Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, Ramsey Co., Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1905, 1886-03-13
TO THE PRESIDENT
An Embassador En- Route With
Letters and Papers.


An ambassador En- Route With
Letters and Papers.
Spoc!G Cosresroudsree Of the IS1ka-oezAS.i
BARTLETT, March 5.-Mr. John Nc
Donnell. Of Bartlett, left this day fot
Washington with 400 copies Of your last
weeks paper containing the address Of
our townsman. Mr. Stsndish, to con-
gress, the president and department. lie
goes through without stopping, and will
cause a copYDf your paper. with this ar.
ticle marked, to be placed on the desk
Of every member and senator. and will
give it to the commissioner Of the gen.
eral land Office, the secretary Of the in
terror and the president. He also takes
tho following letter to the president: ]
To His Ercellsney, Grover Cleveland,
President Of the Unitsd States: Although
I have always been u Republican. am
thoroughly impressed with the fact that
you and all your department officers, in
Guiding Commissioner Sparks, are striv.
Ing tn do your full duties, and desire to
promote only the public go',d, snd{in the
printed address enclosed my only object
has been to present what have learned
by living on the frontier for seven years
and seeing for myself.
In the pine region Of Minnesota, a.
proofs are completed, settlement vacatcs
and leaves, but in tho prairie II stays,
and tho population is found whenever
the census man comes around. ~ you
will see by reference to tho census re-
turns OF 1885. aud prior censuses Of any
given prairie locality but when you 60
back, rs I have been, away from rail.
ways on the prairie, where it takes three
days to make trip for wood and return
and then it costs 80 and 81 cord at tho
woods, and the men have to 81 100 or
more miles for employment on farms.
you would not take 1t rs an evidence Of
fraud that tho wives and children Of a
ne,ghborhood should huddle together in
Il single shanty to save fuel expenses, as
we'll rs for mutual protection; and when
YOU see that these people have come
all 'hc way from Sweden and Norway,
the idea that they came for fraud or Tor
any object other than to acquire home
will be very remote. Some OF these
shanties OH the start Are built chiefly Of
sod.
II our settlement laws are amended
so as to permit absence from prairie
claims in winter, settlers will largely
take rooms, with their families, close TO
fuel and II railway station to be enabled
to school and church their children and
often times obtain remunerativc chi.
ploymcnt, and in the spring reeume the
occupation of their claims.
During this winter one frozen man has
been brought to my house dead an.
other hns had to have both feet ampu.
ta,cd. At the town four miles east Of
me-lnkota-two men about four or
tive miles from town one morning this
winter at daylight were found, one dead,
the other so nearly so that both Of his
hands and his feet now have 70 be am.
putated.
OF course drink contributed largely 10
these causes. but II they had not been
going TO their claims, TO be able to com
ply with present exactions, they would
no, have been frozen. The necessity c!
the coal provisions, l think, will be ap'
parent on its face.
shall lend all the influence and aid
in my power for u combination between
honest Republicans and Democrats tc
place Representatives In congress favor.
able to the government reaining ou1
pine timber for the people to cut undel
government supervision for low stump
nge royalty, to be paid the government
for the timber.
| The. bearer who will present this to
you, John Mcdonnell, will be stopping
ut the Auburn house, No. 2l48. Pennsy!-
vuniA avenue, northwest, Washington
city. lie is entirely creditable and ha,
lived for over thirty years IN Minnesots
and Dakota and now lives at Bartlett, .
T., and makes affidavit 10 the preced
ing. Respectfully yours,
WM. H. 3rANDIsH.
BARTLETT, Ramsey county, ID. I.
In addition TO Mr.. John Mcdonnell
Mcssrs. B.rre,t, Woodruff, Oleson. Cot
fey, Ingalls,, Fulton, Mollison, McDou
gall, Whitney, Schroeder, Bartlett, Geez
Rogers and others join in making affida
Wit that they have each read over III
preceding letter and the memoria
printed by you in your last issue 10 th'
president, the department and congress
and that the facts stated in them ar,
true throughout, their suggestions wise
and that they meet the universal appro
baton of every one in this northwest re
gion, other than the pine ring Of Mime
sofa, regardless OF party affiliations.
The settlers about here are donating I
dollar each to meet the expenses incur
red ,and such contributions in your neigh
borhood to meet expenses will be accep
table. EPHRlAA WOOD.
| NoTE.-Citizens OF Devils Lake ant
vicinity who are willing to contribute to
ward defraying Mr.. McDonnell's expen
ses may leave their contributions at thn
office and the money will be applied II
THAT purpose.-ED. IN1ER-OcEAs.
List of Letters.
Remaining uncslled for at the post