The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-05-29
THEIR DREAM OVER.
klamath Falls Emigrants Return
Disguised With the Venture.
THEY EXPECTED FARMS AND WORK
Did Not Find the OppOrtuni-
ties They Expected.

It was an ill-starred expedition which
Rev. M. Falk Giertsen, late pastor of
Trinity Norwegian Lutheran church, led
out to Oregon about a month ago. 1t
turned out to be such a; for1orn hope that
Mr.. Gie1tsen, Mrs. Giertsen and Miss
Giertsen, who expected to make their
permanent abode at the Utopia so fondly
Ore, almost as soon as they arrived
They returned to Minneapolis last Sat-
urday night. :, - -
The thirty Minneapolitans who build
ed such high hopes on the future prosper
ity which: awaited them where rolls the
Oregon were also so thoroughly dis
gusted with. their home in the wilderness
that, like the shepherd of the flock, they
got away from Klamath Falls as fast as
steam would take them. :.
Some who thought they were about
to get. rich quick in Oregon are now
working hard for a living at Climaton,
sixty-four miles from klamath Falls.
Others are scattered. throughout Oregon
and some. have found temporary employ
ment in Seattle. AL will be on their
M nsn esek VIII IL sap as soon as ther
The foregoing facts, are, all vouched
for by Charles " Gustafson, former sell
geant of the Minneapolis police depart
ment, of 20121 Seventh street S, who re-
turned yesterday. :z.tss -. -
1--WE all went to klamath Falls without
knowing exactly what we were going
against said Mr. Gustafson@ this morn
ing. don't want to be- understood as
holding Mr.. Gjertsent altogether respon-
sible for our plight. >dHe may have been
deceived himself, althoughNhe was out in
Oregon last winter. Anyway, a great
many of us believed there was great
opening for us in the most fertile part of
Oregon and that, at q small investment,
we were bound to make big returns. We
were given to understand in fact, that
we would be able to- 'buy land in small
lots of ten acres, if desirable. for which
we could settle upon the installment plan
after paying small amount down.
What did we find? We discovered
that the land was for sale only in large
tracts; that instead Of being adaptable for
diversified farming. the alkaloid soil was
fit only for the growth Of alfalfa, making
it suitable only for stock raising on an
extensive scale There may be a good
opportunity for investment for man of
large means. but it is no country for a
man of small capital. LAS most of us
were not prepared to invest on an extern
sive scale, there was nothing to do but
get away as rapidly as possible.
"eBfore going to klamath Falls we were
told was, at least-that the heavy
property holders out there would hold out
extra inducements to. us because of their
desire to settle up the country with
white people in order to offset the heavy
tide Of Chinese said to be streaming in.
The fact is that there. was just one Chi
naman in town, and he was employed as
a servant in the home. of banker. The
place is not capable Of supporting large
population. 1t is in narrow valley in
the mountains in the southeastern part
of Oregon, sixty miles by stage from the
nearest railroad.
Among those who ACCOMPANIED Mr.:
Gjertsen to klamath. Falls in addition to
Mr.. Gustafson. were BENJAMIN Emerson,
former proprietor of grocery store on
franklin avenue; Oge Lindhiem, a tin
ner, whose 2lace of business was at 1923
E Eighteenth street. who is now plying
his trade in Seattle; and Messrs. Steen-
dahl and vulmar. who also lived on the
South Side.