The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1871-06-22


A correspondent Of the St. Paul Pr
o'ce,' with the railroad party which
left here on Friday, writes from Lake
Os.kis, Douglas county, o. the 18th,
as follows:
"Tbis country surpasses in beauty
and diversity Of scenery anything I have
yet seen in Minnesota. 1t is sst.nish.
ing to see the settlements, aud still
more astonishing that this section OF
the country has no railroad yet to
carry its produce to eastern markets.
Tbousands aud thousands of bushels of
wheat will be raised this year in the
Sank Valley.
eve left St. Cloud at $50 yesterday
morning, arriving at St. Martin, thirty
miles distant along the road, at IL
O'Clock. Except in a few places,
where the land is hold by spectators ,
the road is fenced ia on both sides,
aud one wheat field follows the other,
with occasionally = few acres of ry.,
barley and potatoes. These thirty
miles have lead Us entirely through
German settlements, which continued
until six mi o. southeast of Sank
Centre, where settlement of Ameri.
cans commences. I was quite surpris-
ed to hear that upimproved land sells
IN this vicinity for six to ten dollars
per acre, being from Is to so miles
from St. Cloud, and at least rs miles
from the Main Line of the St. Paul l.
Pacific Railroad.
1--WE overlook several immigrant
wagons with horses, oxen, and all kinds
Of stock, bound for the region beyond
iu Otter Tail and Becker counties;
but the immigration now is not so large
% it vas q month ago when from seven
ty:6ve to one hundred teams passed
over this road every day. I noticed a
great deal Of land, which was newly
broken, and great many fences jus.
put up, SLOWING considerable increase
il the, cultivated area. 1t is a great
advantage to this country that timber
oao be had every where at short dis.
lance. We have not been out of sight
Of timber since We left St. CIoud-we
are 81 miles in direct line from it.
~ understand that it continues so all
the way through Douglas and Otter
Tail counties. Almost every settler
has his 40 acres Of timber, either on
his farm or near by.
"Approaching Sank Centre, houses
and barrs assume better appearance,
and along the last three or four miles
one would imagine to approsoh larger
place than it really is. But no village
10 this upper county has better couo.
try to support it, and Ill it wants to b..
come an important town is railroad
communication with St. Paul.
Our railroad mon are quite enthus:-
astic about the country, aud I venture
70 say that the farmers of this valley
will have 4 railroad, at least part Of
the way, to carry of their surplus pro.
duce. Formerly the immie grafton con-
sumed everything which was raised,
wheat commanded higher prices at
Sank Centre and farther west than At
ST. Cloud but now the country is ready
for transportation, and aoy railroad run
ing di.gooally through Stearus, Todd
.od Douglas counties can be sure of
heavy local business.
"Osakis is only . small village, but
it is beautifully located. The lake is
IL miles loug aud 4 miles wide, oil
surrounded by timber, except in one
place, where the Sank Centre prsirie
runs out to it. There is = good hotel
here, aud a few nice boats on the lake.
This place will certainly be within less
than eight miles from the railroad,
and will ultimately become a promi-
nent place for excursionists aud plea.
sure seekers in this part of the State"