Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1902-02-01
THE WAY TO SANTA MONICA.
Changes and Points Of Interest
Noted by an Old Minnesotan.

NAdHSCS dAANA FVAAAtS "a AAsSAOSb
Noted by an Old Minnesotan.
T,S. Mills, who recently left Nor
ris to spend the winter at Santa
Monica, Cal, w;ites ths following
interesting letter Of his trip. The
letter is ofespecial interest on account
of the changes noted by this old
settler as he travelled through South
ern Minnesota and Iowa.
Santa Monica, Cal. Jan 20, 1902
Editor Tribune. Morris, Mimi.
Dear Sir: Agreeable to promise I
will now try to give you brief ac-
count Of my trip across country to
this place, which subject I will
designate as quarter notes by the
way" for the reason that during these
short days one sees scarcely half that
is presented to view along the whole
route, the rest being shroWded in
darkness, and being Incompetent to
fully describe all that has brought to
view, therefore this title.
Ny reason for undertaking this
trip was, have found by recent ex-
perience that, am getting alittle too
old to enjoy the cold winters Of
Minnesota, in fact believe it quite
risky for me to dare their Yigor.
My case was therefore not unlike
that of the little girl on the frontier.
who falling sick and apparently nigh
unto death, was told 5y her friends
and the minister, all about the beau
ties of heaven, what fine place it
was and what great blessing she.
would enjoy when she should reach
that happy place, to which she made
reply: II don't want to go to Heaven,
l want to go to Injianna. And 50
she Gid, So believing as / did that
for me it was either warmer climate
or the first mentioned place and be-
ing desirous to still remain on earth
if agreeable to the Allwise One. |
therefore made choice of the place
mentioned at the head of this letter.
I left Mi. neapolis on Dec. 28. $50
a. m. on vestibuled train ef seven
coaches which same is to be our unin:
te1upted home for the nextfour days
and nights. The weather was quite
cold with snarp wind blowing from
the north.
Arrived at St, Paul and departed on
time appointed, proceeding slowly
towards the Southwest crossed 'sthe
father of waters" to the south bank
of the Minnesota river and up the
valley of the same. I noted that
great changes have taken place in
the old towns since [ last saw them,
and that some new villages have
sprung up along the way, on ground
where "June rise" in the river as in
days of Yore would irigate their
grounds and cause some dampness
to settle in their easements.
Arrived at Mankato at 1856 p. m.
This place which IN an early day was
the principal shipping point on the
Minnesota river. land later in the
early sixties the place where a small
party of Sioux Indians warriors were
made to execute the war dance in
way not exactly in accordance with
their old methods, but which never
theless, was said to be very entertain
ing to the large assembly of "pale-
face" inhabitants of the village and
surrounding country has become all
most metropolitan iu size and i'm
portance, and now contains about ali |
chat goes to make solid, substantial
live city.
Under way again, we soon cross
the Blue Earth river at point near
to South Bend, noted village in |
former days, and strike out across the
prairies, soon pass beautiful Gle r |
water lake and arrive at smart little /
village called Lake CRYSTAL, situated
in a fine farming country, with well |
farms and buildings fully /
up to date. Here an early settler,
member OF the Mills tribe, whose
mother was The first white woman to
settle on the west side of the Blue !
Earth river, came on board to greet
me and accompanied me as far as
the next station Madelia, where, not
knowing whether the train had really
the station. was az little
SLOW in taking his departure. and as
we both went m and down fo find q /