St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-10-06
ALBERT LEA.
A City Located in One of the Most
Romantic Spots in South
ern Minnesota,
Upon the Shores OF Albert Lea, Lake,
Though Smaller, Resembling
MinnetOnka in Contour.
A Short Description of the Albert Lea Driv-
ing Park, Live Stock Association
Other Mention.
Ispecinl correspondence Of Inc Globe.


attends to his business, whatever it may be,
in the business portion of the city, and, grip
in hand, jumps into the hack, and is driven
to the depot again has simply missed seeing
one of the most beautiful cities in beautiful
Minnesota.
There is nothing striking or unusual about
the appearance of the business part of Albert
Lea to distinguish it from its sister cities of
Minnesota. Its streets are broad, very
broad; its sidewalks are wide, and are always
kept in good repair, and its business build
ipes are substantial brick structures in the
main, but, beyond this, and the fact that the
splendid hotels which it contains always have
made it popular with the travelling public,
there is nothing about the city, as seen by
ordinary business men, who have visited it,
to commend it to them over and above any
other brisk, live, go ahead western city of the
same number of people.
But let one who wants to see city full of
the most delightful and most romantic loca-
tons, take drive ON some fine day about
Albert Lea and see for himself the natural
beauty of the scenery which lies at his feet
as he winds in and out upon the bank of the
beautiful Albert Lea lake, upon which the
city is built and note the neat, handsome
and even elegant residences and grounds
with which the city is.flled, and he must be
person of more than the usual degree of OBJ
tuseness if he fails to appreciate its lovli
ness.
Albert Lea is one of the most beautiful of
all Minnesota's lakes and although much
smaller, resembles Minnetonka in general
contour. 1t has the same high, abrupt, well
wooded banks, and the same dark green
water. A most delightful and really roman
| tic drive, over four miles in length
which the Albert Leans feel justly proud of,
encircles it and is kept in most excellent re-
pair, so as to form really grand boulevard
which would wiring praises from the lips of a
marble statue, so lovely and beautiful is it.
The class of residences which line the
shores of this beautiful lake are of more than
the usual degree of excellence for place of
| 5000 people, and adorned and beautifed by
| smoothly shaven lawns and fiue shrubberv
as they are, and with the romantic lake and
its bewitching scenery ever in view, the poets
and artists who find in nature when toned
and beautifed by art their truest and noblest
inspirations may here cease their wanderings
and guild with immortal lustre a landscape
which can only dimly outline.
1t was the courtesy of Dr. Wedge which
disclosed the Ito me) heretofore hidden
beauties of his city. Under his guidance the
handsome features of what 1 had
always before considered a common place
town were brought to view. Having learned
that upon his stock farm, about one mile
west of the city, half-mile track had been
fitted up, and that he had turned over to the
care and control of the Albert Lea Driving
Park and Live Stock association the care and
management of his Oak Park track, I ex-
pressed desire to see it and the fine stock
farm on which 1t is located. Stepping into
his kindly proffered carriage we took in the
lovely scenery and fine residence part of the
city before alluded to, and were soon whirl-
ing away toward Oak Park. AS before said
it is located about one mile west of the city
upon tract of $40 acres, which constitutes
the Dis farm. The track is finely laid out in
the centre of an eighty acre lot seeded tC
clover, and is as level as house floor. Al
we drove around it we came upon the fno
herd of full blood and grade Short
horn COWS which are his especia
pride. OF what beautiful and sy
metrical form they were one ha:
only to imagine his ideal of perfectness, ant
If he has any correct conception of the class
of the animal kingdom to which they belong
he will hit it the first time. Color, form and
figure all unite in one perfect whole. "a
two year old short horn steer" said the doc
tor by way Of interjection, represents more
real profit on the capital invested than any
other species of farm property which money
can be converted into," and rememb erina
how easy it has always been to sell such ami
mails for rattling good price, fairly con
Cured In his sentiment The DOCTORS herl
comprises forty head of full bloods, with thu
Duke of Albert Lea at their head, and take1
as herd they are hard TO beat They are il
excellent order, and raised their roya
heads from the luXuriant clover they wert
cropping, at our approach, any one Wit
could not have appreciated their beautiful
points must be sadly devoid of reason o
feeling. In the calf pasture lot a group o
seven or eight fine spring calves were feed
ing as close together as if harnessed in on,
team, and showed their blood as well as theil
elders, and were indeed pretty sight.
Further on in another lot were three fin
thoroughbred bull calves. "These," sal,
the doctor, twill bring me 800 each, and
have more demand for such animals than
can possibly supply" In view of the fac
that common barnyard animal is WORT
from ten to twenty dollars it really does seen
as If 1t did pay to raise good stock.
After looking over the cattle and a her
of pure white half blood Suffolk swine, who's
mother being a black and white spotted AM
NAL Of the common order suggested tn
| truth Of the oft asserted idea that ''bOod wi
tell" We next visited the horse barn
The doctor is horse enthusiast and ha
some splendid specimens Of the noble equin
race.
We first visited the stall of ''Fishervill
Lass a thoroughbred running mare in
ported from Canada, and who took the blu
ribbon at the late state fair for "best tho
: oughbred mare.'' She is four years old frol
jack Bell, dam Reachmaid. Her colt whic
also took first premium, named Elsie Ryan
sired by Tim Ryan, Lexington horse,
; also a fine specimen Of high breeding
= The hard smooth limbs and trir
: head would deDominate the pul
: blood of which they boast even to a novice
We next visited ''Almont Messenger"
|. fine dapplc bay stallion a good fifteen hanC
high, OF trotting strain, as indicated by b
name which practically gives his pedigreC
:, Sire .4Almont,' dam Laura" by Darnab
q Messenger" He is a fine looking horse an
: q splendid sire himself.
Next we took look at the yearling CO
s'Ringwood'' purchased at the Kittson sal