The Waxahachie daily light. [volume] (Waxahachie, Tex.) 1894-current, 1908-10-03
SUMMER IN THE NORTH.
WaXahachian Writes About Recent
Visit to st. Paul, Minnesota.

tSIt W 1 ftuI. NllbtttNpNd
During the warm summer months
in Texas trip north is hailed with
delight 1t was our privilegeAspend
some six weeks in Minnesota and To-
wa. 1t may be of interest to tell some
things of st. Paul, although familiar
to many of our people. When we
reached our destination it proved to
be what was sought, a cool, bracing
atmosphere.
st. Paul is richly endowed with
natural scenery. situated on the
banks of the Mississippi river where
the tree clad bluffs rist in rug
ged height. The city is noted for it's
perfection in sanitary conditions,
having been supplied with natural
drainage and assisted by artificial
means. A peculiar feature is that all
the streets terminate at the river;
owing to the ziz-zag course of the
stream which does not flow south at
all points as one may imagine.
An excellent trolley system is op.
Grated in the Twin Cities as compar-
ed with eastern cities. Only clean,
bright cars, equipped with the pro
lection gate" are used on all lines.
This patent gate, which opens and
closes as passengers enter and alight
from the car prevents numerous ac-
cidents.
Newcomers interest themselves in
a visit to the capitol, Any time one
passes, continuous line of people
can be seen on their way up the huge
granite steps. This will be only an
attempt to touch at random on points
of interest of the magnificent building.
. The structure stands on spacious
grounds commanding view of the
city. One is over-awed as they APP
proach the great white marble build
ing. A guide meets the throng of peo-
pie at regular intervals, conducts
them through, explaining as they
pass along. The entire cost of the
capitol, completed in 1907, was s4,-
500. 900. The furnishings claim ST.
500, 000 of that sum. 1t is said the
cost of material and labor at present
would triple that amount A boast of
the gopher state" is that no imi-
tation of material or furnishings
mars the genuineness of the build
ing. The several stairways leading
from the rotunda on each story and
he massive columns are certain var
ietics of polished marble from the
--s,,.a trin a uta no
ior is Italian marble, The furniture
throughout in mahogany with learth
er upholsterings. The draperies are
embroidered In gold. Notices from
the illustrious remind the legislators
lof all the virtues and fair dealing
with their people. An idea of the i'm
mensity of the building may be AS
certained on looking upward into the
dome, the chandelier, apparently a
small globe is so feet in diameter
and weighs one ton.
The paintings portray alegories
I periods of history, the advance and
/ progress of nations Each subject de-
nanas close study if time would per-
nit. Our attention was called espe-
cially to the art in supreme court
chamber where was represented in
four paintings, at a cost OF $40 900
each, the lawgivers of four nations,
three of which signify the ancient
Chinese, Hebrews, Romans, and the
fourth the Indian chiefs. Like many
buildings of renown, Minnesota s
state house possesses the, haunted
chamber. stairway winds upward
from this. The echo of ones step can
be heard no cause is given save that
ii was the number of lives lost dur
ing the construction OF the building.
There are other points of interest
than the capitol in St Paul Exten-
sive parks and calm lakes lend to the
attractiviness OF the place. A six
mile trolley ride west takes one to
the soldiers barracks, Fort Smelling.
Our own Fort Sam Houston at San
Antonio Is much superior In area
and beauty OF grounds as well as the