St. Cloud Democrat. [volume] (Saint Cloud, Stearns County, Minn.) 1858-1866, 1860-05-17

VOL, . IN -. t4%.
TO n S.
9 Amt CLoO =.
St. Cloud il the point at which the Rsa kiv-
er trains cross the Mississippi on their way to
St. Paul, which proves it to he the natural
junction Of land travel between these two great
arteries Of trade. 1t is 1T the present head OF
steam navigation on the Mississippi. Boats
run regularly. during the Spring and early
Summer montia from st Anthony to this
place.
The map gives its position correctly Win
reference to all the most important points in
the Territory, but the peculiar beauty OF its
location, and fertility Of the surrou nding ceun"
try can not be transcribed. Within fifteen
mile Of St. Cloud, on opposite sides OF tho
river, and 1T different points Of the compass
sre eight lakes varying in sizo from mile to
miles in circumference, sill, save one, beau
tjfl exceedingly, three OF them at least, deep
enough to float a msn-of-war. Wooded banks,
clean pebbly shores plentifully mixed with
sornelian and waters abundantly supplied
Nth Ash.
Whcun oy. Stevens made his surrey Of a
northern railroad route to the Pacific IN 'o3,
he eaMred ION the western side Of the Mis-
.issippi below Sank Rapids" The place was
namelsss-the present site OF st. Cloud; but 1t
il here his route leaves the river. In the sum-
Nor Of 55 claim cabin was built on the spot
where We now write, q good ssw mill, the
frame Of large Hotel and eight Of :er dwell
ings we're put up that summer. This last fall
,hore were three hundred and thirty-two votes
polled in the precinct. Not the votes Of 1ndi-
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, rich black loan
supporting rank vegetation. the drainage is
80 perfect and the air 50 pure that breathing
ia y perpetual pleasure. As yet, eur physl-
clans 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-
vania Or Ohio attack Of q corresponding dis
sRse.
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; and the Legislature
has passed law enforcing that provision; 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 areimmense tracts Of pine lying above,
from which the mills at St. Paul. St. Anthony,
and the Minnesota Valley ire supplied. These
employ large and evcr-increaring force OF
naa, horses snu oxen, who arc to be supplied
wiki provisions, clothing and feed. The soil is
waiting for al 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
->;1, a. a,naost any point and has water DOW
e enough to Dc the manufacturing for Con-
tineut
Our natural meadows produce grass from
four to six feet high, and the heefkilled of ou1
prairies is quite equal to any stsll 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
seerns Cor the hogs that are not here to eat
.hcm. Fuel for the labor Of cutting and haul
.ng of tho grouud; and there is no likelihood
Of the supply running out soon rs 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 dotted with strips Of wood land, soak
Openings which just look llko old orchards,
dense thickets Of plum trees bearing delicious
fruit, grape vines, doing likewise, thousands Of
acres ofhazel bushes and strawberry vines, en-
gagged il the same business; while some hun
dred acrcs arc in TIE cranberry trade and turn
out IN article, which for quantity and quality
eonnot he excelled. The blackberries red rasp-
berries and hops tccl up their shingles in the
woods and seldom dissappoint the most san
ruinc expectations Of their customers. There
H. still land ten OF fifteen miles hack which set
tiers can get, At government price, by building
cabin and living on it until it comes into
market Actual settlers can buy lots here at
from one to FIVE hundred dollars, md specula-
tors can have the same lots at from Eve to df-
cen hundred
IN some Of the river towns back, places that
will he pleasant villages, lots can be had gratis
b. those who will build and live on them
This, in places where house can BIO built for
Fifty dollars, that would be a palace compared
80 The ;.v:,, rrc:ea in large cities FOR ! and 5
dollars per month, while the lot, with only the
aid Of 4 grubbing hoe and few dogs labor,
would bring vegetables to fceda family, and
every township has 500 acres appropriated to
the support sf schools.
seventy thousand acres are appropriated to
State University. 4 fine building has already
been erected for the use of that institution. It
situated . St. Anthony, built Of stone on an
eminencs 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 we'll tinbered as Min
nesota and no State more abundantly supplied
with clear water. In the country surrounding
st. Cloud and az far North and West as we have
any reliable account, settlers find no dificults
i. 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 ofthe Upper Mississippi is only
open to presumption, there is little opportunity
for spectators, and settlers have assurance Of
neishbors 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.