Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1873-03-12
Letter from Minnesota.

IA Detroit Lake, Minnesota, Colonist, ono Of
the first that went from Vermont to that place
last spring, gives in plein language some facts
relative to that locality in another column. As
there have been conflicting reports relative to
the severity Of the winter in some parts Of
Minnesota il is but justice that 80 fair a state
ment from reliable source, 50 far as it regards
that particular section, should receive its due
credit.
Col Geo II Johnston, President Of The New
England Bureau Of Migration, who has been
spending the winter at Detroit, also writes to
the Vermont agent " We are furnishing all
right and propose to keep doing 50. As for the
cold we heard Of It through the Eastern pa
pcrs not man OF our people has suffered in
the least, aud out Of six hundred, some Of them
sick when they came, not one has died, and not
one has been sick n this il not good re-
cord, what Is %
Detroit, MINI, March 4, 1879.
Editors Of NotchmeH and Journal
DEAR SfRsi do not profess much skill in
writing an article for newspaper. and should
not thought Of 50 doing, bat to contradict a
ridiculous report circulated through New Eng
aud, and which reached US here through the
columns Of eastern papers. An article in one
paper stated that the snow was several feet in
depth hcrc-say eight " ten that it was ex-
tremely cod-colder in fact than We were
ever taught To believe it was at the north pole,
and that the New England colony, OF the mem
bcrs Of it, had been Obliged to apply to the Gov
ernor for the ne.essares Of life; that no trains
could reach us on account Of the deep SHOWS
and extreme cold. One report said that the
roads at sixty railroad crossings were OBJ
struc,ed by the telegraph wires, the snow be-
ing 80 deep that It brought the roads up to the
wires, and that the people that were not frozen
OF starved to death used the wires for clothes
| lines and several other stories just as FOIL
ish
Now, | think If was going to run down
this part Of the country, would ten a reason.
able kind OF a falseh,od, one which part Of the
how ridiculous such reports are, and at
the best they are but poor jokes, if looked at
in the right light.
/ But al will not do that, especially those who
think Of coming here to make it their homes.
Although they know such reports ere untrue
yet it gives them the impression that it must
be a very hard place to live 10, and that there
must be something wrong to give rise to such
reports
OF course those who wish to prove that thi.
country is vast, icy desert will say that state
ments about it from this place cannot be re.
lied upon, a. those who remain here at present
have property which they cannot dispose Of
But to such would say that there is not =
person in Detroit who is the possessor o
real estate, that could not dispose Of it a
fifty per cent. above the cost Of it last spring
and in many cases treble that amount.
There were several persons who came GU
here last spring, who, getting disguised will
: the country at first sight, went back hom'
: without stopping to see whether they liked Of
not.
1t was cold and wet when they arrived, and
they took it for granted that it was always t
be 50, but rs il proved, it was the wors
r weather we had last season. And that is TN
way most olthe false reports get started SOM
one will come here, and because it raius, q
they don't get work before they leave the depo.
they take the next train and start for home
and when they get there, report that it is
. cold, disagreeabe place, with nothing to do.
But since came here, last April, there la
+ been plenty Of work to do, with good wage
for every one There is not one here that pre-
tends that the climate is the same as the trop
: les, or that the same fruits can be raised her
that are raised in the valleys of California
and do not pretend to say that cattle can &c
their own living on the prairie through tn
win err They may get it on the praire, bu
it is always fed to them and in barn.
But good crops can be raised here. What
oats and barley, and all kinds of vegetable
: = are superior in size, quantity and quality
those raised by most eastern farmers.
Flour is cheaper here than it is east, tn
best being only from seven to eight dollar
per barrel, fresh pork six to eight cents pt
;, pound salt pork ten cents. Beef from six
ten cents, sugar twelve to sixteen cents, an
other things in proportion, and wages high,
e than they are east; SO if any are starvin
ii (Which did not know there was) it is b.
$ cause they are too lazy to work, and such pc
r sons would be Of no more account here tina
d those who start such stories.
= And as for the deep SHOWS, | do not thin
:. that there is as much here as there is cas-
J. This supposition is based upon accoun
: which see in the papers and on letters whiC
II have received from individuals, which sta
that the snow is over two feet deep, which
IS not the case here, and can tell very nearl
p as | have made several trips through the pir
1t region north OF here this winter.
, The railroad Northern pacifc) has not bee
d blockaded here nearly as often as the roaC
have been cast, and even south Of us. Il
trains having run regular all winter with Il
d., exception Of two or three days.
r The thermometer has ranged very low To
:. winter, as it has all over the country, quite
>. number Of mprnings, at six O'Clock. being &c
!. below zero, hut at noon 1t would be 90 or 2i
> above, and two or three mornings it has bee
several degrees lower. But we do not ha,
any damp, foggy weather here in the white
causing the STOW to stick 10 and wet any OF
ID through every time they go out into it, Or
st can work out all day and come in at night vii
st dry clothes and feet.
De The weather in the months of July NJ
er August is rather too warm to be enjoyed, b.
in September aud October it is delightful, mo
every day being clear and warm, with an q
OF so pure that 1t seems delight TO breathe
Then is the time when Won cant find hundre