Go up north to get the general store, which you need to buy bridges.
then go south to find the lost deputy, take out the bandits that are in the right lower corner (where the mine used to be)
sling them and set up a lumber camp there and a farm and a house
there is an island that has a treasure on it ($250; the rest are a bit of a lure and you have to build a bridge (cost 100) to find 50 gold...
With the lumber camp, farm, and trading post, you can sell all your extra resources to buy either the 30 food or get the gold to pay the bandit....
the bridge you want are in the top (to get to saloon)
and in the east you'll find a solitaire dead tree. that one goes to the trading post.
also on the west bank where people enter your town there's a lonely cactus...try building there..
i find with bridges your townfolk move around easier and go up to the saloon or lumbercamp by themselves, saves a lot of dragging etc..
make sure you pay off wood and gold before you start selling them at the trading post of course