The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1906-09-27
INTERESTING LETTER FROM TACOMA
Tacoma, Wash, Sept. 10, 1906.
To The Herald,
Sank Centre, MINI.

TIL ooulc tlulc iuy INluu las DScu
wandering back to the old friends at
Sank Centre, and it doesn't seem
possible that we have been in the
West for three months. Yet l have
not forgotten any Of you. 1t would
be impossible for me to write 10 you
all, SO will write through the Herald
and you can all hear from US.
We enjoyed our trip from Sank
Centre to Centralia very much. The
scenery along the Northern Pacific
railroad is grand, and 1 enjoyed even
the desert lands Of Montana.
As you strike the Yellowstone river
and follow it for miles with nothing
but great rocks and here and there
bunch OF withered sage brush, it
makes one wonder why so much of
the universe is wasted.
Then the mountains for one that
has never seen them is we'll worth
the fare out here.
L shall always remember my first
look at the Rockies. We could see
them for many miles before we reached
them. AS you gaze on them their
color blends to every imaginable
shade. The Cascade mountains are
by far the most beautiful for they are
green way up the sides. AS we came
in the flower season they were covered
with roses and beautiful flowers and
capped with pure white snow.
AS | looked down into the valleys
hundreds of feet and saw the lonely
home of the mountaineer it gave me
homesick feeling and l almost wished
I was back at Sank Centre. assure
you that more than once have we all
been homesick but we try to shake 1t
off and go ahead and make new friends,
though we often speak OF the friends
back there who so kindly helped us
to get ready to take this long journey,
especially Lew Irish, George Suckstorff
and Mr.. and Mrs. Compton.
We only made Centralia our home
for two months and half, Mr.. Nelson
thinking the opportunities better we
moved here.
Tacoma is certainly a great city. 1t
has one of the greatest harbors on the
Pacific coast. There are always
thousands of people down at tho wharf.
They 60 there to breathe the salt air.
They fill their nostrils with that dirty
fishy oder and say, "Ain't this
grand?" while say, "Gee whiz."
We had the pleasure of going
through China's largest vessel, the
Shawmat. It landed at the harbor a
few days ago. never realized boat
could be so grand. The dining room
fairly sparkled with cut glass and
silver. The ship contained three
pianos and they furnished the finest
kind of music where you could trip
the light fantasies if you desired.
The West is a great place for amuse-
ments and spending money. There
are opportunities on every corner for
nickles and dimes, for the greater part
of the people although they receive
large wages, spend them as fast az
they come. They do not think any
thing of money out here. Tho poorest
kind of laborer receives 1925 per
day for eight hours work and there is
always scarcity of men.
There is also more charity for one
another out here than there is back
there. For example there was young
man, his wife and three babes who
came frHm the East to Centralia. He
went to work for the same lumber
company MIR. Nelson worked for and
had worked just three weeks when he
was killed. The company paid all
bills taking him back East and the
employees gave his widow 500, which
proves there is love and charity among
the western people.
Then l expect you want to know how
we like the climate. Al far as We have
seen the weather is simply fine. There
is never any wind, no storms or
lightning or thunder and the nights
are 60 cool you need good covering on
the bed to be comfortable.
Now I will tell you what we don't
like. 1t is the dirtiest place on earth.
It hasn't rained for three months.
Everything is covered with white dust.
In the streets it is from three to six
inches deep. You can imagine how
the shoes and clothing must look.
Everybody looks dirty but healthy.
If you say anything they are loyal
to their country. They will tell you,
ooh! this is unusual" Everything
disagreeable to a new conner is I'M
usual. So you see there is two sides
to all stories.
Taking it as whole the Pacific
coast is the coming country. And
there are great many things here you
can't get there. Nearly everybody
that has lived here year has no
desire to 60 back East, SO they tell US.
1t remains to be seen whether we will
mr. not