers can GET st g0rcrn:oant price, hy building
q cabin and living on it until it comes into
market. actual settlers can buy lots here g:
from one to five hundred dollars, and specula-
tors can have the same lots At from f7e to r.
teen hundred. .......: ..-. ...,..#
In some Of the river towns back, places that
will be pleasant villages, lots can be had gratis
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 tho dens rented in large cities for and S
dollars per mouth, while the lot, with only the
aid Of u grubbing hoe and q few. days labor,
would bring vegetables to feed 6 family, and
every township has 500 acres appropriately to
the support Of schools. - Z :: =. -.
Seventy thousand .crss are appropriated to
State University. A fine building has already
been erected for the use of that institution i
is situated St. Anthony built Of stone on an
srainence comma.,dinga view Of the falls, and
no State in the Union has a better foundation
for good system Of popuis.. education No
other prairie State is SO we'll timbercd as Min
nesota and no State more abundantly sappiie1
with clear water. In the country surrounding
st. Cloud and as far Northand West as we have
any reliable account. settlers ind no difficulty
in locating land on running stream or trans
parent lake with plenty oftimbers at hand for
building, fencing and fuel, aud astthe land on
the West side of the Upper Mississippiis only
open to prescription, there is iittle opportunity
for spectators, and settlers have assurance Of
neighbors and that rapid increase in the value
Ut their lands and in social advantages which
arise from the system Of land in limited guam
titles to actual settlers. 4 ss5a .Sg84 Isza.e
The country around St. Cloud, west Of the
Mississippi vas purchased ofthe lndiansin
treaty madssWith them by the Hon. Alexander
Ramsey and Luke Lea in 1852 and ratified by
the senate the same year. Tho Sioux had
owned the land from 1927 but had not occupied
it, and it was used as a hunting ground by. the