The Grange advance., 1874-02-04
PLAINv1Ew, Jan. 27. 1874.

5.ss t..5f,LAINVIEW,Jan y an. -. 1914. 81 n
Editor. Grange Adgante s
Yesterday being stormy T had to Dc. e
sist from outside work. Thinking that
> few words from this most beautiful
and productive portion OF Minnesota
might be of interest to your many read
ers, I have gathered i few itemsin regard
TO this beautiful village, Plainyicw,
located $50 feet above and Is miles
west of the. Mississippi River, in the
exact center of one of the finest wheat
growiny portions Of the State.
Plainview contains two hotels, only
on. now open, the Biyham House,
owned and kept by John Bigham and
his estimable lady, who were got up cx-
prvs>ly TOR hotel keeping; besides the
best hotel in the county. John keeps
ten or twelve naes and rigs to match,
by which travellers can be transported
to any point of the compass on railroad
time; Johns teams are noted for never
being behind time.
Also, contains three large stores Of
general merchandise, two drug stores,
two groceries and provisions, two butch
er shops, two boot and shoe stores. two
harness shops. two wagon shops. two
photograph galleries (the one Of Mr..
Ferrien's doing as fine work as can be-
seen in our largest cities). four black
smith shops, two paint shops: one beer
saloon, licensed, (no whisky, one steam
-four mill, one fine school building, and
an excellent school; three churches,
three millinery aad dressmaking estab-
lishments, one Of them would d. credit
to a large city; one large furniture store,
doing large business one barber shop,
one jewelry establishment, one music
store, one justice Office, one lawyer. the
Hon. H. P. Wilson, and room for an-
other three doctors, one (Waste) serv~
ing his county as Senator at St. Paul,
DR.. Tett having previously served his
in the same capacity, and DR.. Roberts,
whose turn comes next fall one hard
ware and tin shop; two agricultural es.
tablishments. one, j. K. McLaughlin's.
doing a large business in sewing ma
chimes, pumps, lightning rods, &C., be-
sides his farm machinery, keeping
a number OF teams travelling constantly
through the county.
O. Wilcox, the heaviest dealer in mer-
chandise, will handle $50 900 bushels of
the '73 crop of wheat, besides great
amount of barley. A. Y. FELTON,, drugs,
&C., will handle 100000: besides large
amount Of barley, and this is only
drop in the bucket to what is raised and
marketed from this prairie.
The citizens have all the stock sub
scribed for a telegraph line to the river,
when Painview will be in lightning
communication with all the world--and
the rest Of mankind. Her merchants
and mechanics are sound, financially,
and the stores and shops are we'll
stocked aud doing lively trade; the
inhabitants, as class, are possessed Of
as much intelligence, take more first
class reading matter, aud are as wide
awake and benevolent as any commune
ty of 700 inhabitants in the State. They
need and must have a railroad, but
don't take much stock in the narrow
guage. Nearly every business man L
have spoken to on the subject say they
want no transfers at the river-regular
guage or none: But then, perhaps,
they may change their opinion rather
than to have none. &z:
I will now spend some time with the
farmers. Yours, =" B. &
EDITORS GRANGE ADVANCE Our
success as patrons during the past year,