Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1891-01-26
Letter From Dakota.
FdrQO, Jan. -, 1897

Lear SW,-1 thought L would write
you a few lines for your paper,if you
see fit to print it. | left Vermont
Oct. 16 for Chicago, where [ spent
three days with some friends in look
ing over the city. | saw the Battle of
Gettysburg, and thought it alone was
enough to pay for the trip. Chicago
is a nice place to visit and | shall
try to go there again at the time of
the Worlds Fair. From Chicago |
went to Minneapolis, Mimi, and
found work in meat market for
Mr.. Tilbury, who came from Sher-
brooke, Canada. Having worked for
him ten weeks, l had chance
to see something of Minneapolis
ways. The weather was splendid
there, but not snow enough for sleigh
ing. The thermometer did not 90
down more than u below zero, and
that only few times. The lack of
SuOW duu COlu WGdGucI uldhcS DuoI-
ness rather dull there, especially in
the lumber woods. A great many
men have taken their teams out of
the woods. Minneapolis is fast
growing town, having a population
of 175, 900. Electric lights have been
recently put in all the principal places
of business. Electric cars now run
through to st. Paul. Igot on to one
New Years Day and rode out to St.
Paul. 1t takes one hour to make the
distance to 9TH St. and costs 10 cents,
which is cheaper than going on foot
if one has to furnish his own shoes.
[ think it is only a matter of time
when these two cities will be united
in one great city. 1t is nice lOcali-
ty, and residents living on the line
of the electric cars can go to either
town and return for 10 cents. But
ter sells there for % cents; granu-
lated sugar, IA pounds for 81 eggs,
p cents dozen; dressed beef, from
to cents per pound; pork, from
) to cts. veal, to s cents; NUT
ton, 6 to cents; poultry, 8 to y
cents.
When l got through work at Mimi
eapolis, | packed my trunk and start
ed for Dakota. | stopped a few min
utes at Furgus Falls. | Judge that
this is a very busy little place. After
leaving here the rest of the way was
made over the prairie, which was a
grand sight to me. AS far as the eye
could reach it was one vast level
country with nothing left but the
blackness after the fire had been over
the ground. Once in while there
was hay stack with from ten to
fifteen burrows plowed around it to
protect it from the fire. Arriving in
Fargo after dark, L found my way to
Mr.. Phelps, he being also an Albany
boy. Here [ was warmly welcomed,
and told to stay as long as l wanted
to. Mr.. Phelps is in the law busi-
ness here and seems to be very sue
cessful. [ have met two Irasburg
boys here, who have good positions
in store. The Baker boys are in
the meat business and seem to be do
ing we'll. | met Brad. Chase, anoth-
er Glover boy, whom | had lost all
track Of. He is Secretary of the
Young Mems Christian Association.
He likes his work very much and is
doing a good religious work.
Fargo has a population of
about 5000 inhabitants with nothing
to protect it from the winds but the
vast prairie. There are good school
and church privileges here and
prospect of great deal of building
the coming summer. [ have not seen
of the Indians yet, and as
the scare is somewhat over do not eX-
pect to. Respectfully yours,
JAMES GILMOUR.