The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1906-12-06
CHARLES BRUNKow WRITES.

CHARLES BRUNKOW WRITES.
Through Medium of U o u Gives to His
Friends Account of Journey, Etc.
Charles Brunkow, who recently left
here for the state of Washington,
where he has purchased farm, writes,
through the medium of the U nj o n,
the following letter to friends:
Ridgefeld, WASH, Nov. %, 1906.
To the Princeton Union: AS I
promised to let my friends hear from
me through this channel after I had
settled down, and knowing that all of
them read the Union, I herewith
proceed to fulfill that promise.
wish first to state that myself and
family feel lost without the Uni o n.
We have been travelling about six
weeks and consequently the paper has
not reached us in that time.
Since leaving Princeton we have
passed through many varied scenes.
Before leaving the state of Minnesota
we were at Fergus Falls, Graceville
and Morris. Between the latter two
towns the wheat crop was this year
almost totally destroyed by rain.
There was such a continuous down.
pour that the grain could not be har-
vested, and neither were the farmers
enabled to pillow. Inability to plow
means little or no crop next year, thus
the farmers in that region are placed
in a most unenviable position. Mile
Laos county farmers should be very
thankful that they were not overtaken
by similar disaster-for disaster it
truly is. They (the Mile Laos farm
ers) should feel proud of their county
of milk, honey and potatoes.
At Fergus Falls we remained two
days and during that time went
through the insane asylum. From
Fergus we took a train for Spokane
and enjoyed very much the delightful
scenery en- route. The snow-capped
mountains and picturesque canons
were particularly enchanting. At
Spokane we had a stopover of about
six hours and during that time we
looked over the city. Spokane is a
beautiful place with fine buildings
and river containing waterfalls run
ming through it. The air is light and
dry and the farms in the vicinity are
supplied largely by irrigation bitches.
The Moran prairie. within about eight
miles of the city, is said to be very
productive, and land there runs from
5000 to $500 per acre. Another tract
of land, known as Five-Mile Prairie
is also rich and productive.
After leaving Spokane we travelled
through the Palouse country. Here
are situated great wheat fields, and the
yield of grain is enormous when the
season is propitious. Last season,
however, the hot winds, so destructive
in this country, caused thousands Of
dollars worth of damage. It takes a
large sum of money to buy a wheat
ranch. To begin with, the land runs
from $45 to $50 per acre, and to make
a success of raising this kind of grain
it is useless for a man to start without
at least section of land. Wheat
growers only seed every other year
and pillow during the summer. Grain
is used for hay in this country. It is
my opinion that the country will ulti-
mately be compelled to resort to d.
versified farming. Wood is from 81 to
S. a cord and difficult to obtain, and
the wages of laborers are very high.
From the Palouse country we crossed
the Cascades and proceeded down the
coast until we arrived at a place
named Ridgefeld on the Columbia
river, II miles north of Vancouver.
Here we decided to make our home.
The climate is mild and the soil pro-
duces variety of grain, vegetables
and fruit. Timber is plentiful and
there are several sawmills. Fish
abound in large number in the many
streams. Land can be bought from
$40 to 800 per acre, and forty acres is
sufficient for farm.
Regards to all my friends.
Chas Rrunlkou