The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1884-04-22
Qhe a1ttdliqe,ltrn
'iiiec, nos. 70 nnd W Fourteen1h street..
1 r or THE PINES.

y
Oiiiec' nOs. 10 ",d ~ Fourteenth street..
CITY OF THE PINES.
A SprightIy Fourteen.Y cnv.Oid Mime.
sofa city, Thu: Tan olive wheeling a
Few Pointers. -"..a EEbU
Specia! Correspondence Gf he inkuigeaor,
B~RAlNRRp, CHOW WING County. MIMI,
April IL, lSS4.-Thls thriving little city
has grown 80 rapidly in population In the
last four years that its real Importance is
but little known 10 tho outside world. Sit.
uated in the geographical centre Of the
State, on the east bank Of the Mississippi,
with the most direct trans.continental rail.
road line from Portland, Me-, to Portland,
Oregon, running through It, It possesses a
commercial position which is uaexcelled
in the State. Tho Northern Pacific road
here branches oil in two forkp, one line
running 10 Duluth, ll5 miles to the east,
through which the vast commerce Of all
the North American lakes pourB it's stream
OF wealth; ind the other to tho twin cities
Of st. Paul and Minneapolis, the great
gates Of the Northwest, 1876 miles to the
Southwest. Westward arc the enterprising
cities Of Fargo mud Moorhead, lIU miles.
The great pine belt oil the continent lies to
the North and West, for which Brainerd Ia
the great shipping point. Millions OF feet
Of lumber are annually iloated South,
sawn by steam. and reshippsd through
Brainerd to tho West.
The growth oil the town has been rapid,
but at the same time substantial, The
pioneers brought with them brains as well
as muscle, and the fruit Of their labors ia
seen in tho beautiful little city, with hand
some business blocks, elegant private resi-.
dences, spacious drives, fine water works,
commodious opera house and An attractive
park. Where a lew years ago there WAS
nothing but a dense fine forest. And the
citizens arc more proud Of their haudiwork
for the reason that they have never reserted
to the western plan OF blooming" their
town to stimulate their real estate trans.
actions. One would hardly think tho town
is but fourteen years old, yet it was only
plated in the fall OF 1870, and recorded in
September, 1871. To-day 1t contains $4,000
people. 1t 10 the county seat OF Grow
Wing county, and was named in honor OF
OF the wife OF Governor J.. Gregory Smith,
whose maiden namc was Brsinerd.
WHAT MAKES TuE TOWN.
Tho main shops Of the Union Pacific
Railroad are located here. These shops
employ nearly 1900 men, and support a
population, directly and indirectly, Of
5000 people at least. The shops are sub.
stan.ially built Of brick, stone aud iron,
and cover an aggregate Of lG2, 900 square
feet, aside from q round house SIG feet in
diameter, with stalls for forty.four engines,
The ne Northern Pacific hospital is located
on. the west bank Of the Mississippi, sur.
rounded by a beautiful PARK Of twelve
acres II is a large and handsome build.
ing, consisting OF basement and three
stories, crowned by three towers, with a
piazza on two sides. The entire building
il heated by steam, and contains all the
modern %conveniencss.
An important industry now receiving
some attention in the milling interest.
There is already n Touring mill here
wish = capacity OF 200 barrels per day.
A laage lao horse power Corless engine
supplies the power. Tho mill is four stories
in height; with basement There is also a
large brewery here, besides a bottling
house and other minor industries.
The fine new Sleeper opera house, and a
handsome roi!er-5kating rink are the pop.
ular resorts OF the fashionable folk, while
the red-legsed lumbermen, coming down
from a long and weary winter in the pine
woods, with their pockets we'll lined with
Uncle Sans promises to pay, tiud plenty
Of rollicking fun at the cosy little Garden
Theatre. Three weekly newspapers cater
10 the literary tastes OF the people, viz: the
Norlhur.ern Tribune, the Dispatch and the
Journal. The first named is the Oldest, as
it is undoubtedly the best. 10 its accom-.
plished and versatile editor and proprietor,
Mr.. GEORGE s. Confield, a Chesterfield in
journalism, We wish to acknowledge our
indebtedness for facts and figures contain
ed in thiB letter.
Through the forts Of such men as the
Hartley Brcs., DR.. J. X. Howes, Mr.. @. F, |
Kindred, Col. G. B. Leeper, Col. George S.
Garfield, Mr.. Carl Douglas and others,
Rrainerd can now boast OF an annual real
estate business Of nearly 81, 100000, build
ing aggregating nearly SG00, 600 per yoar, a
national bank with q capital OF soc, 900, |
eight churchea, eight hotels, the finest opera
house III tnis part OF the State, three large
saw.mills, blind, cash and door factory, the
most passiyo shops and the most ialshed
hospital on the Northern Pacific railroad.
A high.achool building, costing $4,000, is
under construction, and among the projects
now under way, and which will be con-
summated tho coming simmer. are the
erection OIL city gas works, the building Of
two new LEGAL railroads, and the expendi.
ture Of $50, 900 in building dam across the
Mississippi to Hecn1e water power for the
great mills and factories which will IN.
doubtedly be located here. And we will
add that the county OF Grow Wing does not
owe, q dollar, and that the city's only in.
debtedness ia the $4,000 Of outstanding
bonds for the ERECTION Of the high.school
building.
WHERE Il BLACK BASS pLouRIsH.
Favored in common with other parts Of
Minnesota, with a climate OF exceptional
sulubrity, Brainerd has peculiar features
Of situation and topography that dis.
tinguish it as q naturally healthfu! city.
The surrounding light forests Of evergreen
are broken everywhere with lovely lakes, !
all beautifully stocked with fish OF the
rarest varieties. The black bass fishing
afforded by these waters is the laest in the
world.
The country here is settled by a clever,
enterprising and intelligent people from
all parts Of all the older States. The bust.
ness men are shrewd, w~ide.awake and
enterprising, and they, with their families,
comprise n society MS select 80 the Hbest
circles" OF cur Oldest Eastern towns. The
peonle aa n whole are indnatrionu ond'1aw.