The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1894-02-22
PEN PICTURES OF new ULM.
How Some Things Looked Through
the Gazette Reporters ka-
lediosCope.
The Chief characteristics of Its
Pcople--pedCe, Plenty and
Happiness.

New Ulm-An American transform
alton of Germany; A town with an
Indian history--a battle! A queer
town of jubilant people! All these
thoughts flashed across my mind, in
common with other thoughts of the
time, as the bell rahg and we started
out of New Ulm on the wings of steam,
one afternoon of few weeks since.
Possibly there is no other American
city just like it. The people disagree
only on one thing-that is most vital,
the school question. In this they seem
to carry the war to the knife,the Catno-
lies and Lutherans VS.. the Protestants
or Turner's, as the opposition name
them. This contest is carried into the
business, if the business men of New
Ulm are to be believed, and friend
purchases of friend, not friend of foe
in that question. The outs are wait
ing for an opportunity to get in, and
the Catholic Lutheran combination
seems to be just as anxious to remain
n power. The result of all this is
that New Ulm seems to be backward
in the matter of public schools. Only
one building, possibly little larger
than the Redwood Falls school, stands
as the only monument to public edu.
cation, while the town is probably
twice as large as Redwood Falls. The
result of this is that the stranger gets
wrong impression of the hospitable
town.
One thing enthusiastically German
has New Ulm. A large number of sa-
ons,patronized in true German style.
Very seldom you see New Ulmite
walk up to the bar and get drink.
He seats himself at table with a
friend, and there they have social
conversation over their beer, and are
merry. During my four days there
| never saw New Ulmite intoxicated,
or in the first stages of intoxication.
1t there was one intoxicated he was
not seen on the street. In connection
with this traffic [ was told one inter
esting thing. The people of New Ulm
are strong advocates of patronizing
home industry, and if stranger calls
for any other than New Ulm beer over
the bar of a saloon he is compelled to
pay an extra tax of five cents per bot
tie for every bottle of the imported
that he drinks. In looking over the
vote from that town two years ago one
can readily see that it gave Demo
cratic majority on Presidential electors
of from one hundred to $50. In other
words the town voted for free trade,
but it's affairs are conducted on the
protective tariff system.
You can generally pick out citizen
of New Ulm by feeling of his pockets.
If you find a package of cards he is
from New Ulm; if you don't the
chances are against him. New Ulm-
ties are particularly fond of card play
ing for social amusement alone. A
New Ulm resident told me that he
knew of cases, wherein summer time.
a man in hurry to catch train,
would miss it by stopping and accept
ing an invitation to play game of
cards on one of the large dry goods
boxes in front of a magnificent store,
of which New Ulm has several. His
tory chronicles no row over a game of
cards at New Ulm. All games pass
off with equal satisfaction and pleas
ure to the cards and players. Neither
seem injured in the least.
New Clm is on the Northwestern
road. What seems to be black adobe
house in the distance stands on the
Northwestern right of-way. On near