The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1909-05-28
LETTER FROM w. A. FUNK
Former Mankato Resident Writes OF
His New Home.


His New Home.
Sunnyside, May 2lst, l9O9.-To The
Free Press: Before leaving Mankato
promised so many friends that
should write to them, that like the
successful politician after election), |
find it impossible to fulfill my prom
lses. | therefore beg leave to address
them through the medium of The
Free Press-which is read by every
body. After three days trip over
the Northern Pacific, we arrived at
Sunnyside, bringing with us many
memories of the friends left in Man
kato. Three days later our car ar
rived, and several of our new neighbors
volunteered to aid in unloading and
hauling the contents to the Funk ranch
one and half miles southwest of the
town. In few days of adjusting and
e-adjusting our belongings, we got
pretty well settled in our new loca-
ton, and are now feeling quite at
home. The boys are very busy on
the ranch, (no one SAYS farm" here)
while | have opened an office in the
village, and drive back and forth-an
exercise | really enjoy. So far, bust
ness has been rushing-on by. mostly:
but have made start among a few.
and the prospect is not bad
The Yakima valley was visited. late
IN April, by, the worst freeze i'm fifteen
years; which was all the worse for
fruit on account of the very warm
March. The result will be a verv
light fruit crop. But the people are
not at all discouraged. Last year was
an unusually productive year, netting
the orchard owners from $500 to $500
per acre for bearing orchards. Per
haps an average of about $500 would
be approximately correct. As two bad
seasons have never come together, all
expect the usual good crop next year.
Since the frost, much attention has
been given to planting extra garden
and truck stuff, from which much pro-
fit will be realized. The country is
well irrigated, and every foot of ground
under the irrigation system can be
made to produce wonderfully.
Sunnyside is a village of about 1000
inhabitants, and growing very rapidly.
About ten new brick buildings, four
OF them very large, have been built
since | was here last September. -Four
more brick and one very large stone
buildings are now i'm course of con
struction. Between 80 and 40 resi-
dences have been built since Septem-
tasty, and all to be occupied by resi-
dents. Many of the residences are
built bungalow style, which breaks the
monotony. On the whole. the town
is well built, pleasant little city. One
can scarcely tell where the town leaves
off and the country begins. Many Of
the farms are very small, particularly
near the towns, and the outlying rural
communities resemble villages. This
is striking feature when viewed
from an elevation The village is
built on the level ground lying Just
east of the eastern point of Snipe
mountain. On our way to and from
the ranch, we sometimes drive across
the east point of the mountain--which
is more long, high hill than noun
tain. In the evening, particularly,
this drive presents wonderfully fine
view. At the foot of the mountain.
Sunnyside nestles as picturesquely as
many a Swiss or Italian village. To
the north, east and south, the ranches,
from this elevation, seem to constitute
continuous villages for miles. To the
southeast, eight miles, Grand View
stands out in clear relief One sees
the church steeples of Prosser, twenty
miles away, while Mabton, nine miles
south, looks near enough for morn
ing walk. North and south, twenty
miles apart, run the two ranges of
stupendous hills. walling in the Yakima
valley. To the southwest, rise the
lower ranges of the Cascades, capped
in spring and early summer, with snow.
Driving through the cap" in the
mountain, a mile from our ranch, one
sees the SUBMITS of NTts. Adams and
Rainier, both capped with eternal SHOWS.
In the morning, these mountain tops
are clear and beautiful as choicest
canoes, and worth drive of humid
red miles to see
If not imposing by taking space,
may write more of the country later.
Meanwhile, with best wishes to YOU
and all other friends, am sincerely
w. A. Funk