The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1875-03-04
Correspondence OF the News.
Letter from Minnesota.
Howard LAKE, Wrigh5 Co., MINI.
February, 1875.

February, 1875. {
Mr.. J. L. BoARDMAN-Dear Sir
AS many of my friends in Highland
county have desired to hear from me
in reference to this part of the coun-
try, I have decided to write to them
through the columns of the News,
hoping that others also may be in
terested who desire to learn some
thing of the great Northwest.
I came to the State of Minnesota
in October last, and located at a
place called Howard Lake, a village
containing about four or five hun
dred inhabitants. The first house
(or rather "shanty') was built six
years ago this month, and in this
time the settlement has grown into
the neat village we now boast of. 1t
is located on the south side of Lake
Howard, (from which it derives its
nancy The lake is nine miles in
circumference, and has road pass
ing around it, directly upon its banks,
It abounds with fish of many kinds,
and in the summer and fall it's smooth
waters are troubled with vast focks
of wild ducks. Many small boats
and one large sail-boat, which
seats forty persons, now be-
long to the village, and it is intended
to place small steamer upon the
lake in the spring, SO that there will
be ample amusement for pleasure
seekers.
The st. Paul and Pacific r. R.
passes through the town, and has
erected at its depot large granary,
in which the farmers may store away
their grain. Our village is only A
miles from Minneapolis, city situa-
ted at the falls of H"M;nne-ha-ha, :"
which Z have no doubt your readers
have read many descriptions of, and
we are only 81 miles from st. Paul,
the great metropolis of the North
West.
Of the surrounding country we
certainly can boast. The soil can,
not be excelled in any country, as is
proved by the excellent crops which
it produces. 1t is densely timbered,
furnishing plenty of fuel and lumber,
and shielding us from the wind
storms which are so disagreeable on
the prairies, only 80 miles west of us,
where many have been caught out
when the storms came up and fro
zen.
The climate here, you may imag-
inc, is extremely cold and disagree
able, but not so. Though very cold,
it is not disagreeable, as we do not
have the damp, chilly and penetrat-
ing winds which are so unbearable
elsewhere. We have had no rain
since November. Snow commenced
falling the fore part of December.
and we have had good sleighine
ever since. The sun shines as bright
as on summers day, yet it does
not melt the snow in the least, as il
is too cold.
Just here let me allude briefly to 6
sleigh-ride, as it shows how bearable
the weather is. On the evening oi
the 10th, nine couple of young folks
started for sleigh-ride to some o.
their friends, some miles north from
here. They started to return at hall
past ten, but losing their way and
breaking down, they were kept out
until daylight, when they reached
home, and yet they did not sufel
from the extreme cold-not one frozer
toe as a remembrance, although thu
thermometer indicated thirty degree,
6eloao zero!
But allow me again to return tt
our village. Last summer 26 nev
buildings we're erected, besides i'm
provements on old ones. We nov
have two churches, and one more Il
be built as soon possible in tn
spring. The people talk of building
two more, which if erected, will maxi
in all five churches. A new Schoo
House will also be built in the spring
to be two stories high and contain
l four rooms. And we know of man,
; private buildings that will be CON
! menced as soon as possible in th
spring.
! Another important item is, that W
u have no saloon in the place, nor ca
> they come in, as the people have W
: ted License out, and they allow n
Il intoxicating drinks sold in the vi
lage.
q But with even all this we are nc
e satisfied. We want more manufa
q tories here, and are satisfied that IL
u country will well support them. Bl
: what we are most anxious to see is
Il good frst-class Hotel. True, "
: now have two, but at best they al
not what we need. Our village
becoming noted as a summer resor
both for invalids and those seekir
pleasant places to spend the war
months, but we are not prepared
receive them as we ought. La
summer many werp turned away b
cause they could not obtain boardin
, and some even went out of town f,
rooms. For this reason we are an
;o,,c 70 con n fret o1occ bOuca Onana