Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1890-08-11
Letter from the West.


Paul did not have much of the Sab
bath element in it. The cable, street
and most of the steam cars were in
full operation, passing and repassing
loaded with living freight in holiday
dress, excursion parties accompanied
by bands of music, on the river boats
indicated that Sunday observance is a
matter of choice.
St. Paul and Minneapolis are only
gateways to the West. Here were
strangers from all parts of the coun-
try procuring excursion or tourists
tickets to Yellowstone Park, Oregon,
Washington, California and Alaska !;
some pleasure, some health seekers.
st. Paul had more than $4,000 visit
Ors during the National Teachers
Association, to scatter in all direc-
tons at its close. The Association
employed some of the besttalent in the
country; prominent among them was
Miss Frances Willard, whose address
on the ''NVhite Cross Movement, was
received with enthusiastic applause.
Those who listened to Price, the col
ored orator from Georgia, felt like
saying with the Irishman, eff half a
niger can do SO well, what can
whole one do" A Minneapolis man
said at the Association owe have
twin cities, Paul and Minnie, and
like fond parents of twins we are
anxious to show them both so YOU
may Judge impartially their merits"
Residents say what you can do or
find in one city you can in the other
Outsiders say St. Paul is the older,
weather. and more substantial city;
it has many beautiful buildings,
streets and avenues. Minneapolis
may be the handsomer but many Of
her great public buildings are heavily
mortgaged. 1t is said her flour
Hills DGdU Tile world.
The Twin cities" are twelve miles
from center to center, and $50 trains
pass between them daily. The Cen
trail Depots are large, cOmmodious
buildings, and no one need mistake
his train if he knows where he wants
to go. The frequency of saloons where
wines, beer, liquors of all kinds are
advertised for sale, open bar at the
hotel, showed we were not in pro-
hibition state. In one window ''Orig-
mai Packages, come and buy one -
Monday morning, July Z, in com
pany with two ladies from Ohio, we
took a train for visit to the Falls Of
''Minnehaha, Laughing Water" in a
river Of the same name, a tributary
Of the Mississippi; on our way we
passed Fort Smelling, where is quar-
tered n detachment of the L. \.
Army.
AIinnehaha is now State Park.
The grounds are neatly laid out in
walks, with trees and shrubbery, also
the familiar warming to "keep off the
grass. The descent to the falls is
made by steps cut in solid rock. The
river flows over a projecting rock in
one unbroken sheet of water, some
80 feet broad, to the basin 30 or -
feet below, where it breaks in a beau
tiful spray at its base curved n beau
tiful rainbow, not so bright rs Eve
seen in the sky, but distinctly marked.
The volume Of water this season is
not as much rs usual, but at its best
is less than | expected. Formerly
visitors were allowed to walk between
the water and the overhanging rock,
The day was hot and dusty, but this
retreat was cool and refreshing. The
general effect of this beautiful water
fall standing apart from all other OBJ
jects, forms in my memory picture
of rare beauty, as marked rs any
work of art upon which | ever gazed.
Between st. Paul and Minneapolis
are the Falls of st. Anthony. The
rock over which the water flowed wore
away so fast, that it is patched 10y
''wooded aprons''r planks arranged
in an inclined plane. We passed
Hamline, where is located the Meth
odist institution, Hamline University.
The state University of Minnesota is
located in Minneapolis, which fur
nishes instruction free of charge. No
tlce the beautiful building erected for
the Exposition which opens Aug. %.
The State Fair is also to be here in
Sept. Just at dark our route lay
along the shores Of the beautiful Lake
Minnetonka, the summer resort of the
city. It's smooth, lovely surface was
dotted all over with row-boats, sail
DOalS anu SlCduGIS. Inc SuOIG Oh Il
large island was sparkling with lights
that revealed the cottages of summer
residents, which are growing more
and more numerous every year. We
were then passing through the rolling
farm lands of Minnesota, with nu-
merous lakes and clusters Of native |
trees, called oak openings. The viii
lagos small but active and thrifty.
At l 80 a. m. we reached Herman,
where for the third time my brother
awaited the incoming night train and
at once recognized me in the darkness
by my voice. A nice span of colts
took us in a short time five miles |
over the prairie to his home. The
night was cool and crisp and the stars
shOne brightly, which made the ride |
DELIGHTFUL in contrast with the crowd |