The National tribune., 1910-12-15
THE VETERANS
COLONY IS 0. K.
St. Cloud Warmly Indorsed by
the Comrades and Their Wives.
The Best New Town in the
United States.
RESTORED TO HEALTH BY ST,
CLOUD.
Comrade Grove Answers Hundreds of
Letters Sent Him.

Comrade Grove Answers Hundreds of
Letters Sent Him.
The National Tribune: Since my ar
| rival here in st. Cloud about eight
months past from most every State in
| the Union l have received letters from
comrades, widows and business men,
over 200. Being unable to answer all
separately, l write the following letter
as an answer to all, if the dear old Ma
tional Tribune will publish same. 1
| have three honorable discharges, one
from the infantry, one from the navy
and one from the cavalry. Served over
four years: shot four times; still carry
one Confederate bullet in my body. Two
horses killed from under me, last one
falling on me, breaking and dislocating
my right ankle, also breaking right hip,
from which l have suffered much ever
since; confined to my bed over half of
the past IL years, once four years con-
tinually. On my arrival here, Feb. 3
last, n wreck, had to be helped from
the train. The II months previous to
our coming here was out of the house
but six times. Since here the past
eight months have lived in a tent, and
have been confined to my bed but seven
days In eight months. Previous to my
coming here for six years i had not
eaten my supper; dared not drink cof-
fee nor tea. Now l eat supper and
many things / dared not eat up North
for many years previous to my coming
10 st. Cloud. Two different days II
walked II miles each day; in fact, since
here I have derived so much benefit to
my health 1 would not take 1000 and
go North and lie compelled to remain.
| know of other cases very similar to
my own. In letters | receive I am |
asked about aliigators, snakes, lizards, |
musketos. There arc a few harmless
lizards and some musketos. ! have
seen all much more numerous up North |
except the alligator. Some ask if We can
raise anything here except alligators. |
We can grow most everything that is |
grown up North and many things that
cannot be grown up North | find fruits |
of most all kinds grown here, also gar
den truck of all kinds. See cabbage |
and melons grown here as fine as 1
ever saw. Cabbage 5 pounds a head;
melons 40 pounds each. You can grow
something every month in the year in
the garden. 1 have been over the Unit
ed States a good deal; have been over
California. / think this a much better
climate than California, and the sea-
sons are far ahead of California. / am
often asked about the heat in Summer
We have lived thru the Summer in a
tent, and can truthfully say it was not
as hot here as in the North. Most in
we have a cool breeze here.
Had considerable rain, tho none too
much. People are coming In every day, |
building going on continuously. Have
almost completed q $4,000 school build
ing, two churches well on the road to
ole an $4,000 brick. Have
an ice plant already putting out ice.
We have fine lakes all around us, full
Of fine fish. Several ask me If it was
not a swindle. Instead of a swindle Il
is one of the grandest things ever got
ten up and devised for us old comrades
and all who take advantage OF it that
was ever concocted. We owe Comrade
a debt of gratitude, as to my
knowledge the company has
played more than fair with many COM
rades, and il is shameful, unfair to
Comrade McElroy the false reports that
have been circulated to bring about his
defeat. How we would love to face
those liars. The old comrades are liv-
ing in ease and contentment. In regard
TO deaths, there are less than manyI
places North, counting same number OF
people. i, with hundreds of others,
think this the best climate and best
place for the old boys in the United
States, and we thank Comrade John
for the good blessing we now
enjoy by being here. If they continue
to come for the next five years as they
have the past year, we will have n
population Of 10000. / would love to
tell you many other good things of st.
Cloud. tho ! have already made this
too long / remain, most respectfully
5. Z. Grove, st. Cloud, Fla.