The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1889-10-26
| I'm. AND ABOUT GRAOEVILLE.
a Thriving VillageAn Industrious and
ss Progressive People.

Gut on the Browns Vally branch OF
the Manitoba road, perhaps l75 miles
northwest of Minneapolis. is situated
the village Of Gracevllle, with a popula-
tion Of about 1 600 souls and one Of the
most prosperous towns of its size in the
state Of Minnesota. Everything in ana
about it betokens an air of neatness and
its people are both progressive ana
enterprising. Here, in mailing dist
ance' of each other, are The beautiful
twin lakes. known as east and west
Tcqna lakes. Graceyille fronting am
overlooking the former. While 1t IS not
CITY in all that the term implies, set 1t
has pretenslOns. and they are certainly
not out Of the way, bevond manv incor-
porated cities of three times its size, for
! the amount of business transacted hele
is unquestionablv Of a most creditable
| nature. Graceville as an incorporated
village, has John McRea for Mayor.
with W. +. ONeil. Robert Brennan
and u. M. nartnett as aldermen. Fhe
other officers are as follows: Treasurer,
81. w. Strong; recorder I. F. O Hare;
Board af Supervisors, j. w. Rothwell.
P. T.. Hayden, NJ. FL. Casey: to~n
clerk, j. K. Grove.
The Shipping facilities Of Graceville
are good, having besides the 81. Paul,
| Minneapolis & Manitoba, branch OF
the Milwaukee &St. Paul road to Fargo.
Studdart ave, the principal thorough
fare, has a number of good business
blocks, and many fne private residences
dot the village here and there. "A num-
Der of elevators together with a bank
and roller mill, the latter built at q
cost of about 1000, are also located
here. The mill was built by the Strong
brothers some years ago, and was lately
sold to Messrs. Sheehan & Baldwin, OF
Fargo, who have re6tted it from cellar
to garrett It's capacity will be about
$50 barrels per day, and now that it IS
in good running order promises to be OF
untold value to Graceville and vicinity
Americans, Irish. Germans. Scandl,
navians almost wholly or entirely make
up the population of this thriving vii
lage ana the different elements are not
without their churches nor are thev
lacking in any way for school facilities.
The irish element, which is particularly
strong in the country adjacent to Grace
Vile and which seems to predominate
over all other elements in point OF pop
ulation, has done much towards the ad7
vancement of Gracevilie in an educa-
tional way as the splendid convent
school erected there would indicate. In
this they have been we'll assisted by
Catholics from other nationa]ities, nor
have the Protestant people here been
backward in lending a helping hand to
their Catholic brethren IN a cause 50
commendable as above cited. i
The Catholic church building here, up
to 1882, was used as an emlgrant house,
and in that year was removed to it's
present location on West Studdart
ave-, after which the building was re-
paired and somewhat enlarged-there
after being used as a church edifce.
Rev. Father Gems, the Jealous and UNI
firing pastor. is greatly respected by all
classes Of people. AS priest in the
service of God and humanity he has
been most unceasing in his labors. much
Of his time, during a long series Of
years, having been spent upon
the frontier bearing hardship5 and pri-
yations with that fortltude and reslgna-
ton that is characteristic of the Cath
olic priesthood in all lands and under all
chimes. In this connection it may be
mentioned that Graceville's first resi-
dent priest was Rev, Father Palestine.
who located there in 1873. Both the
church and convent are situated near
Lake Toqua The former, which IS
now too small to accommodate the large
congregation that attends divine sery-
ices there, will, in the no distant future
be replaced by a splendid edlfce which
will cost IN the ueighborhood Of $l2 600,
efforts towards that end having already
been ifaugurated.
The convent, which is a large frame
building, is composed OF two wings,
respectively east and south, and cost in
the neighborhood Of $4,000, The new
or south wing is occupied entirely by
the Indian girls who come from: the
Pembina and Sisseton agencies. They
number about seventy five in ali and
under the careful guidance of the Sis
ters, who care for their every want, are
sure to receive an education that in
time to come will prove blessing to
these poor children VINO might other
wise have gone neglected-perhaps
many Of them to ruin had it not been
for that kindly fortune that placed them
liz the hands Of those 80 competent In
every way to care for and protect them.
Tie old wing is divided. into q number
OF compartments and system Of good,
order and taste exists throughout ALL
About 125 girls (white) attend the con-I
vent schools, and are admitted to the