Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1873-03-24
LETTER FROM MINNESOTA.


MR.. EDIToR.-I saw in one of your
late issues letter from our ''garden !
state" in which reference was made to
the dilatoriness of another correspondent |
and a neglect of posting you in regard
to the winter season of Minnesota. Per-
haps poor excuse will not come amiss.
The better time to judge of the merits of
a season is after that season is past the
better time to publish news is when that
news is confirmed and its facts establish
ed.
The snowy months are now passed and
balmy spring comes with her vernal
breezes- and warm sunshine to free the
earth from the icy fetters. The cold
blasts of the north west come no more
for season to CONCEAL the limpid waters
of lake and river, nor chill the blood
with its sudden blasts. Winter in Min
nesota is not an unpleasant season, when
we consider its latitude and distance
from the seas the altitude and level
ness of the state and the vast plains by
which 1t is surrounded. Some condemn
the severity of the weather and express
strong threats of abandonment. But
these are possessed of a degree of fickle-
mindedness which is nearly as sudden
and various as the changes of climate
which calls forth their execrations. This
season has been called by the Oldest set
tiers of the state, the severest of the
states history.
have been unable to keep complete
record of the temperature, but have en-
deavored to note the coldest and some of
the more moderate seasons. Using as
comparison your own 'Green Mountain
State" | will give you as correct an idea
as possible of our winter. The cold
weather commences about the same time
of the year as with you, and the degree
of GOODNESS is nearly equal, though rath-
er milder when averaged. There are
few of the sudden changes that charac-
terize Vermont's early winters. After
the ground first freezes it seldom thaws
until spring. Cold weather gradually
tightens its frosty hands until the win
ter solstice is crossed, when the coldest
weather occurs. This winter the ther-
mometer indicated 80 degrees, Dec 23d,
which is the coldest day have record of
/ in this vicinity, although some papers
have published much colder in other To-
calities but these accounts are not gen.
orally considered creditable Since
Christmas week the thermometer has sell
dom reached thirty and much of the time
it has indicated nearly zero. There are
seldom any thaws through the winter
months, the first of this season being the
last of February. The depth of snow is
nearly Insignificant when we contem-
plate the vast falls of snow of the Allan.
tic states. A definite measurement is
almost impossible as the storms are inva.
riably accompanied with strong winds
which continue in some instances sever
al days after the snow has done falling
1t is calculated that there was abou
twelve or fourteen inches of snow thi,
winter which was drifted around th,
fences and hedged in the borders of th,
timber, leaving the prairies nearly a
free from the frosty element as in tn
warmer seasons. Probably the heavies
fail was at the time of that terrific storm
which has been so loudly published an,
SO much exaggerated in many cases, an,
more especially, Immediately after tn
, storm occurred. Perhaps can give n
, better statement than that published b
the MGnkato Reuieao of February last
r which states that person, sent by th
governor to investigate the amount G
property and life destroyed in severa
counties, returns the following as the re
suit of his investigation, naming th
number in each county that were frozer
The aggregate being Is in Rock, MOBILES
: Jackson, Martin, Blue Earth, Brow
= and Lesueur counties, thus considerabl
reducing the number rumored in the D;
: pers of previous dates. There have bee
e severe storms since, yet people were be
e ter prepared to meet emergencies Wit
the exception of these heavy winds an
!. snow storms, which are few and far b
e tween. Minnesota winters are not dis
> greeable; her calm, clear days and mool
+ light nights, making it pleasant for a
If who are clothed to protect themselv
Is from the frost prevalent in all countri
h of northern latitude. | have endeavo
IF ed to place these statements in a ligl
e unbiased by prejudice, and not exager
n ted in beauty OF undervalued in attrac
le ivel,ess
d g. FL. DEwING.
n SHELBYyILLE. MARCH, 10, 1873.
re
A young Boston girl is out in an a
vertisement for work. She says she h