The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1908-04-30


Union Bank building, close by the city
hall, both magnificent structures.
Further south we see at the corner of
Broadway and Main the Strathcona
Building, erected in honor of Lord
or as he was known In his
early struggles for the opening up of
this country, Donald Smith. Proceed
ing south along Main, crossing the
river into Fort Rouge, turning west
along River Ave, fine houses and
lawns are to be seen on every side.
This is the residential portion of the
city. Journeying down Broadway,
passing Government House and the
Houses of Parliament, two magni6-
cent buildings of modern architecture,
we reach what is known as the busiest
street in Winnipeg, Portage Ave., a
spacious and long thOrOughfare, the
length do not exactly remember, but
it is somewhere between four and six
miles. The city maintains two fine
hospitals, one is situated on Bannatyne
Ave-, the other across the river in the
picturesque little French town of st.
Boniface. The former is in charge of
the government, the latter is well
looked after by the Sisters of Mercy.
Many magnificent churches are to be
observed in this city, those worthy of
notice are the First Baptist, on North
cumberland and Hargrave; st. Ste
phen's, on Balmoral and Portage; st.
Mary's, on Hargrave and st. Mary's, and
Grace on Garry and York. There are
numerous other parts of this fine city
that could be mentioned but as time
and space does not permit the writer
to do SO he will pass on. But a word
or two more before leaving. think
that ii some Of our American cities
were to follow the example here shown
on Sunday they would find much good
come of it. Here peace and quietness
reigns on the Sabbath; no changing
street cars, no noise or disturbance;
all saloons are closed, no side or back
doors there, business is entirely sus.
pended and it is impossible to buy
even a match on a Sunday.
Leaving Winnipeg and proceeding
west our eyes behold on every side
signs of prosperity and success, large
farms and comfortable homes where
in former days nothing existed but
dreary, desolate prairie. Passing thru
such towns as Rosser, Poplar Poin,
and High Bluff, all situated in gooG
farming districts, we reach the firs1
town of Importance, Portage La Prai
rie, situated in the center of the Port
age plains, one of the finest whea
raising districts in Manitoba. 1t bas
population of about 5000. Out of herr
runs the Manitoba and North Western
branch, travelling thru q rich and fer
tile country as far as Yorkton, tina
town drawn into public notice awhil
back by the pilgrimage of the Douk
hobors from their colony which is stu
ated close by. These people cam
from Southern Russia few year
back and have ever since proved nui
sance, both to the government AM
: settlers. Imbued with the teaching
) of Tolstoi and carrying out such ia
: natical and nonsensical ideas, the
: have degeperated physically as we'll a
. morally, dlsregarding all respect Q
: human decency and become worse tha
( a tribe of savages in the African wild'
? Four years ago, led by fanatic, Pete
: Veregin, they started on their first pi
< grimsge in search of the Messiah an
!. Promised Land. They travelled abou
: 800 miles, reaching the town Of POI
: Arthur in Ontario, and then not ha,
= ing unearthed their quest, were CON
t PEELED to return to their homes. Mos
r peculiar beliefs are entertained b
8 these people, few that deserve mel
q tion are that it is cruel to keep stOc
of any kind, to eat any animal that hs
q been slaughtered or to wear clothes {
8 any description. They also practit
v free love. The writer was fortunal
c or unfortunate enough to see the rem
8 nant that reached Port Arthur, and
/ more miserable lot Of human relics
9 would be hard to find. I believe ov'
% two hundred started, but many mu
q have fallen by the wayside, as on
q about fifty reached this point.
q Leaving Portage and travelling sti
n west, we pass thru Sidney. Melbourn