New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1883-09-05
Letter from Devils Lake.

Letter from Devils Lake.
DEVILS LAKE, Aug oath, 1883.
Editor ReDie,o:
% The DEVILS Lake country has made
rapid strides in the way of civilization
since / came here last spring. Then
it looked much like an Indian hunting
ground, as the Indians were constant
ly roaming around, among the scanty
white settlers, with their guns on
their shoulders and ducks on their
backs; now we feel as though we are
in the midst of civilization. The
land has been surveyed and as FAR as
! can see in either direction it las
been taken up by the squatters, who
appropriately have been termed .sem-
bry0 farmers The prairies as far as
the eye can reach are studded with
squatters' shocks, mostly of the size
of sxl0, although there are now many
families that have larger houses.
They are mostly frame and should we
experience a storm like the Minnesota
cyclone l fear every building here
Srould be swept away from the face of
the earth. I can sit in my window
now and see the train crowded with
passengers pass proudly by and at the
same time elegant steamers traverse
the lake. / step outside and beho old a
city which beats Rome in being built
in day. Our local papers give the
population to be about 2, 600, but this
is certainly not only dealing with
round numbers but dealing with them
in spread-eagle-style. 1t is probable,
however, that the population is not
far from 1000. Preliminary steps
have already been taken to incorpo.
rate under the name of Devils Lake
instead of Creel City as before. Quite
q discussion has arisen as some oppos-
ed to such ''devilish" name for the
city, thinking we have honored his
Satonic majesty enough, as We al
ready have Devils Lake, Devils Heart.
Devils Backbone and Satan's garden.
One has suggested that instead of
Devils Lake the city might be called
Hades as that has tho advantage of
brevity. Another town which pro-
poses to DO justice to it's name has
been located at the north end of the
lake where the jamestown branch of
the N. P. r. II. strikes it. 1t has been
called New Chicago.
During the summer there las been
u great rush to the Turtle Mountain
region and the land is pretty much
taken. Uncle Sans public domain
which used to be thought inexhaus-
tible, is rapidly diminishing and vast
though it DE, it is evident that the
continuance Of his present libe ralities
must necessarily be question OF
time.
Harvest has just commenced and
the crops are good. The season has
been remarkably dry and for a time i,
looked rather blue; the grain heading
out when the straw was ahont one
foot long, but we have had plenty OF
rain since the middle Of July and the
grain improved wonderfully. Garden
vegetables are splendid and corn is
raised with success. Our farmers
have sent Il full display of vegetables
to Minneapolis for exhibition. This
country is wonderfully adapted fol-
withstanding drouth rs the ground
freezes to a great depth in winter and
is not entirely thawed out until mid
summer. The frost by its gradual
evaporation gives moisture to the
roots OF plants, and then we have a
very heavy dew.
l am yet living on my claim but as
soon as the land comes into market,
shall go into business. The Minneso.
ia editors were here on July 10th.
Thinking that Mr.. Bobletcr of the
REVIEW, or Mr.. Sanborn of the Mn.
della Times would be among the mum
Der, l intended to 20 to town in the
evening, but Il threatening storm pre-.
vented. Our local papers have con-
tanned reports of the excursion from a
great many of these editors, among
others from the Sleepy Eye Herald.
and they seem to he well satisfied
with the trip and pleased with the
country. The only exception to this
as far as I have seen is Mr.. Flanders
of Madelia, representing the st. James
Journal. see in the Madelia Times
that he is rs disappointed with the
country.
l was very sorry to learn of the dis.
aster Of Brown county, the
destruction of crops ard demolishing
of buildings. see that the Unitari.
an church in Linden was badly wreck.
ed. | said to myself that this would
furnish fresh fuel for tho fanatics and
l did not mistake. l understand that
some lunatic has had the audacity tc
publish in the Nordot stem that it was
Gods wrath that destroyed the Uni
tartan church. Now I understand