The Grange advance., 1874-01-14
CORRESPONDENCE.
CAMP INDEPENDENCE, CAL.,
Dec. 26th, 1873.

Dear FRIEND:
Thinking it would be interesting to some
of your readers we submit brief sketch
of our overland trip from Minneapolis,
Minnesota, to this place.
On the morning of Dec Sth, ut G:l5
o'clock, we left Minneapolis by way Of
Sioux City and St. Paul Railroad, via Fre-
mont. Nebraska We chose this ronte for
two reasons, first, because it passed
through section Of country we had never
been over before; and second, because it
was advertised to be one hundred miles
shorter than any other route Although
we do not doubt this saving of distance. yet
we would say to those contemplating ii our
to the Pacific coast that the distance saved
by this route is more than offset by the
frequent changes of cars and conveyances
From Minneapolis to Fremont we rode
on five different trains, one ferry boat and
lumber wagon; and would here remark
that change of conveyance doesn't mean
simply to walk from one train to another,
but it also includes first class tossing Of
your baggage at every change. In the dis
tance above indicated our baggage was hon
ored with ten different landings - without
gloves" BY the way, we would here en-
quire whether or not railroad companies
summarily discharge all employees tho are
inclined to handle baggage discreetly: If
not, they must have a peculiar faculty for
selecting the other kind. When boy we
have often heard it said, :'if you want a
lazy man and a mean one look out for a
bobby "a policeman). 1t may now be
said with as much truth, elf you want to
find a saucy man and an unscrupalous one
look out for railroad man.
During our entire journey the most pros
porous and thrifty looking town we passed
through was Mankato, but its thrift will
excite no wonder when it is known what
an excellent country surrounds it, for a
fruitful country is as sure to make pros
porous town as that good fodder will make
an animal comely.
After leaving Mankato some distance, we
entered upon treeless and almost house.
less region, except where here and there
were huddled together a few misshapen
and hurriedly built houses into what they
call towns. For the want Of back ground
these towns look at a distance something
like vessels at sea, and upon a nearer ap-
proach they present very bald unsocial
appearance, without tree or shrub to re.
lieve the eye. In our opinion few trees
around house aid more in adornment than
the most skillful cunning Of the artisan, and
it is strange that Minnesota farmers do not
more universally accept and act on this
belief.
On nearing Sioux City we passed over
tract of country which was devastated by
grasshoppers last season. We were in
formed that great many settlers had
abandoned their komesteads in that section.
and that those who remained were clothed
and subsisted by charity. These pests,
their breeding and feeding ground tract
Of country extending from lake Winnipeg,
Manitoba, directly south to the Missouri
river, sometimes they make incursions fur
ther east and west, but that is their per-
manent home
We arrived at Sioux City at $40 P. NJ,
and staid there over night from necessity
next morning we took an observation of
the city; it had very scattered look
houses were built as though theo occupants
disliked neighbors. All that city wants to
make it large place is filling up. We
left there at 7:40 A. NJ. next day by Sioux
City & Pacific Railroad, and changed cars
at place sixty-nine miles distant, called
California Junction, for the ferry boat on
the Missouri river. The road from Sioux
City to California Junction passes over the
Missouri bottom, and although the land
seemed rich along the way, it was very
thinly settled. After crossing the Missouri
river into Nebraska, we found rolling,
treeless prairie, and with very few farm
houses, and these features Continued until
we reached the Platte Valley, (which is very
fiat, in fact too much so for good drainage,
for last June when we passed through this
valley the grain seemed almost drowned out
by heavy rains, but such rains in Minnesota
would only have added luxury to the vege-
tation.
We understand that a good many of the
Minnesota farmers have the :'Nebraska
fever," which we cannot understand. for