The Monte Vista journal., 1908-11-21
yHEN the railroad builders

Nc west, not seeking passage
N040C to the Pacific coast but
~ rather anticipating the de-
velopment Of An agricul-
tural empire which must
have arteries Of steel. they were
quickly followed by the same class
OF hardy settlers that had moved
westward since the early days.
ment has proceeded. slowly at nrst
but ever increasing in speed and
volume. Over the Alleghenies, among
the woodland and meadow stretches
OF Ohio and Indiana, across the
prairies Of Illinois and Iowa,
through the Wisconsin and Min.
nesota forests to the valleys of Da-
kota and on to. Puget sound. The de-
scendants Of New Englanders have al.
ways been noticeable In the advancing
tide Of home makers and fortune build.
ers along those parallels OF latitude.
Thanksgiving day as an annual No
vember celebration marked by family
reunions and feasting Ia one Of the
good things that have persisted among
transplanted New England customs. It
is now q national event. most gener.
ally honored. And the distinguishing
feature oe this feastday II the traG-
edy Of that royal fowl. the turkey.
In tho iirst years OF the sos two
great rival railroad companies were
Fastening to secure for themselves In
eastern Dakota the rich fields Of
trainc yet to come into being. Both
had entered the wonderfully fertile
James river valley from the east. and
~ one turned Its line northward from
Huron the other turned southwark
from Aberdeen. and the near approach
Of winter and the close Of active oper-
atoms found the two competing con.
struction camps only . few miles
apart With the advance Of the rail.
roads or . little preceding them had
come settlers upon the government do
main. and though farmers and wheat
raisers were In the van. such nomad.
10 and adventurous spirits - land
agents and townsite boomers. traders
and newspaper men could be discovered
even more easily. Early In Novem.
Der work upon the railroad lines halt.
ID. and the builders retired to await
the opening OF spring. Al the tsrmi.
mus Of each road Q little settlement
had sprung up. less than . half-dosen
structures marking the site of what
was hoped to be and already was her.
aided - the metropolis OF the valley.
Upon such = situation steadily but
surely crept the Thursday which the
president Of the United States had
chosen ~ the annual day Of thanks
diving. and At the distance Of only one
short week tho fact suddenly dawned
upon tho clustered intelligence Of
these two Dakota towns that there was
not . turkey In the great Jim val.
Icy north Of Sioux Falls. and that so
miles Of wind-swspt prairie lay be.
tween . more hopeful neld Of possible
supply at Watertown. near the Minnc.
sota boundary. There 10 material for
. volume Of adventure in tho account
ol the two rival expeditions dispatched
slmultaasoasly yet With all secrecy on
. tourney Of . hundred and sixty miles
for fowls 10 furnish forth . Thanks
Glviag dinner. but this story must omit
tAe Details. One party returned hilasi.
ously successful with The three tus.
ksys that sloqusaos. strategy aud moa- |
~ comblned were able 70 procure IN
Watsftown: the other. downoast. d.
joete1, and psesimistie, cane hack
e0pey.Aaadsd.
70 emphasiss tbslr victory ~ eva.
ooooeuj town announced Q peise tuSkey
GAeet IL which Ill bat RsdAsjA marks.
~ Weee barrsA), . turkey 6i1nsr q |
- hetel, and Q grand ball u ~ rail. |
soaA warehouse. This was oAloulated |
= nAhe ~ rival. Ashton. other swell |
VA NJ % bursting q wltAee AVN |
= eooS,Abase0eae ~ 1ooDals.
~ eateeal 1ay arrived. ~ ~ |
~ ~ 0goe 0ahoo q 0aoV = -