The Press., 1883-09-13
LETTER FROM MINNESOTA.

LETTER FROM MINNESOTA.
 Clearwater, Mnn., Aug. s1, 1885, find, on looking over an old scrap book, that it is sixteen years since my first letter ap- peared in The Press. That letter was dated Westward" and briefly described my first journey across West Canada to Detroit. Since then have written more than one hundred letters and articles, describing many places here in the west, and giving, on the whole, quite an amount of general information of the country. These articles were not always written over the same signature O fact which l am willing to disclose, since they are now accompanied by one that is entirely responsi- ble Although writing from @ distance from Stafford, home matters have not been entirely discarded. For instance, in 1868, directed attention to the disgraceful condition of the cemetery, which is located near where the old Methodist church stood, and hinted what ought to be done to remove that disgrace from the community and I am glad that at tention is now being given to this important matter. The next year took part in the dis cussion that arose over the high school ques- oAOAA NSAAoASASAOA people of Stafford and the location of it. The
 two communications were published in one issue of the Press but think no one outside
 of the editor suspected the source of the arti- l cles
 The next home matter took a hand in was
 the liquor interest of Stafford Springs. This
 was twelve years ago; and one interesting
 feature of that discussion was a critical letter,
 which my first article called out, from one
 who signed "Aristides," to a communication from New York. Read now, after the lapse of so many years "Aristides" criticism is highly amusing. I venture to say he would never have written it if he had known who the ''Vav" was whom he undertook to anni-
 hilate with his critical bow
 Tome these "reminiscences are very pleasing,
 and indulge myself in them for that season.
 l have derived good deal of pleasure in these
 occasional letters, and have some reason to
 believe::that few others have also, and have
 the hope that the paper in which they have
 appeared has not suffered on their account.
 We are at the end of August, and it has
 been a month of great interest to us. In the
 first place it is the month that decides largely
 the nature of the harvest which is in the most
 critical stage now. The August days and
 nights are watched with great deal of solici-
 tude, because slight variations in the tempera-
 ture decide the character of the wheat, which
 is in the dough, and determine whether the
 grade will be of first or second quality. Then,
 too, the character of the corn crop is greatly
 settled. If August is favorable, not too dry,
 warm, but not hot, cool nights, it is all right,
 the corn will hang it's ears to the earth and will mature we'll.
 The present August has been of unusual interest on account of severe storms. We have suffered from them more than usual.
 The recent cyclone, which did such fearful
 destructive work at Rochester, was one of the
 most terrible that has ever swept the country. : : Nineteen were killed in the city, and one hun dred wounded. One hundred twenty -four families are in need of the necessities of life. e Sixteen or more persons outside of the city, but in the country, have perished. One thousand people are homeless and destitute of a every thing. In other places the storm made h itself felt, but much more lightly. It is not n to be wondered at if the people are made tim e id, and hastily seek their cellars when there is }, > the appearance of threatening clouds. Thro' ;, this region we have thus far fortunately es- l. capped any severe wind or rain storm. In
 fact, for the whole summer there has been }, very little wind.
 O August, will be remembered also, by reason . of the completion of the Northern Pacific if This great work has been pushed forward the T. past few weeks with great energy The last d fifty miles were laid in twenty days. Next l, Monday President Willard and his party are l, to be entertained by St. Paul and Minneap ,- olis These two cities could not agree to IT jointly banquet them, so each one goes on his l, own hook. Minneapolis will have grand $ industrial procession, and St. Paul will gc s out to Minnetonka. The opening of thi e feet on these two cities.
 e The death of Dr. s. R. Riggs, which oc
 cured a few days ago at his home in Beloit y Wis, will interest many. He will be long re . membered in connection with his work in thii s state among the Dakotas He reached For'
 Smelling in June 1887, and from that time tc l. his death was engaged in labors for this fierce 7, tribe of wild men. He paid great attention T to the study of their language, and has made ', valuable acquisitions to the historical itera U ture of the state. Few men have made a no 2 bier record. O. P. CHANpLN. d Cooley's Weekly: A correspondent }, sends the following about post office il t. one of the country towns, north of Nor 1t wich: 1: There were some angry men in {