The Northern Pacific farmer. [volume] (Wadena, Minn.) 1878-1885, 1884-05-15
How Towns are Started in Colo
RADIO,

The "Town Site Company" 1 ought
to explain, for the benefit of some East
ern readers, is an association of men
who make UP their minds that a town
should, would, or could grow up at a
certain point in wild region whittier
civilization is tending, or whittier arush
is expected, contingent upon a certain
event, like the discovery of precious
metals OF the completion of railway.
Under laws of the United States these
men "take up" II certain area upon
which to build their town, and proceed
to put it into as presentable shape as
circumstances will admit, by surveying
streets, indicating parks and reserya-
tons for public. buildings hospitals,
churches, city hall, libraries and soon;
by bringing water from the hills, plant
ing shade-trees and perhaps building
big hotel. In mans cases the railway is
a partner and helps by concentrating
operations at that point; indeed, the
exigencies Of railway construction and
operation are generally the most potent
factors in deciding tie locality.
The place plotted and the company"
on the ground, lively advertising begins.
The floating frontier crowd PUSHES to
the new spot, and wild speculation in
town lots at once begins, prices being
paid that have no relation to the intrinsic
value of the property acquired, which,
as yet, is worth next to nothing, but,
like the wildcat stocks of Wall street,
simply represent the amount a man is
willing to stake OIL that particular
card, or the rental can afford for i'm
mediate use and opportunities. Ernest
Ingersoll, in The Manhattan for May.
Concerning Tact.
| From the Boston Courier.
The noble creature man yet lacks one
or two points of being perfect, and
among these may be counted rather
general absence of tact. TO most wo-
men tact is INFORM to very few men is it
even possible to acquire 1t.
The femme mind, it is true, delights
overmuch, as a general thing, in crook
cd speech. An evasion is delight,
and white lie a fearful Joy. Man, on
the contrary-man an natllral-is pain
fully blunt and honest. It might al
most be said, indeed, that the very best
men cannot possess tact. It is an inn
possibility to their natures. The habit
Of thought before speech cannot be ac-
quired. A hearty, genial college pro-
lessor, most well-intentioned and tact
less of men, was requested by his wife to
entertain lady visitor until the hostess
herself had finished her toilet. De-
scending to perception room, our pro-
fessor beamed upon the guest with
smile whose kindly warmth must have
gone far to overcome the effects of the
wild storm which ragged outside. "A
terrible day, professor, began the lady,
with a pleasant smile. Indeed It is
madame" the honest gentleman ro-
joined; "a wild day. I was just saying
to my wife that those who had homes
to-day better stay in them" A sud
den rig;dity settled upon the
countenance of the lady, and the pro-
fessor could not understand why she
listened so coldly to his description OF
new variety Of fern which he had re-
Gently discovered
Rather worse than the professor was
mild old pastor with small and
peppery wife. So small she was that
if she wished to touch his toe at the
dining table, in conjugal warning, she
was obliged to slip far down in her
chair, almost disappearing from view.
At the same instant a corresponding
rise might be observed in the pastor.
He also betrayed himself by hurried
"Eh, my dear? What?" Upon being adj
monishcd that this would not do, he
promised to mend. Very soon
brother Clergyman dined with him, and,
absorbed in discussion Of the lost tribes,
he. unconsciously served to his guest
nearly; the hole Of a dish OF
rare and early peas. At this
juncture the wife sank almost from view
below the tables horizon. The minis
ter was like reverend Jack the-box,
and began ''Eh ?" Then recollccting in
structions he subsidized and remarked
blandly, Il think they will 60 round,
my dear!" Either of these men was cap
able of almost any noble and heroic act,
and it is, to be sure not vital failing,
this want of TACT.
Many things, however, which in them
selves are far enough from vital, do much
| effect our lives, and many worried wO-
man would become placid, and many a
home he free from unpleasant contre-
tempts, if only the master could be gifted
with bit of that divine possession, tact.
White Mountain Weather.
There was one place in New England
| where the weather last month was only
ordinary. It was the tip-top place, the
summit of Mount Washington. The
total wind movement up there in March
was only 24,525 miles, which is 2,O65
miles than the March average. The
greatest velocity attained was 1872 miles
an hour, on the 10Th. The tempera-
ture ranged from 26 degrees below on
the LIST to 41.6 degrees an the 10Th; and
the mean for the month was 1872 de-
grees, which is IL degree above the
average for March. Rain or snow fell
on twenty days, and, at the end of the
month, three feet of rlnmelted snow re-
NAMED on the ground. The total pre-
cipitation was 4.16 inches, or 2.60
inches below the average. April opened
with clear and cold weather, followed
I, ~ II