St. Cloud Democrat. [volume] (Saint Cloud, Stearns County, Minn.) 1858-1866, 1860-11-29
F. OWN ST..
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St. Cloud is the point at which tho Red Kiv-
or 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
arteries Of trade. It is at the present head of
steam navigation on the Mississippi. Y Boats
run regularly. during the Spring and early
Summer months, from st.. Anthony to this
place. e.rsf .., j....,..s: RI s...;.. r.nr
The map gives ito position correctly with
reference to all the most important points N
the Territory, bat tho peculiar beauty Of It's
location, and fertility Of tho surrounding eoun-
9ry can not be transcribed. Within fifteen
mile Of St. Cloud, on opposite sides or tho
river, and at different points OF the compass
are eight lakes varying in size from mile to
miles in circumference, all, save one, beau
it'll, exceedingly, three OF them at least, deep
enough to float q man-of-war. Wooded banks,
clean pebbly shores plentifully mixed with
coraelian; and waters abundantly supplied
With fish. ..... 80.
When Gov. Stevens made his survey Of
northern railroad route to the Pacific in '53,
he oamped ION the western side of the Mis-.
sissippi below Sank Rapids" The place was
nameless-the present site Of St. Cloud; but it
is here his route leaves the river. In the sum
mer of IS claim cabin was built on the spot
where We now write, 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 lndl-
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 suhSOi1 ia aan6v and a1thOu oh the soil il
from one to three feet deep, q rich black loan
supporting rank vegetation, the drainage is
so perfect and the air so 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
the minnesota Appetite which requires one
fourth more treatment than q modest Pennsyl-
vania or Ohio attack Of q corresponding dis
ease.
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
forbids its introduction; ind the Legislature
has passed law enforcing that provisions; but
people of moderate means and Industrious hab-
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 an 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
er enough to do the manufacturing for o: Con-
inent q '..
Our natural meadows produce q grass from
four to six feet high, and the beefkilled off our
prairies is quite equal to any stall fed we ave
ever eaten Our venison is fine at ten cents
per pound, rabbits, prairie hens, cartridges,
ducks, &c., plenty. Thousands of bushels of
them. Fuel for the labor of cutting and haul
ing of the ground; and there is no likelihood
of the supply running out soon as the "Big
Woods" extend from this place some twenty
miles or more, down this side ofthe river and
from eight to twelve miles back. Our prairics
are all dotted with strips of wood land, soak
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
dred acres are 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
guine expectations of their customers. There
is still land ten or fifteen miles back which set
tiers can get, ut government price, ny building
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 if
cen hundred 49,,
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 a palace compared
to the dens rented in large cities for and S
dollars per month, while the lot, with only the
aid of grubbing hoe and a few days labor,
would bring vegetables to feed family, and
every township has 600 acres appropriated to
the support Of schools.
Seventy thousand acres are appropriated to
State University. A fine building has already
been erected for the use Of that institution. It
situated St. Anthony, built of stone on an
eminence commanding view Of the falls, and
no State in the Union has 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 q running stream or trany-
Tarcnt lake with plenty Of timber at hand for
building, fencing and fuel, and as the land on