New Ulm weekly review., 1880-10-06
H.roa, Dakssa, ocs. 1st, / $50

Editor Repieu:
This seems to be one of the most
noted towns in the far-famed West.
and it certainly is one OF the wond-
ers Of this fast age. None of the fairy
tales Of olden times, nor the creative
fancies of the author Of the Arabian
Knights ever imagined anything so
strange as the transformation that has
become a living reality on the spot
from which now write. Just FIVE
months ago this whole section Of coun.
try was desolate, dreary waste; no
human face nor voice was to be seen
nor heard west of the Jim river, nor
scarcely one to be seen for a distance
of seventy miles east of this till one
arrived at Volga, which was the termi.
nus of the r. r Last winter the
timid antelope gamboled and sported
undisturbed on the site where now
there is town as large as Sleepy Eye,
with all the Improvements of the age,
namely, two large and commodious
depots, two telegraph Offices and an
express office. There is also a ma.
chine shop nearly completed, 6Ox18O
feet, and round house with ten stalls,
also an extensive blacksmith shop.
The r. r. is completed to within is
miles of the Missouri river, so that in
few days the two majestic rivers will
be connected with continuous iron
bands. The distance from Winona to
Fort Pierre is 585 miles. There are
often dozen of locomotives steam
ing back and forth, or to be seen in
the distance, and from one to two
hundred cars on the numerous tracks.
Every train brings in car loads ofemi-
grants and their movables of every de.
scription. Here are two of the most
commodious hotels that can be found
on the line anywhere west of Roches-
ter. The Riverside, is a splendid
house kept in FIRST class order by a
Minnesotian, Mr.. Wright. The di-
mensions of the house are 32x120 1t
is constantly overrun with travellers
from all direction. The Central build.
ing, now nearly completed by l.. j.
Corbin, will be one of the finest pub
lie houses to be found in any small
town west of the Mississippi; its size
is,-front 50x64, wing 34x52. Be-
sides these there are several smaller
hotels and restaurants, but all are in
sufficient to accommodate the travelling
public.
There are thousand things that
might write about from here that
would he interesting to the readers of
the Review, as many of my friends
requested me to let them know all
about this country through the COL
umns of your valuable paper; but as l
have so long neglected it 1 will do bet.
ter in the future. The Review comes
as regular and welcome visitor, and
it seems like seeing the face of some
familiar friend bringing all the inte-
resting news--even of all the details
of the last Republican convention.
There are two live newspapers pub.
lished here by two intelligent and en-
ergetic young men. AS evidence Of
their pluck, sagacity and foresight,
its only necessary to say they came
here before there was town or house
or living inhabitant within miles OF
them. It is young men of their in
domitable pluck and perseverance that
build up new towns in the distant
West. They stood alone on the
banks Of the lonely Jim; they set type
and issued their papers and had them
scattered broadcast over the land, in
viting people to come and settle the
beautiful broad prairies that nature
designated should be refuge, a home
and land of plenty for the hungry
and the oppressed of every county
and Cline. These two young editors
must to-day feel a proud satisfaction
in seeing their dreams of creative
fancy more than realized. Where
solitude reigned supreme and no
voice to cheer the editor, is now a
scene of animation, life and activity;
and the whistle of locomotives and
ringing of bells must be music to their
ears, sweeter than the song of Seraphs
or the melody Of Vesper hymns.
M. J Dinneen.