Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1902-08-08
Il TRIP TO THE
NOR TIL WEST-
(Series No. 4.

After attending the reception and
banquet rendered by the citizen of the
Twin Cities, at the large Armory Hall
in the Minnesota State University,
July IL, we boarded the Pacific Ex-
press on the Northern Pacific, taking
the sleeper Spokane, berth No. 7, for
the coast, although stopping at several
intermediate points. Before leaving
this banquet l must say a word about
the reception. 1t was by far The
swellest and most refined reception
that has eyer been our happy pleasure
70 attend. The Armory Hall was made
for such large receptions, tho decora.
tion was exceedingly tastefully and
beautifully done under the supervision
of Rev. 4. Reeves: the decoration alone
cost over $4,000. The order of exer-
cises were Welcome address by the
master of ceremonies, Atty. Fredrick
l.. McGhee; Address by the newly
elected president of the Council, L.
Thomas Fortune of New York; Music
by the orchestra; Address by 1t. Rev.
Archbishop John Ireland. Bishop
Ireland's address was wonderful, full
of wisdom and encouragement for the
race as q whole. The menu was
supurb; $50 sit down at the banquet.
After the banquet dancing was enjoy
ed by those loving the art. Leaving
the enjoyment of the reception we
were soon riding through some OF
Minnesota's pine forest and large
fields of waving wheat and ripening
oats, one could see thousands and
thousands of acres of ripe wheat, and
see the harvesters hard at work.
Since mankind has existed the great
loadstone that has attracted perma.
nent settlement and influenced the
trend of civilization has been q fruit
full soil. This is the history of the
human race to the present time.
Wherever there is climatic comfort,
industrial achievements, and COM
mercial prestige. such community
state or country possessing it presents
q mighty drawing power for human
habitation and human influence, such a
condition one beholds travelling
through Minnesota and eastern Dako-
tas. for Minnesota is fast forcing her.
self to the front as an agricultural
commonwealth.
Saturday morning found us entering
North Dakota at Fargo, where we saw
still larger fields of wheat in u body,
larger corn fields and alfalfa. There
one could see fields Of wheat corn and
nay that extended for miles before
coming to. the end of the fields, and
acres and acres of wild prairie land.
The further west we go the more
spsrse]y settled was the state, until we
came to the Indian reservation. After
we had crossed the "Great Muddy"
which was very small stream at Bis
mark the capital. 1t is beautifully
located city. Mandan, town Of $500
is just across the river. From here we
began to see great heards of cattle and
sheep, and then to see the immense
acres of prairie where General Custer,
Buffalo Bill and the Indians fought
many battles and signed many treaty.
AS the engineer galloped his great iron
steed across the once American desert,
with thirteen coaches of heavy laden
human freight, we soon reached the
Bad Lands in Western Dakota and to
say they were bad even to look at
much less to attempt to travel over.
Then there one could see great huge
stone wedge in heaps of earth from
20 to 100 feet high, in every imaginable
shape, size and form. We travelled
down the Yellowstone river for over
200 miles; there were times you could
ga AZ d Il III Is q