St. Cloud Democrat. [volume] (Saint Cloud, Stearns County, Minn.) 1858-1866, 1860-11-08
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St. Cloud j. tho point ct which the Rsa Riv-
or trains GROSS the Mississippi on their way TO
st. Paul, whioh proves il to- be- the natural
junction Of land travel between these two great
arteries Of trade It is at the present head Of
steam navigation on the Mississippi. Boats
run regularly. during the Spring and early
sa.auaos months, from St Anthony to this
place: '~1'~ = -
The map gives its position correctly with
reference to all the most important points in
the Territory, but the peculiar beauty Of It's
location, and fertility Of the surrounding coun-
.7rys can not be transcribed. Within ,ffteen
'nite of St: Cloud, on opposite sides Of tho
river, and at different points of the compass
are eight lakes varying in size from l mile to
miles in circumference, all, save one, beau
'ifl, exceedingly, three OF them at least, deep
enough to aoat . man-of-war.~ Wooded banks,
clean psbbly shores plentifully mixed with
oorne!isn; and waters abundantly supplied
with fish, ss3-s:!'c--ss
When Gov. Stevens made his survey Of .
northern railroad route to the Pacific in '6S,
he camped ION the western side Of the Mis-.
sissippi below Sank Rapids" The plaes was
namsless-:ha present site Of St. Cloud but 1t
is hsre his route leaves the river. In the sum-
NOR Of IS claim cabin was built ON the spot
where We now write, 4 good saw mill. the
frame Of . large Hotel and eight otter DWELL
inSs were put up that summer. This last fall
there were three hundred and thirty-two votes
pulled in the precinct. Not the votes OF Andl-
uns or Half Breeds, for there are mono here.-
4 majority Of the inhabitants of tho country
are hardy Germans, with sturdy wives aud
children oultivatins the soil and working At
mechanica! employments. =. t24 - i 81, IL
The subsoil is sandy and although the soil is
from oae to three feet deep, q rich black loan
supporting q rank vegetation, the drainage is
10 perfect and the air 90 pure that breathing
is q perpetual pleasure As YET, our physi-
clans have discovered no diseases peculiar to
the climate, no indeg ,nious complaint except
ths minnesota Appetite" which requires one.
fourth more treatment than . modest Pennsyl-
yAnia or Ohio attack ola csrresponding dis
e;sse. J ~ - III j.
Any body who wants to drink whiskey in
peace had better not come here, for the treaty
by which the land was acquiredfrom the Sioux
forbids its introduction; and tho Legislature
has passed q law enforcing that provisions; but
people Of moderate means and industrious hab-'
who have children to educate, will ind few
placcs where the opportunity for correct moral
training, healthy development Of muscle, and
che means Of peeaniary independence are bet
ter combined. -. -,
There areinmenss tracts Of pine lying above,
from which the mills at St. Paul, St. Anthony,
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 tho
farmer crushing clods;s while the Mississippi
from st. Paul to Little Falls can afford to turn
mill st almost any point and has water pow
or enough to do the manufacturing for Con
inent ~
Our natural meadows produce grass from
four to six feet high, and the besfkilledo6 our
prairies is quite equal to any stall fed we ave
ever eaten Our venison il fine at ten cents
per pound, rabbits, prairie hens, partridges,
ducks, &c., plenty. Thousands Of bushels Of
aoorns for the hogs that are not here to est
them. Fuel for the labor Of cutting and haul
,n1 OF tho ground; and there is no. likelihood
OF the supply running out soon as the 'Big
Noods'' extend from this place some ctwentyI
miles or more, down this side of the river and
from eight to twelve miles back Our prairies
are \ dotted with strips Of wood land, ''Oak
Openings which just look like old orchards,
donse Tickets Of plum trees bearing delicious
fruit grape vines, doing likewise, thousands Of
acres Of haze1Sbushes and strawberry vines zen.
xayed in the same business; while some hun
drel acres are in the cranberry trade and turn
out al article, which for quantity and quality
connot be excelled. The blackberries red rasp-
berries and hops tack up their shingles in the
woods; aud seldom dissappoint the most san
guine expectations Of their customers. There
IS still land ten or fifteen miles back which set
tiers can got, at,govcrnnent price, by building
calm and living on it until it comes into
market. Actual settlers can buy lots here at
from one to five hundred dollars, and 5specnla
tors can have the same lots at from i've to. If
cen hundred - ---~,----~~-,-
In some of the river towns back, places that
will be pleasant villages, lots can be had gratis
b7 those who will build and live on them
This, in places where house can be built for
itty dollars, that would be . palace compared
to The dens rented in large cities for and S
donars ger month, while tho lot, with only the
a;l of grub5iag hoe and q faw days labor,
would bring vegetables TO feedss family, and
every township has 800 acres appropriated to
the support Of schools. Ill z h-'<,24.EGa2.
Seventy thousand acres are appropriated to
State University. fine building has already
been erected for the use Of that institution. 1t
situated a st. Anthony: built of stone on IN
eminencs commanding view of the falls, and
no Stats in the Union hasa better foundation
5or good system Of popular education. No
other prairie State is 50 well timbered as Min
nesota and no State more abundantly supplied
with clear water. In the country surrounding
St. Cloud and al far North and West IS We have
any reliable account, settlers find no difhcults
in locating land on q running stream or trany-
rarcnt lake with plenty Of timber q hard for
building, fencing and fuel, and as the land on
the West side OF The, Upper Mississippi is only
open to prescriptions, there il little opportunity
for spectators, and settlers have assurance Of
ueizhbors sn11 that rapid increase in the value
Of their lands and in social advantages which
arise from the System Of land in limited quan-
titles to actual sottlers . l2f1A DEE HI 8
The country around St. Cloud, west Of the
Mississippiswas purchased Of the indians IN !
treaty made with them by the Hon. Alexander
Ramsey and Luke Lea:inz 1852 aud sratihsds by
che senate tho same year. The Sioux had
owned the land from 1927 but had not occupied
it, and it was used rs o hunting ground by tho
Winnebagoes whose land reached within four