St. Cloud Democrat. [volume] (Saint Cloud, Stearns County, Minn.) 1858-1866, 1860-06-28
SAINT CLoU ..

St. Cloud is the point ct which the Rcd Riv-
or trains cross the Mississippi on their way 20
St. Paul. which proves It to be the natural
junction of land travel between these two great
arter les of trade. It is at the present head OF
steam navigation on tho Mississippi. Boats
run regularly. during tho Spring and early
Summer months, from st Anthony to this
place. -s":3~
: The map gives its position correctly with
reference to oil the most important points In
the Territory, but the peculiar beauty Of its
location, and fertility Of the surrounding ooun-
try can not be transcribed. Within fifteen
mile Of St. Cloud, on opposite sides OF tho
river, and at different points OF the compass
are eight lakes varying in size from mile to
s miles in circumference, all, save one, beau
tiff, exceedingly, three OF them at least, deep
enough to float man-of-war. Wooded banks,
clean pebbly shores plentifully mixed with
cornelian; and waters abundantly supplied
nth fish. ..a<:. .
WheGn ev. Stevens made his survey OF q
northern railroad route to the Facihc IN oo'
he camped 'son the western side OF the MIS-
sissippi below Sank Rapids" me pace was -
nameless-the present site OF st. cloud; Out ]"
ia here his route leaves the river. In the sum-
mer of IS claim cabin was built on the spot
where va now write, good saw mill, the
frame of largo Hotel and eight other aweli =,
inqs were put up that summer. TINS last 1'll
there were three hundred and thirty-two yotes
polled in the precinct. Not the votes OF 1no1-
ans or Half Breeds, for there ore none mere
A majority Of the inhabitants OF the country
are hardy Germans, with sturdy wives aud
children cultivating the soil and working ut
mechanical employments.
The subsoil is sandy and although the SOIL Is
from one to three feet deep, rich BLACK loan
supporting rank vegetation, the drainage Is
80 perfect and the Dir so pure that oreatMug
is q perpetual pleasure. AS yet, our Physi-
clans have discovered no diseases peculiar 10
the climate. no indeg .nious complaint except
the cMinpesota Appetite which requires one
fourth more treatment than modest tennsy1-
yania or Ohio attack of corresponding ais
ease. 49,, ..
Anv body who wants to drink whiskey in
peace had better not come here, for the treaty
bv which the land was acquired from the Sioux
forbids its introduction; and the Legislature
has passed o law enforcing that provision; out
people of moderate means ndindustrlous hao-
who have children to educate, will ind few
places where the opportunity for correct moral
training, healthy development Of muscle ana
the means of pecuniary independence ore bet
ter combined.
There areimmense 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 arc to be supplied
with provisions, clothing and feed. The soil is
va;tinr for an opportunity to produce unlini-
ted quantities of food, without troubling the
farmer crushing clods; while tho Mississippi
from St. Paul to Little Falls can afford to turn
mill ut almost any point and has water pow
or enough to do the manufacturing for Con-
tinent
Our natural meadows produce grass from
four to six feet high, and the bccfkilled of our
>ofo fod rpN nVo
ever eaten Our venison is fine ut ten cents
per pound, rabbits, prairie hens, cartridges,
ducks, &c., plenty. Thousands Of bushels of
aeorns 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 soon Us 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 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-
gagged in the same business; while some hun
drcd acres are in the cranberry trade and turn
out an article, which for quantity and quality
connot be excellcd. The blackberries 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
tiers can get, at government price, by building
cabin aud 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 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
dollars per month, while the lot, with only the
aid of a grubbing hoe and few days labor,
would bring vegetables to feed a family, and
every township has 600 acres appropriated to
the support of schools. :, s4ass, ~
Seventy thousand acres are appropriated to
State University. a fine building has already
been erected for the use Of TINT institution: 1t
8 situated ST. Anthony, built Of stone on an
eminenos commanding view of the falls, and
no State in the Union has q better foundation
for 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 as we have
any reliable account, settlers find no difficults
in locating land on a running stream or trany-
parent lake with plenty Of timber at hand for
building, fencing and fuel, and as the land on
the West side Of the Upper Mississippi is only
open to presumption, there is little opportunity
for spcculators, and settlers have assurance Of
neighbors and that rapid increase in the value
of their lands and in social advantages which
arise from the system of land in limited guam
titles to actual settlers.
The country around ST. Cloud, west of the
Mississippi was purchased Of the Indians in q
treaty made with them BY the Hon. Alexander
r g q