Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-05-03
RAMBLES UP NORTH.
A Trip from st. Paul to Winnipeg-Notes
by the Way-The Country Traversed- Nc
Murtrie's Humbug-First Impressions of
Wfuniner
Special Correspondence of the Globe

Especial Correspondence of the Globe.
WINNIPEG, Manitoba, April 81, 1S80.-Four
hundred and fifty miles from Saint Paul,
after ride of only thirty-three consecutive
hours! Some difference between now and a
few years ago in the time required to travel
from Saint Paul to Winnipeg! l left Saint
Paul at 9:25 A. M, on Monday, 26th inst, via
Saint Paul, Minneapolis 81 Manitoba railway,
and at $3.50 P. M, to-day, left the cars of the
Canadian Pacific railway at Saint Boniface,
opposite Winnipeg, Manitoba, 455 miles from
the starting point
"a due regard for the opinions of mankind"
and strict observance of the practice of
travellers and scriblers require at my hands a
description of the face of the country, and the
sizes and characters of the different cities and
villages through which have passed. But /
confess am at loss how to do it without re-
peating what has so often already been pre-
sented to the public through the columns of
the public prints. 1t has been well said that
the truth may usually be found between the
two extremes of opinions upon any subject,
and | suspect that the truth in re-
gard to this Northwestern coun-
try lies between the glowing descriptions of
parties interested in that line of expression
and the unmeasured denunciations of those
VINO nave Deen Dduly UlIIcu, VI WuOso
interests lie in an opposite direction.
Without wasting more time or space in pre-
fatory remarks l will proceed with what find
to say about the country and things generally
along the line.
THE FACE OF THE COUNTRY,
as viewed from the train during the day runs,
was less broken, and the soil generally of bet
ter quality than I had anticipated seeing.
Soon after leaving st. Cloud we crossed sue
cession of marshes, which though now valueless
for agricultural purposes, will, in few years,
by natural causes, if not by mans direct
agency, become dry and rich land, capable of
producing the best of crops.
THE NATURAL SCENERY
through which we passed by daylight yester-
day would have become somewhat monotonous
had it not been for the frequent occurrence of
those beautiful liquid gems which add so much
to the natural charms of our lovely State.
Among the many of these sparkling jewels
which we passed will mention by name only
one, Lake Osakis, at the village of that name,
though we passed others of large size, but the
names of which l could not learn. If this
lake were rs near and accessible to our st.
Paul people as is White Bear, it would prove a
formidable rival to that favorite resort, being,
I should think, quite as large body of water,
and having the advantage. apparently, OF being
almost entirely surrounded by sandy
beach. Daylight. or rather night,
shutting down on us an hour before we reached
Fergus Falls, ana unable to speak of the COM
ing city, Cor come city, as the Fergusians
now call it, J, or of the face of the country
thereabouts. Riding all night, lost the priv
ilege of viewing the country for a long dis
tance-over 100 miles, and when awoke in the
morning I found we were far out on that
''prairie ocean" which covers such vast por-
ton of this northern country. The road bed
seems to be laid in the midst of this almost
treeless plain, or prairie, (the term plain would
seem to be the most appropriate name were 1t
not that the land for the most part is arabic,
which condition believe is not understood to
existIwhen this term is applied to a section OF
country, for the naked eye is unable at times
and for considerable distances, to detect the
existence of a tree and hardly a shrub on either
side. We finally reached st. Vincent on time,
10 40 A. NJ to-day, though at one time we were
two hours behind. At this place we were de-
tanned until 30 P. NJ, when we should have
left at 1915. This delay was caused partly by
the Canadian Pacific" train being behind
and partly by the slow motions of those I'M
mense humbugs, custom house officials. l call
them humbugs simply because they are. Hav
ing been through the custom house mill
at an Eastern port, l had g
curiosity to see how they did the thing out
West, and I watched the operation closely.
Among the immense piles of baggage there
did not see a single piece thoroughly examined
and many boxes and trunks were not opened al
all, but the inspector put ''pass" mark or
them ali the same. This mark is simply an X
made with white chalk-anybody else coulC
make it just as pretty as they did.
ST. VINCENT
~ &c 4ba
Minneapolis & Manitoba and the Canadian Pa
cifc railways, though it is talked of soon re-
moving it to Emerson 1.-TWO miles this side)
which will be very sensible thing to do.
From Emerson, the Central Pacific railway
has very perceptible down grade most of the
way to Winnipeg-at least didn't notice any
to be a dead level over tract that will not be
very thickly settled by farmers for some
time.
I find so much that would like to say that
hardly know what to leave out, but am ad
monished by the folio at the top of this Lage
of manuscript that I shall get the whole thing
into that proverbial waste basket" if 1 doD':
stop soon-perhaps l shall anyhow. Leaving
description of the towns along the line for q
future or no mention, will drop Immediately
to Winnipeg.
As before stated we arrived at st. Boniface
at $50 P. M to-day. This place is the present
terminus of the track, and there being nc
bridge we crossed the Red River of the North
in skiff, landing nearly opposite old Fort
Garry. There was just enough danger from
running ice to make the crossing interesting.
There was quite feet of skiffs in waiting for
the arrival of the train, and were all soon over
the river and landed IN safety in
WINNIPEG.
This city is about seven years ole, and boasts a
population of 10000. After good supper at the
Queens Hotel, and paying full rates for it, lodg-
ing and breakfast tomorrow morning, took a
stroll about town, the evening being beautiful
and the streets dry. The city proper is built
below the old fort, the streets are wide main
street being not less than 200 feet widel and
mostly. so far as passed them, laid out at
right angles and the city is lighted by gasoline.
There are many large and substantial business
blocks and some fine church edifces; among
the latter is the Knox Presbyterian, large
new brick edifce directly opposite the Queen g
hotel. So far, am in every respect agreeably
surprised and if my favorable impressions are
confrmed by further inspection tomorrow,
shall not be sorry l came up to see
it; but of course, an hours even
ing ramble will not justify an opinion, and
I will wait further examination, before making
up my verdict. In the morning / propose
to pay my respects to. the United States
Consul, Hon. j. W. Taylor, whose official resi-
dence is here, and he is here in person, am
informed.
ST. BoNIFAoE,
may as well say here, is ia new place of some
49, 81 1o10 ovid -