The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1867-10-31

81. CLOUD, MINNESOTA
The Northern Railway Ter.
minus of the Union.
The Northern Pacific Rail-
way.
History, Business, Government,
transportation, Press, Sur.
roundings, &c. -
From the CAscago Post.
The contemplated construction Of the
Northern Pacific railway, and the COM
pletion of the First Division of the St.
Paul and Pacific railway. to St. Cloud,
have given an importance to that town
that has attracted public attention to
it in a large degree. As St. Paul is
the head Of Mississippi river navigation
the earlier settlers in the country far
ther north had to depend on land con.
veyances for transportation, and encoun-
tered more difficulties than pioneers
along the shore of the river where boats
could be brought. St Clond is a,tna-
ted about seventy miles northwest Of
St. Paul, on the west shore of the Mis-
sissippi, and at present has about $500
people. The present site Of the city
was laid out in 1853, by Hon. John L.
Wilson, who is still resident of it.
Very shortly afterwards an addition was
made on the north by the late Gen. s.
B. Lowry, and on the south by George
F. Brott. The Winnebago Indians
were the original owners, and were
moved in 1854 to their reservations in
Blue Earth county on the Minnesota
river.
In the second year Of its history,
1854, St. Cloud received an accession
Of about 300 people to its population,
among them Judge Evans, and num-
Der Of tho present leading citizens. 1t
would seem as though some addition
of population was necessary, as I was
Informed by one Of the first comers
that when tho county seat of Stearns
county was located at St. Cloud, some
importations had to be made in order to
gil the public Offices. For several
years subsequent to 1854, no towns ex-
listed in the seventy miles between St.
Cloud and the Falls of St. Anthony,
and being 80 literally on the frontier
its business was inevitably large and
profitable. During those years the tide
Of emigration was very great, and hav.
ing 50 large part Of the country tribu.
tary to 1t, business grew beyond the
most sanguiue expectations. Every
picture Of its prosperity has its darl
side, and st. Cloud was destined tt
furnish an example in the same gensr
al rule. No town escaped tho scourgt
Of financial revulsion in 1857 and 1853
and the far off settlements Of the Wes
were met in their early struggles for ex
istence with the crash which seemed {,
sweep all before it. But it came at
tended with another more terrible, 70
financial crisis only indirectly affect
those who have nothing to lose. I,
the fall Of 1856 the grasshoppers mad
their appearance in considerable mum
bers, and deposited their eggs through
the entire county. During the follow
ing summer Of 1857 everything gree
was eaten up by the countless million
which rose like plague from the YER
substances they were destined to de
stroy. The growing crop fell 4 prey
their remorseless ravages, and with tn
exception Of Maine Prairie, fiftee
miles southwest Of st. Cloud, there va
not fifty bushels Of grain grown i
Stearns county that year. To max
the disaster more complete, the pove1
1ty stricken farmers were deceived i
the character of the wheat purchase
for the next years seed buying fall it
stead Of spring, and Of course the Gro
Of 1858 did not ripen, leaving the,
for two years without dollar Of retur
for their labor.
The heavy yield Of 1859 made Il
future look brighter to those who su
tanned an unequal contest with adver'
fortune, and they took courage accor'
! ing. The commencement Of tho VI
: in 1860 was another drawback, a. Nj;
: nesota was too far removed to profit
any commercial advantages, and the 1
!, mands from the front drew thous.n
!" of ha. h,.~..a .o,a Eno,n fsolds %h.A h,