Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1904-08-31
A Visitor in the Twin Cities.

May aug. ~, 1OOt
Editor Public Opinion:
will give through the columns of
your paper part of what I have seen
since / left DEBORAH. The excursion
arrived in Minneapolis at eleven
O'Clock, and the first thing we viewed
was an extremely large crowd of
people, coming In on excursions from
different routes. The next thing
looked for was something to satisfy
the craving of the inner man, after
which we started to view the sights of
the city. We first viewed the large
buildings, especially the fine new
courthouse which was commenced in
1900. 1t covers just one block facing
four streets, is three stories high with
a basement containing heating and
electric lighting for the entire build.
ing, which when completed land will
be in few months) will be one of
the finest in the northwest, the cost
being nearly four millions. The struc-
ture is built of granite. After greet
ing a few old Decorations we took a
street car for Minnehaha Falls, which
is beautiful place with all kinds of
amusements free to the sight-seer. l
spent one day viewing the large
houses of Yerpa Bros, I. NJ. Roberts
and others which were very interest
ing, the managers being very courteous
in their treatment of guests. The
next day I spent in St. Paul (Which
by the way is the dirtiest, grimiest
and gloomiest place ever seen. There
are some fine buildings in erection,
especially the new state capitol near
ing completion, but the prettiest sight
l saw was the arrival of the large
steamer ST. Paul from the Worlds
Fair. whose three decks seemed to be
a beehive of humanity. had the pri.
vilege of spending an hour on its
decks, which are beautifully arranged
for comfort and amusement of its pas
sengers. By the way it would make
some of our fishermen green with en-.
Wy to see the fish caught from the
docks. To me they looked like small
whales and they seemed to be in great
numbers. The next trip was to
Hamm's brewing plant, three miles
from the city. This is the most inter.
esting scene of either city The plant
covers fifteen acres and is great in
stitution of its kind. There is guide
to conduct you through the buildings
and more courteous and entertaining
person we never met. Of course re.
freshments are free as water. There
are scores of girls and boys employed
in filling, labelling, corkipg and pack
ing for shipment. the hours of work
being from three in the morning to
5 100 p. m. Every one seems to be hap
py. being one of the jolliest crowds
ever saw. Returning to the city in
the evening we went to Como Park
which is the most beautiful place !
ever saw. It is an Eden of beauty and
SIduuouI. Liz TlNbr az ulRHG lOOks
like fairy land with its scores of
white boats. skimming its surface. At
nine we bid adieu and returned to Min
neapolis hungry and tired. Mime
apolis seems to be he mecca of the
laboring man, from which they start
for all fields of labor, especially the
Dakotas and Northern Minnesota. The
employment houses do great bust
ness. Common work in the city is
plenty but wages are not good. On
Wednesday hired out to the Lund &
Rud elevator building company for
the season and was sent to Maynard,
1l6 miles west, to arrange for gang
of men there and see to unloading
several cars of lumber. Maynard is
in the cetner of fine farming country
as far as the eye can reach. Threshing
has begun and grain is turning out
very good There are four elevators
here now and three more to be built
Immediately. Maynard is small
place of 300 to 400 people on the Great
Northern. 1t is comparatively level
and beautiful country.
E. B. THOMPSON.