Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1883-05-11
FR0V THE WEST.

magnificent view OF the surrounding terri
tory. To the north and east lay the rolling
prairies and timber lands TO the south and
west the low, fiat praries of the Red River
valley. This was my first view of the rich
black soil, which stretched out before us like
a calm sea as far as the eye could reach On
every side of us were immense tracts OF this
black soil, plowed and narrowed ready for the
seed and forming striking contrast to those
portions which had not been broken, but we're
covered with dead prairie grass Fergus has
foundation on which to build II has some
thing behind it that will push it into promi-
nence in tho future-that is water. power. It
has fall of over 80 feet within the city linn
its and 200 feet within few miles. To i'm
prove it is not expensive. The whole fall ex-
tends over considerable distance, and the
same water can be used at least seven times
over. 1t has the best water power west Of
Minneapolis, with the advantage over that
city, that, while the Mississippi sometimes be.
comes so low as to produce scarcity Of wa
ter, the Red River ut Fergus never varies over
20 inches, the numerous lakes all about hold
ing back the water and feeding il to tho man.
ufacturing interests in plentiful and steady
supplies. The town is situated at the begin.
ming of the uplands Of the Red River valley.
1t is free from the overhows which sometimes
prevent seeding on the low lands till it is 10
late that not over half a crop can be raised,
and is near the timber lands of the northeast.
1t seems to me Fergus is destined to become
large manufacturing city. Its growth may
not be as rapid as some city to the west which
has better distributing facilities but what
ever town may become the commercial city Of
the Red River valley it seems to me Fergus
must be the manufacturing city of that sec
ton. have seen no city in the northwest
where there are so many desirable sites for
residences The city is surrounded by beau
tltul ominunces commanding a good view of
the town and surrounding country IL one
visits Fergus, he should not leave it till no has
driven about the suburbs the streets are no
more attractive than those of any new western
town. The city looks unfinished and crude,
Of course. On the principal street you will
see a new brick block, on one side Of which
will be cheap wooden shanty and on the
other muck-hole; but this is true of all
northwestern towns west of Minneapolis.
Where will the chief commercial town Of
this section lie Will it be Fergus, Fargo,
Grand Forks, jamestown, or some town not
yet risen into prominence At present Fer
gus doesn't seem to be as well situated for a
distributing point as Fargo and if direct
line of railroad is built from Chicago to Far
go, as is now contemplated by Chicago CAPT
talists, thus reaching directly into the Red
ANi'NA NhlAtg NAAuOuL EthOIlluk 10 raul rs
a distributing point, Fargo will stand by far
the best chance of becoming the great com
mercial city of the valley. 1t is already the
largest city west of Minneapolis. 1t has been
over doomed, but il is destined to grow 1t
has horse railroad but don't see how il
can pay, and | understand it doesn't At
present the track is sunk under the mud The
stores are large, and contain an excellent va
riety Of the best of wares. 1t seems to con-
tain more wealth than most northwestern
towns. 1t looks like an older city than Fer
gus or Grand Forks. 1t has population of
about 0,000 Moorhead Just across the riv-
err, has 1000. The society of Fargo is excel
lent-much better than in most western towns.
You see nothing of the rough element on the
street; not as many drinking saloons as you
would expect to see in q city of its size stu
ated in new country. But Fargo is noted
for its poker playing. Men there have made
money easily it goes in extravagant living.
dissipation and gambling.
Grand Forks is a newer town than Fargo,
80 miles north. 1t has population of per
haps GOOO and has the advantage over Fargo
OF being really the head of navigation. few
small steamers go up to Fargo, but Grand
Forks is really the farthest up the river most
of the steamers go. Just at present there is
more building at Grand Forks than at either
Fergus Falls or Fargo. Last year the town
doomed whether it will continue to do SO
remains to be seen.
One of the most marvellous things | have
seen since | came west is the adhesiveness of
Red River mud. People talk about Minneap-
oils mud-it isn't comparison with Red Riv-
er mud. There isn't particle of grit in it
taste of it and it is as smooth as oil. This
absence of grit and perhaps the great amount
of alkali in the soil, renders the mud very i'd
90 ct -
Grand Forks to-day is pavements. In Fargo
there were very few vehicles of any descrip-
ton in the streets. 1t is not uncommon to
see the wheels Of wagons one solid mass of
mud, the spaces between the spokes being
completely filled. Yesterday poor dog got
stuck in the mud on the principal street, and
attracted large crowd of amused spectators
by his efforts to extricate himself In one in
stance, yesterday, two strong horses were I'M
able to pull an empty wagon in their efforts
to tear themselves adrift they broke white
trees and harness, and left the wagon in the
street. After the mud dries it forms an e1-
cellent road, hard as asphalt.
don't see but that people are Just as hon.
est here as they are east. II person has
money here, he wants a level head on his
shoulders or he will lose it. If he has a level
head and money, he can do better than in the
east. heard a man in Fargo say, IF man
has money and is a id fool he had better
stay in the east" Wages for clerks are no
higher-generally not as high-as in the east,
and it costs more to live so the net is not as
large. Unless man has some good trade
as carpenter for instance-or has money, he
better stay east till he gets money. young
man can grow faster in the west if he can
once get started, but its hard work to start.
He cant make money as long as he works for
somebody else he must get into business for
himself before he can save much. There are
dozen applicants for every vacant place
The west is full OF young men, all seeking for
the softest job. find great many old ac-
quaintances whom knew in the east but had
lost track of or forgotten. One in ten have
made money the rest are barely making a
living. 1t is the one we hear about east the
other nine don't howl. The one makes more
more noise than all the rest. His eastern
friends like to tell of his success in the west ;
they are silent regarding the others Brains
count for more than gray hairs in the west
in the east gray hairs have the preference.
Land in all the principal towns is very high.
In Minneapolis it sells as high as $1,000 per
front foot in Fergus Falls population GOOD,
for over 5000 per foot in Grand Forks for
S225; in Fargo for $780, Insurance ranges
from l ] to per cent, according to material
and location of buildings. There is a won
ueIluI ulnerence IN the appearance OF the Two
cities, Minneapolis and st. Paul. Although
only ten miles apart, judging from the topog-
raphy of the country, the character of the
buildings and the nationality OF the inhabi- |
tants, one would say they were 200 miles
apart. Minneapolis is as level as floor st. |
Paul is all hills and bluffs. Minneapolis is
spread out over a wide space; st. Paul is
compact and its outlines sharply defined |
Minneapolis has the appearance of an over
grown town rather than city st. Paul looks |
like an old, well-established city. Minnsapo- |
lis is filled with wooden buildings; st. Paul |
is built of brick and stone Minneapolis is |
new st. Paul is old Minneapolis is filed |
with manufactures st. Paul is filed with
houses. Minneapolis is full of New
EnglandeIs st. Paul is full of foreigners.
Both are growing rapidly; will sometime,
probably be united. In St. Paul alone over
1000 buildings will be erected this year, and
in Minneapolis this number will be exceeded.
went on top of Gov. Washburn's new resi-
dence the other day, where a good view of
is obtainable. The amount of
building was perfectly wonderful. In every
section of the city new houses were going up
by the score. In the west nearly everybody
ipeculates in land. Young men in Minneapo-
ia oil rlr1f l., 90 |