St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-06-04
PRETTY CANNON FALLS.
A Trip to the Town by Gen. II. w.
johnson.

Being invited to take part in the decoration
services at Cannon Falls, | left st. Paul on
the morning of the both on the Kansas City
and arrived at Randolph about O'Clock.
Here had to remain several hours 10 await
the arrival of the train on the Chicago, Mil
waukee q ST. Paul railway. While here 1
met Joseph Lee, who informed me that he
was eighty seyen and his wife eighty nine
years old He came TO this country from
England, and expressed great desire TO dis
pose of his property in this country and to
return to his native land, where he could do
better thah-iu this counIrr. IL occurred to
me that should L be fortunate enough 10 at
tain unto his age. my thoughts will be OF
country quite different from England. The
train arrived and at l2 o'clock / reached the
beautiful town of Cannon Falls, located at
the junction of the Little and Big Cannon
rivers. | never saw the country looking
prettieE.. 1t was d glorious day. all nature
smiled in the primitive beauty Of spring
time. On either side stretched the earth in
billowy surfaces carpeted with the beautiful
and yariegated hueS of tender, opening flow
ers Forests fields and lawns followed each
other i'll rapid succession. giving variety and
interest 10 the entire trip. Cannon Falls was
in its gala day attire.
From every residence and from every bust
ness house the stars and stripes were to be
seen. The streets were thronged with people
from the neighboripg towns and farms. all
intent upon showing their love for the mem
cries of the dead heroes who lost their lives
in defense of our beloved country.
1t was my first visit to the town and it was
a surprise to me TO find place so beautiful
within forty miles of St. Paul. The water
power furnished by the Cannon river is suffi-
Client 10 run all the manufacturing enter
prises i'll the state. The lands in that neigh
borhood are ricn and fertile, adapted to the
growth of all the cereals usually cultivated
in Minnesota. For d long time wheat was the
principal production, but of late years stock
6cfr haN@t, hfrn
the prevailing occupations of the people,
thus diyersifying the Industries of the state,
and adding greatly to their individual
wealth. / stopped at Hotel Shellburne, kept
by Mr.. and Mrs. Applegate, who know full
well how to cater TO the appetites OF the
hungry.
Churches are numerous enough, so that
whatever the faith and belief of one may
be he can readily find a church home. The
public schUols are second TO none in the state.
department, composed of fifty-three urchins,
a family somewhat larger than woulo care
to look after. but she preserved most excel
lent discipline and seemed to be the right
woman in the right place.
There are a few persons short-sighted
enough to oppose the public school system,
and possibly 1t has been enlarged beyond its
first conception. yet when we remember that
the stability and perpetuity of OUR lnStltu-
tons are dependent upon the education of
the masses. no riSht-thinking person should
oppose the fundamentally through which
our children are to be instructed so as to
enable them to exercise the rights of intelll-
gent citizenship.
The dry goods, grocers, hardware and farm
machinery merchants seemed to be doing
prosperous business. In fact, found beau
tiful, thriving town on the banks of the
Cannon river, with a population of about
1500 composed of intelligent, refined, wide
awake people. After a sojourn of a couple
of days l returned home. bringing with me
pleasant memories of the courtesy and kind
ness of the good people of that beautiful
little town. X. w, JOHNSON,