St. Cloud Democrat. [volume] (Saint Cloud, Stearns County, Minn.) 1858-1866, 1859-09-29


If various kinds, executed on short notice.
10 w ETSS. |
SAINT CLOUD
ST. Clonl is The point At which.,h Hrd Riv-
or trains cross the Mississippi ." their way to
ST. Paul. which proves ii I" be the natural
junction If land trayel be, wcen these two great
art cries Of trade. It is at the present head Of
steam navigation on tho Mississippi. Boats
run regularly. during the Spring and early
.smmcr months, from St. Anthony to this
ll.ce.
The map gives its position correctly with
rtscrence to all the most important points in
tho Territory, but the peculiar beauty Of its
location, and fertility of the surrounding coun-
Try can not be transcribed. Within fifteen
mile Of St. Cloud, Oh opposite sidcs Of tho
river and at different points Of tho compass
are eight lakes varying in size from l mile to
b miles in circumference, NIL, save one, beau
sfl exceedingly, three OF them at least, deep
enough to float man-of-war. Wooded banks,
Gle an pebbly shores plentifully mixed with
cornelian and waters abundantly supplied
with fish.
When Gov. Stevens madc his survey Of q
northern railroad route to the Pacific in '53,
he camped s'on the western side of the Mis-
sissippi below Sank Rapids" The place was
namclcss-the present site of St. Cloud but it
is here his route leaves the river. In the sum-
mer of SO 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 precinct. Not the votes Of Indi-
ans or Half Breeds, for there are none here
A majority of the inhabitants of the country
IRE hardy Germans, with sturdy wives aud
children cultivating the soil and working at
mechanical cmployments.
The subsoil is sandy and although the soil is
from one to three feet deep, rich black loan
supporting rank vegetation, the drainage is
30 perfect and the air so pure that breathing
is z perpetual pleasure. AS yet, our physi-
clans have discovered no diseases peculiar to
the climate, no indeg ,nious complaint except
the s.SIinnesota Appetite" which requires one
fourth more treatment than a modest Pennsyl-
vania or Ohio attack Of a corresponding dis
case.
Any body who wants to drink whiskey in
peace had better not come here, for the treaty
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-increasing force Of
men, horses snd oxen, who are to be supplied
with provisions, clothing and feed. The soil is
waiting for On opportunity to produce unlimi-
ted Quantities Of food, without troubling the
farmer crushing clods; while the Mississippi
from St. Paul to Little Falls can afford to turn
mill at almost any point and has water pow
or enough to do the manufacturing for Con-
tinsnt.
Our natural meadows produce grass from
four to six feet high, and the beefkilled off our
prairies is quite equal to any stall fed we have
vver eaten Our venison is fine at ten cents
per pound, rabbits, prairie hens, partridges,
ducks, &c., plenty. Thousands of bushels Of
.sorns 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 soons as the ''Big
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 thickcts Of plum trees bearing delicious
fruit, grape vines, doing likewise, thousands Of
acres Of hazel bushes and strawberry vines, en-
IN gel in the same business; while some hun
.lrcl acres arc in the cranberry trade and turn
out an article, which for quantity and quality
connot be excelled. The blackberries red rasp-
berries and hops tack up their shingles in the
woods and seldom dissappoint the most san
ruine expectations of their customers. There
Is still land ten or fifteen miles back which set
tiers can get, at government price, by building
o 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 fit
oen 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
ffty dollars, that would be palace compared
to the dens rented in large cities for and 5
dollars Der month, while the lot, with only the
aid of grubbing hoe and few days labor,
wou1d bring vegetables to feed family, and
every township has 900 acres appropriated to
the support of schools.
Seventy thousand acres are appropriated to
q State University. A fine building has already
been erected for the use of that institution. 1t
is situated 81. Anthony, built of stone on an
cminence commanding.'a view Of the falls, and
no State in the Union has better foundation
for a 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, settlers find no difficulty
in locating land on a running stream or trans
parent lake with plenty of timber At hand for
building, fencing and fuel, and as tho land on
She West side Of the Upper Mississippi is only
open to pre-emption, there is little opportunity
for Spectators, and settlers have assurance OF
neighbors and that rapid increase in the vaile
of their lands and in social advantages which
arise from the system Of land in limited guam