The Portland daily press., 1883-07-30

but true horseman. After the famous VIC
tory of Maud S., Kitson offered her owner
100000 for her, so great was his desire to
own the then fastest horse in America. And
this is typical of the man.
Tributary to this city is vast and fertile
expanse of northwest country. The Missis-
sippi makes roadway to the pine regions of
the north, and as to the city itself, we find
its homes surrounded with many rustic
charm. its business blocks handsome and
imposing Along the streets by the river
are the great warehouses and elevators-and
the streets are smooth broad avenues, end
ing only in far away perspective. The eli
mate here is extremely cold in winter and hot
in the summer months, but the dryness of
the atmosphere renders these extremes more
tolerable than on the coast in the East.
Improvements are constantly going on.
The St. Paul, Minneapolis & Manitoba R. R.,
OF which James j. Hill is the head and front,
is making great improvements at the west
end of suspension bridge at the foot of Ham
epin avenue Here is bee hive of indus
try-a vast crowd of men and teams engaged
In completing the foundations of the new
within the reach of vision the same railroad
will expend S3,000,000 during the year.
just below is the magnificent skew arch
bridge now building, 1890 feet in length.
only TAO feet less than half mile, with
twenty spans, four of which are 100 feet
long, while the other sixteen are eighty feet.
The stone is from Sank Rapids and is OF a
very handsome light brown color. This
bridge crosses the river right between the
great Touring mills, whose machinery
throbbs without ceasing day and night
Minnesota is the State of thousand lakes
and of countless wheat fields. Extending
away on all sides is rolling country inter-
sperscd with stretches of woodland, winding
roads and rich farms Everybody here is in
one way or another interested in the wheat
crop. All Minnesota depends upon it.
With the failure of the wheat crop would
come a collapse affecting the fortunes of
every class of people in the State. At the
time of my visit everything was favorable 10
tremendous yield; yet there is much anx-
iety every year during the period when the
wheat Is in the milk. A few days of ex-
tremely hot weather just then would ruin
the whole crop, Lack of rain has caused
anxiety this year, but the extreme lateness
of the season is considered to be a safeguard
against such result.
One is here but short time before dis
covering that real estate speculation is CON
stantly Egoing on. Mr.. Carpenters bright
and readable article in the July Atlantic,
'Boomntown," has much in it that win ap.
ply to conditions in and about Minneapo-
lis. Everything is brought iuto play
to keep the market on the rise;
but Minneapolis is very conservative
now. Her real estate booms have the virtue
of consistency. short distance from the
Chicago, M. & st. Paul R. r. depot may be
seen the site of the new post office, for which
thousands of dollars were paid Before its
location there was some speculation as to
the site, there being two in view, one of
which was offered the government for $4,000,
when it was worth some $4,000, because of
ZIG Ndiuo II NOulu CONFER upon Otler au1Oln-
ing lots. During halt before the final de-
cision speculation rose to fever height-only
to end when the choice was made in col
lapse for one party.
There is hardly business office in St.
Paul or Minneapolis that has not hung
across one side at least one brilliant map or
plotting paper of some 'sBoomtownn in its
earlier stages, with tacks driven into little
squares here and there, ''eugible lots" &C.,
which are frequently sold at auction in the
rotundas of the NicoIlet and elsewhere, for
fancy prices. These sales take place in win
ter oftentimes, and the purchaser finds his
"eligible'' lot covered with water: aud in
turn patiently awaits the return of winter to
realize handsomely on his investment. We
never hear of shy losses, but clerk in one
Of the Registry-of-Deeds offices that records
hundred deeds a day on the average.
would tell you either that real estate sales
in Minneapolis were good solid investments.
or that the fools are not all dead yet-most
likely the former. ii. Nj. SYLVESTER.