Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-01-05
In MINNESOTA.
SACRAMENTO EXCURSION AGENTS
In THE WEST.
Mr.. Maslin is Somewhat Discour.
.-r-.-s aged Over Their Work
So Far.

so Far.
The following letter from E. w. Maslin,
one of the gentlemen sent out by the Sac
ramento Valley Excursion Association.
gives some account of the uphill work in
the great Northwest
ST. PAUL, December %, 1888.
EDS. RECORD UNION: l promised YOU
that | would send you notes of our trip.
but have retained hitherto because there
was very little to write about that would
be interesting to the people of Sacramento,
so tar as 1t related to the success of our ex-
pertinent. We were detained at Chicago
Dy number OF causes or obstacles which
seemed insurmountable, until the 9Th of
December. when we left for Milwaukee.
Mr.. White had preceded me for the pur-
pose OF securing hall and billing our lee
ture. He found it difficult to secure one.
and, at the last, had to take the lecture
room of female seminary. You have
little idea of the difficulty we have expert
enced IN obtaining a room for our exhibi.
ton at such rent as was within our means
he was refused at several times the use of
a hall simply because, IS the owner said
we were to boom California. Our audi
ence was about 100 persons. | think five
persons declared their intention to go this
winter to Sacramento city. Our first mis-
take was in lecturing at Milwaukee. The
population is mostly composed of Germans
who are slow to be impressed. They are
satisfied with their condition, and are at
tached to the place, its associations. and
also are held by the sentiment of NATIVITY
Unless colony could be formed of persons
OF like birthplace, it will be useless 10 at
fnr nj IN ind -
part of Wisconsin.
Our next lecture was at Portage in Wis
consin, town of about 5000 persons. 1t
is slow, dull town. The land is sandy
and poor, and the farmers are in ordinary
circumstances. | talked with number of
them who had brought into town cord
wood and swamp hay TO sell. They gave
but sorry account of their struggle to
earn livelihood upon their farms. The
cold weather and poor land are constant
obstacles to success. | felt pity for them.
1t was the first time in my life when l have
been brought in contact with a class of
farmers whose struggle is hopeless. Their
pinched faces, hard hands and bowed backs
told OF years of unrequited toll. They as
sured me that they would go to California
but they could not sell their farms. We
had fair and quite appreciative audience.
At this place we concluded that it was
better for US to go together, rather than
that one should precede the other. Ac.
cordingly, we went to La Crosse. At this
place We could not obtain a hall, except
at the close of the week, except Germania
Hall, place some distance from the center
OF the town. There were two entertain-
ments for the week, which we were in
formed engaged the interest of everybody,
the object being charitable and local. and.
4av,r, trx..l- .l,..t e.
a place OF some Importance, arriving there
in the nighttime. The next morning Mr..
White endeavored to secure hall, but
without success. From the character Of
the population we Were persuaded that our
sickle would gather no grain there, and
accordingly we pushed on to st. Paul.
Before we started we had the liveliest
impression that St Paul and Minneapolis
would afford US a wide and genial field for
our work. ST. Paul and Minneapolis claim
each to have in the neighborhood of $780,
600 souls. Upon visiting the latter city we
concluded to make st. Paul our headquar-
tiers. We rented an office in busy part of
the city, having fine show window, in
which we displayed our fruits
Our funds being limited, we were com
PEELED to rent cheap halls. Indeed had we
had plenty of money we could not have
afforded TO pay the exorbitant rents de-
manded. We advertised our lectures thor
oughly and as well posted the city. We
lectured on the nights of the 14th and Dist
to small audiences. We had advertised
that we would be at our Office each day to
give Information about Central California,
and invited examination of the fruit. We
called attention to the field for manufact-
ures at Sacramento City, now that the
American river was being turned, and
I'D = h. oh
We have now been here two weeks. We
have had callers each day, but have not
been able to form any excursion parties.
We are billed to lecture ON Tuesday
night next at Saltwater, a town twenty. five
miles from here, of about 10000 popula-
ton, We are told that there is quite
% California " interest there, and hope to
accomplish something.
l am somewhat disappointed with the
present results of our labors. From the
letters OF those who had described the
scenes at Columbus and Chicago and other
places, / anticipated that the country was
aglow with enthusiasm about California,
and that we would meet with large audi
ences eager to hear about the favored land
But 1t is not so. Ii is well to look the
truth square in the face and at the risk
of offending some of our enthusiastic cit
liens, l presume to say that Minnesota, at
this time, does not afford fair or open
field for our missionary work. As far as |
have seen, / agree with Mr.. Mills $50 far as
this section is concerned), who is reported
to have said at meeting of the State Board
of Trade, that We need not look for immi-
grafton from the so called West that we
must look to the further East.
The people here are proud of their State
1t is dotted with large towns, the scenery is
beautiful, and the farmers are generally in
comfortable circumstances. Ten railroads
run in and out of St. Paul, and altogether,
from what / can learn, the State is in
prosperous condition. The climate is the
main and only objection, and forces many
people to leave or desire TO leave. We may
be asked, then, why can they not be turned
Californiaward? Simply because the North
ern Pacific Railroad is completed, having
one of its termini at st. Paul, and is using
all its means to attract immigration TO Or
egon and Washington Territory. The
daily papers contain, as advertisements
the warmest descriptions of those sections
in colors such as we are wont to use in por-
traying California. Ordinary cold is no
objection to the class of people accustomed
to the severe cold of Minnesota, and the
temperature, as represented, of Oregon and
Washington Territory is paradisicai to
them.
This time last winter the thermometer at
St. Paul was 30 below zero this year it
has not been below 100 above zero, and the
people are congratulating themselves upon
the fine weather. When we mention Cali