St. Cloud Democrat. [volume] (Saint Cloud, Stearns County, Minn.) 1858-1866, 1860-08-30

II. = -" T :0:W n S., . Il =.
SAINT CLOU p.
St. Cloud il the point st which the Req Riv-
ser trains cross the Mississippi on their, way to
St. Paul, which proves it to be the natural
Junction Of land travel between these two great
,rteries Of trade. 1t is at the present head Of
stesn navigation on the Mississippi. Boats
run regularly. during the Spring and early
summer months, from st Anthony to this
place. So" - '",@ ,
The map gives its position correctly with
reference to all the most important points in
the Territory, but the peculiar beauty Of its
location, and fertnity>of the surrounding coun-
try can not bsstranscribed. Within fifteen
mule Of st. Cloud, on opposite sides Of thu
raVsf. and at different points Of the compass
D mules in circumference, al, save one, beau
It'll, exceedingly, three OF them at least, deep
enough 10 aoat . man"of-war. Wooded banks,
clean pebbly shores plentifully mixed with
eoraelian; and waters abundantly supplied
til 6sh.
When Gov. Stevens made his survey Of a
northern railroad route to the Pacific in '63,
he camped con the western side Of the Mis-
,sissippi below Sank Rapids" The place was
nsmeless-the present site Of St. Cloud; but it
10 here his route leaves the river. In; the sum
uer Of IS claim cabin WAS built on the spot
where we now write, 4 good saw mill, the
frame Of a large Hotel and eight other dwell
ings were put up that summer. This last fall
there were three hundred and thirty.two votes
poliea 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
are hardy Germans, with sturdy wives aud
children cultivating the soil and working At
mechanical employments. .~,>:
The subsoil is sandy and although the soil is
from one to three feet deep, q rich black loan
supporting q rank vegetation, the drainage is
80 perfect and the air 80 pure that breathing
is perpetual pleasure. As yet, our .physi-
cisns have discovered no diseases peculiar to
the climate, no indeg .nious complaint except
the minnesota Appetite" which requires one
fourth more treatment than . modest Pennsyl-
sania or Ohio attack OF corresponding dis
ease. e,
Any body who wants to drink whiskey in
peace had better not come here, for the treaty
BY which the land was acquired from the Sioux
3orbids its introduction; and the Legislature
has passed law enforcing that provision; but
people Of moderate means and Industrious hab-
wl.o 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. u
There areimmenee 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 an opportunity to produce unlini-
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
q enough to do the manufacturing for Con-
tinent .-g e. g.
Our natural meadows produce grass from
four to six feet high, and the heefkilled of our
prairies is quite equal to any stall fed we ave
ssver eaten Our venisoIl ID ines Ct ten cents
per pound, rabbits, prairie hens, partridges,
dncks, 3d., plenty. Thousands Of bushels Of
avorns for the hogs that are not here to cat
them. Fuel for the labor Of cutting and haul
.nx off the ground; and there is NO likelihood
Of the supply running out soon as the :sBig
Woods, extend from this place some twenty
miles OF 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 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-.
ragged in the same BUSINESS while some hun
bred acres are in thecranberry trade and turn
out an article, which for quantity quality
connot be excelled. The blaokberries red rasp-
berries and hops tack up their shingles in the
woods and seldom dissappoint the most san
guine expectations Of their customers. There
is still land ten or fifteen miles back which set
tlsrs can set, at govern nent price, ny building
: cabin and living on it until it comes into
market. Actual settlers can buy lots here at
from one to Ave hundred dollars, and specula-
tors can have the same lots at from five to ff-
cen 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 the dens rented in large cities for 4 and 5
dollars per month, while the lot, with only the
aid Of q grubbing hoe and o few days labor,
would bring vegetables to feed . family, and
every township has 900 acres appropriated to
the support Of schools.
State University. "a fine building has already
beelarectsd for tho use ofthat instifution. It
8 situated 81: Anthony, built q stone on an
emiaenc>, commanding view of the.falls, and
no State d. ths Upion' has = Is & foundation
for good u tem ofSpopular sducation. No
other prairie State is 90 well timbered;a as Min
nesota and no State more abundantly supplied
with clear water. j HI Che country surrounding
st: Cloud and q far North aud zWastasw We have
any reliable account, settlers find no dificults
in locating land on a.running stfesm Or trany-
Iarcnt lake with plenty 81 timber q hand for
building fencing and fuel, and as the land on
tia Wesk aida AZ fle I1nnalp il onlv
open tosprs-smption there is little opp ortunity