Weekly graphic. [volume] (Kirksville, Adair Co., Missouri) 1880-1949, 1892-06-24
Over the Great Divide.

up the valley OF the heu
River of the North and on to the
British line.
On the evening of June 18th,
5wo pullman cars were placed at
the disposal Of the Minneapolis
tress Club, by the Great North
ern railway to convey the visiting
newspaper men to the great
wheat country OF the Red Rlver
valley.
Promptly at $50 p. m. the train
rolled out OF the union depot at
Minneapolis and soon the merry
crew of newspaper men we!
speeding toward the fertile wheat
fields of the G,eat Northwest. The
party consisted of about forty
pencil pushers. Introductions.
were made on all sides by every
body and soon "all were in the
family" The party kept late
hours and 1t WAS not until after
midnight that the buzz of conver-
sation and the merry laughter
was stilled.
The party rose early and when
Crookston was reached all eyes,
were, gazing out of the windows at
the landscape which hurried to-
wards the rear 80 hastily.
Grand Forks, the Queen of the
Red River valley was reached
about 8 o'clock. The citizens
gave the excursionists q welcome
that amounted almost to an ova-
ton. A splendid band met them at
the station and discoursed sweet
music. A procession WAS formed
with an imposing drum major at
head and bee line taken to the
Dakotah House. In the hotei
corridor the band played choice
selections, while the hungry ex-
cursion;sts awaited the cal! for
breakfast. The breakfast served
was appreciated no less than the
music. After breakfast the party
returned to the pretty stone de-
pot, where it was increased by
about sixty residents of the Forks
Each one of the new corners
made ii his or her duty to make
tie newspaper folks enjoy them
selves. The run f1om Grand
Forks to Neche WAS q quick one,
only short stop being made st
Grafton to allow the natives to
hear the music and behold the
drum major. At Neche every
body insisted on going to Gretne
across the line into Manitohs.
The route home was through
the finest wheat belt in the world.
For a hundred miles the country
was dotted as far ss the eye could
reach with stacks OF wheat, the
unthreshed crop of 1891. All had
heard of the wheat fields, but new
er, except by actually seeing them
could any one realize their immen-
sity. The scene was compara-
lively 8 busy one. In every field
work WAS being pushed. Here
they were plowlng, there they
we're sowing. and in one field near
st. Thomas, plowing, seeding and
threshing were going on at one
time. Fears were entertained By
the farmers that the unthreshed
crop of 1891 will be rendered
worthless by the rain and heat.
Amazement is the only word
that would describe the feelings
of the travellers as they gazed on
the seemingly limitless prairies
over which, twelve years ago, the
aborigines and the buffalo roamed
unrestrained. Here wheat is king
Fields that have been sown with
wheut for twelve years in success
sion, still produce from twenty
five to forty bushels per acre.
Fun reigned supreme on the
homeward trip by way of Hills
boro, Fargo and st. Cloud to the
Flour City. The big Grandin
farm was scource of wonder,
with telegraph lines and railway.
The pretty farms Of Traill county,
with their neat buildings, showing
the thrifty character Of their OWL
ers, we're highly praised.
The comfort aud care of the ex-
cursionists were the special duty
of Capt Cyrus e.. jerks, superin-
tendent Of tbs Grea5 Northern
Railroad; Moses Folsom, OF the
advertising department; Ell. r.
Meide, travelling passenger agent,
j. G. Davies, travelling freight |
agent, and d. II. McGinis, seere-
tary of the Grand Forks Board of |
Trad6.
Ths hospitality CT the Great
Northern Railway, the Minneapo-
lis Press Club, and the good peo-
pie of Grand Forks, who bore the
expense of the excursion, will ever
be held in grateful remembrance
by each of the delighted excur-
siOnista