St. Cloud Democrat. [volume] (Saint Cloud, Stearns County, Minn.) 1858-1866, 1860-01-26
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SAINT CLOUD,

SAINT CLOUD
St. Cloud il the point ut which the Red Riv-
or trains cross the Mississippi Oh their way to
St. Paul, which proves it to be the natural
junction Of land travel between these two great
arteries OF trade. 1t is ut the present hc:.d OF
steam navigation on the Mississippi. boats
run regularly. during tho Spring and carly
Summer months, from St. Anthony TO this
place.
The map gives its position correctly with
rcrurcacc TO all the most Important points III
the Territory, but the. peculiar beauty OF its
location, and fertility Of the surrounding coun-
try can not be transcribed. Within fifteen
mil. of St. Cloud, on opposite sides OF tn:
river. and at different points Of the compass
arc eight lakes varying in size from mile to
5 miles in circumference, all, save one, beau
tiff, exceedingly, three OF them at least, deep
enough to float = man-ot-war. Wooded banks,
Gle IN pcbbly shores plcntifully mixed with
cornclian and waters abundantly suppnet'
Will, fish,
Whom Gov. Stevens made his survey OF a
northern railroad route to the Pacific i'll so,
Lc canned ..on the western side OF the Mls-
sissippi below Sank Rapids" The place was
nnmc|css present site of st. Cloud; but 1t
IL here his route leaves the river. In the sum-
mcr OF '55 q claim cabin was built Oh the spot
where VIC now write, good saw mill, the
frame of 4 large Hotel and eight OF or dwell.
in.s were put up that summer. FMS iast 1ail
,herc were three hundred and thirty-two votes
~ ,l,c,l in the precinct Not the votes Of lndi-
ana or Half Breeds, for there are none here
\ majority Of the inhabitants of the country
,rc hardy Germans, with sturdy wives aud
children cultivating the soil and working at
mechanical cmployments.
The subsoil is sandy and although the so,l is
from one to three feet deep, rich black loan
supporting IL rank vegetation, the drainage IS
80 perfect and the air 50 pure that breathing
il y perpetual pleasure. As yet, our physi-
clans have discovered no diseases peculiar to
the climate no indeg 'nious complaint except
the "Minnesota Appetite" which requires one
fourth more treatment than 4 modest Pennsyl-
vsnia or Ohio attack of Il corresponding dis
case. >.
Anv body who wants to drink whiskey in
no,cc had better not come here, for the treaty
bv which the land was acquircdtrom tho Sioux
forbils its introduction; and the Legislature
ha, passed law enforcing that provision; but
pcople of moderate means and industrious hab-
swho have children to educate, will lind few
places where the opportunity tor correct moral
training, healthy Development OF muscle, and
the means Of pccuniary independence are oet-
ter combined.
There areimmcnse tracts OF pine lying ABOVE
from which the mills at St. Paul, St. Anthony,
and the Minnesota Valley arc supplied. These
cmnlov large and cvcr-ncrcasing force oil
men. horses snd oxen who arc to he supplied
with provisions, clothing and feed. The soil is
waiting for an opportunity to produce unllmi-
ted quantities of food, without troubling the
farmer crushing clods; while the Mississippi
from St. Paul to Little Falls can efiord to turn
mill at almost any point and has water pow
or enough to do the manufacturing for q Con
tincnt
Our natural meadows produce grass from
four to six feet high, and the beet OFT our
prairics is quite equal to any stall fed We ave
ever eaten Our vcniseu is fine at ten cents
per pound, rabbits, prairie hens, Partridges,
ducks, &C., plenty. Thousands OF bushels OF
..corns for the hogs that are not here TO cat
them. Fuel for the labor OF cutting ana haul
ing off tho ground; and there is no Likelihood
Of the supply running ont soon. as the 'blg
miles or more, down this side of the river and
from eight to twelve miles back Our prairics
arc dotted with strips Of wood land, COAX
Openings which just look like old orchards,
dense thickcts of plum trees bearing delicious
fruit, grape vines, dcing likewise, thousands OF
acres of hazel bushes and strawberry vincs,en
gagged in the same business; while some hun
.ircd acres arc in the cranberry trade and turn
out an article, which for quantity and quality
connot he cxce}lel The blackberries red rasp-
berries and hops tack up their shingles in the
woods; and seldom dissappoint the most san
guine expectations Of heir customers. There
is still land ten or fifteen milcs back which set
tiers can get, at gOvcrMm c,pt price, hy building
cabin and living on i zatit it comes into
market. Actual settlers caa buy lots here at
tors can have the same lots at from five to tit
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
titty dollars, that wonld be a palace compared
to the dens rented in large cities for and 3
dollars ger month, while the lot, with only the
aid Of \ grubbing hoe and q few days. labor,
would bring vegetables to feed family, ana:
every township has 600 acres appropriated to
the support Of schools.
Seventy thousand acres are appropriated to
n State University: a fine building has already
been erected for the use Of that institution 1t
s situated ST. Anthony, built Of stone on an
cmincnce commanding view of the falls, and
no state III the UTlOA HAS d UeItef Aouhu;sIioh
for a good system of popular education. No
other prairie State is so well 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 Us we have
any reliable account settlers find no difficulty
in locating land on q running stream or trans
parent lake with plenty of timber at hand for
building, fencing and fuel, and as the land on
the West side of the Upper Mississippiis only
open to pre-emption, there is little opportunity
for spectators, and settlers have assurance Of
ncisLbors and that rapid increase in the value
of their lands and in social advantages which
arise from the system of land in limited auan-
Titles to actual settlers.
The country around 81 Cloud, west Of the
Mississippi was purchased of the Indians in a
treaty made with them by the Hon. Alexander
Ramsey md Luke Lea in 1852 and ratified by