Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1878-09-04
Letter from Dakota,

BiSMANChr ~. l., Dcpt. I'-A'a'ulo n"o
done al! for Dakota. Art has done nothing.
Dakota is virgin land, with her quccnly head
reclining on the golden pillows of tho Yellow
Hills, aud her feet dapliug in the sky tinted wat
ors Of Minnesota, she ougsin regal dishabillo tor
the bridegroom Of labor. With soil generous
10 tho production Of cereals and hills and val
lcys tceming with ores and metals, with
climate far less inhospitable than the most
porulous portions Of the old world, with lakes
aud water power and navgable rivers, sho is q
land of magnificent possibilities in the immeu-
silly of her future, and yet she is but Wild |
But it is plain to be seen, that the same spirit
of indomltable energy, force and enterprise
which raised, as it were 10 the tWlnkDg OF an
cyc, the stricken city OF Chicago from the
ashes, is alive and working in this country; aud
| it is plainly to be seen that IN the lapse OF
quarter OF q century, az empire OF people, rich,
prosperous aud powerful, with shining cities,
roads, grauerics, gardens and farms. will lnhab-
| it these regions In quarter of century
these patos and hills will be clothed with pros
perity as with mantle; the fields will be titled,
and country villages. almost hidden by trees
and vines and flowers, filled with Industrious
and happy people, will nestle 10 every glade
and CLEAN like gems from every nook and
corner.
But there il DO State 10 the Union like
Minnesota. She fills my eye. When | think
Of her pcoplo, FREQ and happy-her improved
machinery, generous soil. markets and means
of transportation, her educational system, her
enterprise ard industry, almost wish | had
boon born there. On tho mechanics and
farmers of Minnesota arc grand people Just
think of the mills and factories OF Minneapolis
turning out five thousand barrels OF fotra day,
and ST. Paul sending down tho Mississippi her
cargocs of buckets and tubs aud, shingles to
J every mart and market OF the world. These
are tho people that build up empires. These
u,e not tho people you sometimes see Hiding
upon mules, bareback, with no shoes, grape,
: vine bride, their hair sticking out tho top or
their hats, with rooster under each arm, 20.
} ipg to Salem to have cock fight ou Sunday.
These are the people who believe that
1.-THE camp has had its day OF soog;
The sword the bayonet and the plane
Hava crowded ont of vcraa ton long
The plow, tho anvil and tho loom.
These are not tho people who would reside
, in Poorhick, ia tatters and rags, and drive IN
to Alexandria every Saturday with a haGnessad
Il y
poles to trade for whisl;ey. These are tho
people @ho believe that
IN Ut upOn tho eupAngulnel field
r Are nature ii mobiles bred alone;
Q The training Of the workshop yields
r More heroes true than war has known.
. These are not the people who leave every
; thing, as they dom Prince William, to the bless
cd t,iniig OF chance, accident and mistake; they
q, t,,n ~ v,ll
D Wagons don't stand in the SUI and ram; thnif
D nlows and machines don't rust in the fe!ds;
c it,cir crops don rot 10 the stack and run to
c vines and tops; they don't keep their horses IL
y rail rens covered with straw, Hor the proVerbal
c mig pen in iront of the house. These are The
c people who farm 90 scientific principles with
G improved machinery-thcy understand them
fsel7cs; they meau business. These are the peonli
O who build your Pacific railroads. tunnel your
= mountains, opon your james River and Kama
i develop your mines drain your oil walfs taI
n your iorcaIs, and construct your locomotives.
u cities and ships. What q pity it is that all true
: | Americans, natives and naturaliZad cannot
i throw aside tloir political III ations, and taking
hood Of tho gospel Of labor, work out in friend
J. ship and harmony the deatinies Of this great ma.
T. ton. When / see these people so happy and
prosperous through their labor, Ieol like for"
. getting all party nsmes-the one tho slave OF the
Capitalists. the other the enemy Of Improvement
c and striking hands with them. There is moth.
c ing moro true than tina. there is too much poll.
ties in this country. We have felt this curse in
tho South rco st disestronsly, and the sooner We
vote less and work more the bst!or. Then
"rho cling Of tho artisans hammer
VIII scare from the foreat its gloom;
In tho brake will the water toWis' clamor
lie drowned by the clash Of the loom"
AID the waning strength and prosperity return
to tho dyspeptic body and wiLhorirg limbs Of
the South.
D Bismarck is p growing town, with 1900 inhsb-
= itants, and hotel with spiral stairway, con-
, sequentiy the guests are always drunk.
, | have had good time with q how-oGged In
dian, with whom am roomng on the first door
Cf you arrive in balcony at the Sheridan
House. He has kindly shown mo much of the
surrounding country. ferried mo across tho Mis-
, souri,, and explained the secret how to bait a
hook to catch tom.tom fish. If 1 can get him
place in the Agricultural Department l intend
TO bring him east.
They say that snap boans grow q little west CT
this place as big as saw logs. will wait till
tho fair comcs of at ST. Paul 20 SEQ if it can be
assorted rs a fact.
Gen. Rosser told me that the surveying party
with which Il. G. Lee, Of Alexandria, Is con-
nectcd, would be IN Minneapolis Sunday next.
I expect therefore, to have the pleasure of see-
ing hobby. L. K. +.
GreenbaChS.