The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1868-10-01
. BAUk GENRE,
Great 1mprovemcnts In tho Country
t 1ts sHhstantial 0rowth-Business II
sauk centrs-rhs 'sRegulutor."

SAuK CENTRE. Sept. 2S,h, 1868.
EDITOR JouRNAL.-Bcing much please,
with tho Sank Valley and tho improve
ments that have been made during the pas
three years, l would ask you to permit ,
traveller, through your highly priced ane
widely circulated paper which find so ex
teusively taken throughout the Valley. Il
speak of the present and the past.
A little over three years ago took u ,rif
up the Valley for the first tine. Some Of
the farmers had returned to their farme.
from which they had been driven by th,
Indians. but very few would risk thei,
lives on the frontier at that date. Ate,
leaving The Valley followed circuitou,
route, raa, Grove Lake, Lake Amelia, White
Bear Lake, Lake Reno, Maple Lake, Alex.
andria, Osakis, and back again to the place
where Sank Centre row stands. Then with
'he exception Of few families tina.
Glanced to meet just returning 10 their
homes, l found the country entirely un-
populated except by soldiers. The only ap-
vsarance Of civilization was now and then
a snail patch OF bre king, the fences an
buildings had been entirely destroyed b,
the nurderous Sioux.
am now making second trip and fiud
IN entirely different appearance in the Set
Element and tho improvements of the
country. scarcely find a quarter section
If land that IS not improved in some shape
either with a dwelling hous: Or some break
ing, and u great majority Of hem are oecu-
pied by well-,o-do farmers.
have heard it reported by some that the
oil would not produce in this locality
equal to that further South, but these
statements must come from persons not
acquainted with the country for never
saw su,h vegetables grown as can be pro-
luced in this upper country, and the yield
II small grain is equal to that in any other
rar. OF the State. l have not taken pains
20 ascertain the average yield per acre OF
The ditfcceLt grains, but stopping at a iarnl-
sr's by the name OF Getty, at place Call eu
Se,ty's Grove, in your county, found tina,
~le had just completed his thresaing. lie
las some Us nice wheat as you Gun find,
and it yielded him a74 bushels to the acre.
tie thinks that if the late rains had not
..amaged the crops, he would have had over
40 bushels to the acre, as the average Of
II acres.
As o business poiat, Sank Centre is
ahead of any Of the western towns that l
nave visited, aud especially at the present
lime, as the trade from the Red River is
stopping at this place this fall. One train
took $50 barrels of -four from Moore &
McClure's mill the last week. In speaking
If the business of this place, will refer
70 one enterprising 6im, and that is Capser,
If the Regulator" When first met him
ne was doing pic.yuns business in q log |
shanty near the soldiers quarters, the only |
store in tho upper country. He has con-
tiuued to do a straightforward business to
the present time, has kept pace with the |
and is now doing one OF the heaviest |
retail trades Of any Merchant west of Min |
nespolis. He has one Of the largest blocks |
in the town, and it is filed from cellar to
garnet with choice assortment of goods,
If oil kinds, and is kept in such perfect Or
Ter that it would compare we'll with any of
our Eastern retail stors. As he is the old |
est trader in the Centre, he is getting just
what he deserves-the lead in business. !
lie keeps but one clerk and he, like Mr.. !
Cspser, understands his "biz." He !
showed me his sales for the last week, rang
ing from three hundred to seven hundred
dollars per day. When regular customers
come in and make bill Of SO or $50 with
tut trying to jew them down on some
ne article, (Which is frequently done)
It shows that the people have confidence in
The firm they are dealing with.
l shall endeavor to remain in this upper
country until after the speech which is to
he given at Sank Centre by tho Hon. s. 8.
i;eman on the 7.h Of October, after which
you will probably hear from me again.
TRAVELLER.