South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1892-07-29
ACROSS rHE CONTINENT.
WINNIPEG, MANITOBA.
- n. IL 10 oo0


wac IN Chicago to stay two DAYS.
and promised to tell you what /
cav In the city during that time,
but l concluded to continroL OF NV
journey and mayhap / tell you that
later.
Leaving Chicago at 6 p. m. Mon
day we are soon speeding westward
through the northern part of Tli-
nois. This is beautiful country
and tho crops looked excellent. 4
lew hours ride and we cross the
father OF waters at Dubuque.
into the State of Iowa. Its dark
now, and alas, sight seeing is at a
close. Soon our African makes us
q booth and we turn in. ~
Away rolls the train while we
sleep and when We wake again we
are IN Minnesota. Beautiful lake.
present themselves to view and all
looks prospe -ous. AT 8 p. m. We
are in Minneapolis. This is q on
deiful city. Scarcely twenty years
since the Indians held their war
dances on the site Of this place now
a city OF nearly two hundred thous-
aid inhabitants. 1t together with
st. Paul form the twin sister cities
OF the great northwest, the chief
grain market of the United States.
Lumber also is dealt in to great
extent, and the Mississippi river is
covered for miles above and about
the place with logs as close as they
can DO jammcd together. The
streets Of the city are made OF
blocks of wood, similar to those of
Chicago previous to the great fire.
No matter how heavily wagons may
be loaded or how fast driven they
make but little roise as they roll
over these streets. The people are
remarkably clever to strangers.
One thing that attracted my atten-
ton was the general scarcity of the
sons of Ham N this place. was
also told that there were only.three
"Japs" and not over 80 Chinese in
the two cities of Minneapolis and
st. Paul. But Sweeds are not at
all scarce In fact they form about
three fourths Ct the entire popula-
ton. But one city in the world,
Stockholm, has moe Sweeds than
has Minneapolis. Here every one
takes his time, there is no hurry or
hustle. business men saunter
along as idly as a careless school
boy. Even the news boys CRY
''morning papers as though it was
a burden to the flesh. While in
the city l went to the State Expos
ition Building in which the Repub-
llcan Convention was receatly held
l saw the very plltform from which
1t was annoui'tc ted that "Ben~ y"
would run thu gauntlet this fail.
AS | stood within those walls was
overawed to think how much high
tariff and ignorance had been re-
Gently assembled here. Lake Har-
riet was also visited and a picnic
that was being held there was par
tici ated in. Last / saw Mennc-
ha-ha Falls, rich in classical and
historical association, made famous
by Longfellow's Hiawatha. But at
last the time, $40 p. M, for our
train is near and we prepare to
start. forgot to state in my 9TH
er letter that soon, after leaving
Cumberland fell In with a Cali
fornian, Mr.. j. 4 Wilson, form
erly of Staunton, Va, who proved
to-be very agreeable companion
and accompanied mo on the re-
mainder Of my journey. 1t might
rot be out of place here also 20 say
that the Mayor of Minneapolis was
also an old Virginian. Virginians
and West Virginians usually sue.
coed wherever taey 60.
Taking the Great Northern Rail.
way for Winnipeg VIC are soon tray
cling agein. Away we speed
through Minn.sota's plains and by
her silyery lakes, made more pic
turesque by the reflected rays OF
the low sinking sun. But sable
night soon overshadowed us again
and we ask tho porter TO put us in
our little bed. Whom we awoke
the broad plains of North Dakota
greet our eyes. We travelled north
through the eastern end of this
State. Here it seemed that we had
gone back some two or three
months, and it was the spring Of
the year. For the wheat was only
about six inches high. while plow-
ing was gong on as il for corn.
But | remembered that this was
spring wheat and they told me they
were blowing summer fallow which
explained all. ] did not see any
wheat harvested after leaving Min
neapolis. This spring wheat Will
not be cut until near the 6rst OF
September. The air is very cool
and a slight frost was to be asen
early in the morning. The DAko-
taians were busy turning oyer the
rich looking soil and Tor miles and
miles the level plains stretched
away, carpeted with tho green
thrifty wheat, all forming a very
pleasing picture. Bat tho COLI ar
and the cold look or The inhabitants
caused it to fade away ira q moment.
After a short stop in Grand Forks
one Of the largest towns in North