The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1897-03-18
l. w. STANDLEY
Writes From Miss ouri Some Spi.
Cy Items That Tell, and Judging
From All Accounts Is Having
A Hilarious Time.

AAAA$&A AoAAo
Marceline, No, March ., 1897.
Editor Hope Pioneer:
l was asked by you the day l left
Hope, to write a letter or two, to The
Pioneer this winter from here, which l
about half promised to do
Now you all know that ones own let
ters are of no interest to themselves, but
I always enjoy to see letters in The Pho
neer form friends of Hope that are away
visiting and rusticating and preparing
for the coming season in the grain bolt
of the world.
AS am only common every day
North Dakota farmer. and not such a
practical quill pushers as the readers of
The Pioneer are used to seeing (such as
"Citizen," Mandy" "Beeswax," John
ney," "Galetta,' Romeo and Juliet" and
many others, you may expect but little
from me and get less.
left Hope Nov. Is. at i:1O p m. for
a visit in Missouri with mother, brothers
and sisters and friends for the winter.
1t was 2S below zero the night left
Hope. l arrived in Cassclton at 1856 a.
m. Trains were all hlockadeu with snow
and reached Fargo at $50 p. M. on a
freight. Left at $40 over the N. P. rail
road for st. Cloud where visited friends
aud relatives, also at SauS Rapids and
Maine Prairie. l was in Minneapolis all
day the Gath and it was raining and
freezing as fast as it fell, and many per.
sons were injured by falling on the sido.
walks.
1 left Minneapolis at 1885 p. m. over
the Minneapolis and st. Louis line of
the Burlington Route After travelling
all night VIC SEQ next morning a great
change from snow banks to grcen grass
and 3S above zero--quite an agreeable
change too.
reached my homo at $50 D. M.
Thanksgiving day and was pleased to
find all well and chucked full of turkey
with plenty more awaiting mo. Every
train l travelled on the whole way
through was from 5 to IS hours behind
time, SO didn't get home in time for
dinner as intended. 1t was my birth
day, and all of my home folks were hero
for dinner. | hung my nose over quite
an amount of good things. At about
midnight l was aroused by all kinds of
dreams pertaining to fowls and things to
eat. and after Il thorough investigation
we found that my sickness was Il disease
called. Turkey of the Stomach
The Missouri climate don't agree with
me as North Dakota does. l am Just
over a ten days soigc with la grippe, and
weigh % pounds less than when l left
North Dakotn.
We haven't had over ten or twelve
days of winter Eere yet Jan. q to %,
was Is below zero, which makes Missou-
rians think its cold. Have had no snow
to sled on, but have had lots of rain and
mud that would miro a horse blanket.
The town of Marceine is on the Santa
Fe railroad, and is nine years old Feb. l.
1t has about 1000 inhabitants, $4,000
school building. $4,000 roller mill, cleo
trio lights and everything else in proper
ton.
The principal occupation is farming
and stock raising. Corn is the prin-
cipal field product. Wheat and oats arc
grown to some extent. Fruit is grown
in abundance. and this is about the best
apple belt Of the world. Peaches are
not sure crop, but some years they are
plentiful. as low as 10 cents bushel.
Apples were us low as 10 to Is cents last
fall but are 40 to so cents now. All llkinds
Of melons, potatoes, cabbage and garden
truck is grown. Timothy and clover
hay is the principal pasture. A great
many cattle have died in this country
this winter with "black leg and thous-
ands of head of hogs have died with
colcra. Cattle is the only thing that is
in demand l will just give a few
sketches of tho local market. Best
horses 5 to years old weighing 1850 to
1.4OO lbs, $50 to $50; mules about $40
higher; fresh mich COWS $50 to $50; fat
steers $3.50 to s4.25; hogs 50 to $40;
hay 81 to 50 per ton; corn 20 to 20l cents
oats II cents per busheI potatoes 25
cents per bushcl, butter Is cents; eggs
cents; lard 6 cents.
The first indications of spring came
March l. when the small boys could be
out playing marbles Oats seeding will
about all be done this week or next,
or usually is.
The wheat crop in this country is al
most failure. l always look for The
Pioneer every Monday, but they seem to
be DELAYED much this winter, l guess
you must have had blizzard or so, eh?
J. am lucky. Twelve summers in North
Dakota and three winters, and each
would be a credit to-I may say Alabama.
This Missouri country is all right. A
nice country to live in. Many ]uxuries
in the line Of fruits we don't have in
North Dakota climate Somewhat mild.
or in winter, but I can say with the H.
0O0 miles travel I have made since first
went to North Dakota that will return
about the first of April to Hope, well
pleased with the country, my location
and avocation in North Dakota.
close this epis+le with regards to all
readers of The Pioneer, and an item of
special interest to my intimate friends OF
suspicious and surmising matrimonial
nature. Yes. ] am soon to be married,
the date which has recently been fixed
being two years from next Tuesday.
Respectfully yours,
I, w, STANDLEY,