The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1901-07-04
Ten Years Improve
ments in Our Village.

first time, and it was lonesome
gaze. Truly it was a land of
desolation. The beautiful snow which
had covered the blemishes had dis
appeared, and what was exposed to
view. did not make q favorable i'm
preston on the stranger. There was
not tree in sight, and one could count
every blade of grass within day.
But there was mud galore on the main
street, the good old sociable kind that
will stick to your brogans like a
Philippine eagle to a US. army blanket.
l think they had been adding to or
altering the building now occupied by
the shoe shop, when I first came. To
judge from the bricks and mortar
scattered about the yard, one would
think the building was being torn
down.
In the southwest corner of the yard
there stood dilapidated old shed that
sported the name of paint shop. It
looked like hoosier corn shed that
had been struck by a baby cyclone.
On the night of March Is, 1891, it was
struck by lightning and went up in
smoke. 1t was smoke offering, as it
were, to the powers that be from the
villagers, for something more slightly
to rest our eyes upon. The prayer was
answered, for from the ashes of that
shed sprang the park, where one can
enjoy the sunshine and where our sick
can inhale the fresh air each day. Our
park, for the first two or three years,
sprouted nothing but grass. But one
improvement begat others and soon
trees were set out, summerhouse
was built to protect the lame and
weary villagers from the sun and rain
and fountain was finally added to
the list of attractions. A small green
house was next erected as part of an
experiment, which, proving to be a
success, has been added to each year
until there are now five houses for the
culture of plants. The main street
was cleared of the mud and then pave
ment and curbing was laid. Trees
were set out on each side of the street
and sod was laid along the border. In
'93 there were no flower beds; today
there are 49,.
If you were to stand on the steps of
Hotel de Hunger for them that go
wrong and look down Main street, in
place of bricks and mortar of ten years
ago, you would see we'll paved street,
beautiful trees, a smooth green lawn
and plenty Of flower beds. And you
may also see the man with the hoe, for
this is his home.
In the northwest corner of this yard
there stood ten years ago a pyramid of
clay that made ones back ache to look
at. But time and lot of back-aches
got rid of that pyramid. About that
time the cliff dwellers were struck
with wave of cleanliness and washed
the dirt of their cliffs down upon us,
and it took month of hard labor to
clear away the wreck. And now in its
place q small park is springing into
existence that will be thing of beauty
by and by.
Now, friend villagers, this was all
brought into existence by the sweat of
the brow and the work of the brain for
your benefit and pleasure, and the
governor said not long ago that the one
who made two blades of grass grow
where but one grew before is q benefit
to the community in which he dwells.
Well if there is anything in that, and
it is counted by blades of grass, the
man with the hoe has quite number
of benefits coming his way.
SINBAD.