The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1867-11-14
LETTER FROM DOUGLAS COUNTY.


Sank cs0tEs@TAs New llills-4)sakis
administrative stores, Aills,
Dwsllings, &s,-rhs rspia growth sf
the Town-Popalatien IL Douglas
County-Oacia Returns.
ALEXANDRIA, DOUGLAS Couxrr, M1Nu.,
Nov. 18th 1867. =.
ED1roR DEMONSTRATING been
six months absent at the East, 1 notice
many changes in this part Of the
country. l will jot down a few items
for your readers. -
The most prominent feature is the
large increase in the population Of
Douglas and the adjoining counties, as
shown in the election returns; and
this increase, too, is Of the right TO-
litical stamp. No county, Of its popu-
lation and size, can show a better record
Tor tho Republicans than Douglas its
vote for Gilman summing up 1858 out Of
800, Marshall got 1886 out Of 800.
We have up here also a ''banner town.;
the vote at Atkiusville, thrifty place
lying about ten miles west Of Alexan-
dria, footing up 38 votes for Marshall
with none cast for Flsndrau. Most Of
the settlements Of Douglas county seem
to be intrinsically Republican. The
vote Of the county has not been in
AueDced by any local issues, but has
been conducted squ.rely upon the priu-
cip..es Of the great campaign which has
agitated the country. The large
majority rolled up here; then, is doubly
satisfactory. l had thought that Doug
las wnnld n.I- r-.er~-----..a .s..:r.y
county-nov 1 feel quite sure Of it.
A rich district Of country like this, so
we'll set up in politics, cannot fail to
make very respectable show in a few
years.
I fed here aud there dotted on the
prairie many new houses, and where was
open country six months ago, the travel
er sees fenced fields and breaking ready
for crops. Most Of the small towns in
the Sank Valley show evidences Of
thrift--new mill enterprises, new
stores, and here and there Z new church.
Arriving at Sank Centre, a stranger is
surprised to see so large a town sixty
miles away from railway communication.
Here are seen blocks Of stores, church.
es, mills, lumber and brick yards, and
more or less new building projects on
foot. It was here that the freshet of
July swept away two mills that were
ioc"ted with water power, and carried
them several miles down the river.
This disaster, together with minor mis-
fortunes, has been quickIyrecovered from
and in less than sixty days saerwsrd
we see new grist mill and saw mill
in operation. The Sank Centre grist
mill has now been grinding some thirty
days, and it is worthy Of mention that
Messrs. Moore + Mcclure have exhib-
tied no ordinary enterprise in setting
10 operation these adjuncts Of prosperi-
ty and thrift 50 necessary to = newly
settled country The water power Of
Sank Centre, 10 the hands Of enter
prisi"g men, as it Ia. been, has accom-
plished great good to this part Of the
Sank Valley, and even the country
northwest of it has reaped no small
share Of the benefit.
Farther up the Valley il seen the
growing town Of Osakis, situated on
Osakis Lake. Here are two or three
stores anu a good hotel. The latter is
kept by Mr. Adley, once proprietor Of
the Sank Centre House.. The Oaks
saw mill is doing a good business and
is very convenient to the large body Of
settlers who occupy the four eastern
townships Of Douglas county. About
twelve miles farther west is situated
Alexandra, lively town that shows
as much increase within the past season
a. any place along the State Road
Where six months ego Eve o. six house,
marked the locality Of Alexandria, now
Is seen 4 cluster Of stores and dwell.
ings, with some semblance Of streets
where is transacted = thrifty bushes.
by tradesmen and farmers. Three o,
four new stores have opend the pas,
two months, and others are in process,
Of construction. The large saw mill a
Alexandra supplies all kinds Of hard.
wood lumber, and another season 4
grist mill will give a new impetus "a
this section Of tho country. The plans
E.ad timbers for this grist mill are get.
ting ready, and the work will be pushed
on, probably under the superintendence
Of Webster l. Pray, Of Minneapolis.
Among the improvements Of Alexan-
dris Is 4 hotel sufficient to accommodate,
fifty OF sixty. = II Is about completed
-.%'s .s. ~