The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1886-11-20
Correspondence Baltimore County Unton.
LETTER FROM MINNESOTA.
A Baltimore County Lady in the West
Her Observations on Matters of
General Interest

ALEXANDRIA, MINNESOTA, Nov. 9, 1886
Editors Union We thought our friends in
Baltimore county would like to hear from one born
and raised in the county but lately come to Min
nesota to reside. We send you the following lines,
hoping the ever familiar columns of THE UNION
may have space to insert them.
We arrived here just nine weeks ago yesterday
and found Alexandria a beautiful little Western
town, thrifty and fourishing, with its two thous
and inhabitants and its many trades and pursuits.
Like all Western towns the population is continu
ally changing. Alexandra will lose about thirty
of its prominent citizens during the present month
An excursion will leave Minneapolis on the 18th
for Southern California, and it is this excursion
that will rob Alexandria of some Of its most active
business men. They say
"From the fields of ice and snow
To the orange groves we co.
However, we may them back again next
spring, for they will leave their families here until
they settle on some orange grove.
Almost every nationality has its representatives
here except the African race, and his absence is
a marked contrast to the numbers in the East !;
indeed there are few west of Chicago We have
not seen negro since we left Minneapolis on the
9th of September. There stopped at the Nicol-
let House, and they employ colored walters, but
only in the hotel were any to be seen, for you
could walk the streets and avenues for hours with
out meeting one. Here in Alexandria a negro
would be a curiosity.
People here hard working, honest and in
dustrous and wish only TO get their living in an
honest way. They even show some conscience
about charging high prices when things are scarce.
For instance they say eggs never bring more than
20 cents per dozen. They may be scarce or there
may be none in the market, but should few come
in the price would not be put up. Poultry and
game are cheap and excellent We get splendid
fat pheasants for 25 cents per pair. All kinds Of
meats are plentiful at moderate rates. We get
best cuts of beef and lamb at II cents per pound
In winter there is plenty of venison and bear meat
in the markets. As we have lately come to Alex
andria we cannot tell you how will appreciate
cold grizzly" as food, but old residents say
SUI generis. The lakes supply the town with ex
cellent fresh fish, such bass, trout, pickerel,
white fish and many other smaller kinds. But we
miss the oyster fresh and juicy from Maryland
Here only canned and packed oysters can be had
Above spoke of the honesty of the people here
1t is perfectly safe to go out and leave your house
open without fear of burglary. Such crime is
almost unknown in Alexandria. Wood and Goa
may be left outdoors with perfect safety.
Wood is very plentiful coal is rather scarce
owing to high freight. There are extensive tim
Der forests of oak and maple around Alexandra
and further southwest there large pine forests
making pine lumber very cheap. Indeed we saw
more lumber in St. Paul and Minneapolis in one
day than We saw in Maryland during residence
there of many years. Houses in these Western
towns are mostly frame, and here in Alexandra
are but few brick buildings There no build
ing stones here. One only finds boulders worr
smooth and round from continual erosion, ant
biologists say this part of Minnesota bears every
evidence of its having been once an immense sea
Douglas county has in it 126 lakes, and some o
them are large and beautiful. Alexandria is stu
ated on two of the prettiest, and about two mile
from here is Geneva Beach, the largest lake in thu
.k, f,l haul do hann
some hotel used as fashionable resort in summer
while in the fall it is retreat for sportsmen an(
anglers.
Just here [ will mention accident to GU
| Congressman, the Hon. Mr. Nelson. While GU
fishing in his boat alone his hook caught to some
sea-weed in the bottom of the lake. As he pulled
to free the hook his boat slipped away from him
throwing him into the water, where he was loun(
two hours later insensible and chilled. He wa
brought to Alexandria with all speed and restora
tives were applied by our skillful physicians. IL
has so far recovered as to be able during the las
week to take an active part in the political cam
paign. The election came off here on Tuesda.
with success to the Republican party.
Temperance people are doing good work her
in endeavoring to abolish the drinking saloons, o
which Alexandria has its share, while perhap
there are not so many as will be found IN man.
Eastern towns of the same size. We hope soon t.
see Alexandria model temperance town.
Our little town is situated in the Park Region
| of Minnesota, and here is located the Park Re
gion -four mills. They do thriving business
| Some days there can be seen line of farm wagon
fully one fourth of mile long, waiting to unloa
their grain. Besides the mills the elevators ar
busy receiving, storing and continually shipping
| grain.
Maryland farmers would be delighted with sucl
rich black soil found here in places to the dept
OF III iccts S-.~- thatv aoeta HE
attain here with but little labor wohia = s ~"
Marylanders, as indeed it did US. All kinds Q
vegetables grow here except sweet potatoes, al
we miss some Of Maryland's luscious fruits, We
small fruits are abundant Rich red Englis
raspberries, plums and -cranberries grow wild il
the swamps, and they are excellent fine fruits.
Sunday is quietly and strictly observed here
The climate is subject to changes, yet it is most
ly clear and dry. As yet winter has not set in an
the weather has been unusually fine, but prepare
lions are being made for cold weather. E. S. 7.