The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1911-11-24
by Mrs. S. A. Doty,1


Oregon, at least quite interesting
to your correspondent, this being
the first trip west. Leaving Good
Thunder October II our first stop
was Medina, N. d., visiting at the
home OF A. w. Schroeder finding all
therein well and content, and brother,
A w. Schroeder is doing a lively
business at his bank, in spite of the
rather lean" crops this year. In
driving over the country tributary to
Medina we noted that the farm homes
looked modern and comfortable and
saw large fields of winter wheat grow
ing. We were informed that winter
wheat natures fine and is raised
here with good success. Some of
the big farmes there would make
our farms at home look like pocket
handkerchiefs.
On to the West.
left Medina October 16 for Kenne-
wick. Washington. Snow was flying
at Bismarck. Passed through the
vicinity where General Custer took
his brave but fatal stand against
the Indians. The site is marked with
a large sign board. At the town of
Custer we counted nineteen carloads
of sugar beets on a side track. This
industry is carried on very extern
sively i'm this vicinity
Speeding swiftly along on the
Northern Pacific railroad we soon
reached Huntley where 10000 acres
iof irrigated land has been recently
thrown open to settlement. II is
beautiful valley and gives rich prom
Use for the future if the irrigation
project is success.
Reaching Billings. Mont. at p. IN.
found that town in gala attire ell
tertaining President Taft. Caught
a feeting glimpse of the president
as we sped through the town.
Ride Was Nightmare.
We reached Spokane in the morn.
ing and from there to Kennewick
The ride was nothing short of a
nightmare as we rushed through the
dry burning sage-brush lands. After
having lived in our fertile Blue
Earth county we were "stumped'
trying to figure how any human be-
ing could live fifteen minutes in the
sage brush and choking, binding
dust
Kcnnewick is OH the Columbia
river and the land around the town
is all under irrigation and joins the
famous Yakima Valley. Found Thomas
Benedict and wife and also Mr.. and
Mrs Copeland well and prospecting.
and all made many inquiries about
their old Sterling Center friends
and neighbors.
Leaving for Portland we followed
Of ~, hi
with green banks on one side of us.
dry plains and rocks and mountains
the other. In Minnesota we have
snow fences, but here we noted sand
fences all along to keep out the
ever drifting. shifting sands. Some
sand banks were fifteen feet high.
CoIIided With Gravel Train.
Rushing swiftly through a tunnel
within about 100 miles of Portland
we received a bad scare and shak-
ing up as the train we were on col
lided with the rear end of q gravel
train, tossing three loaded sand
cars into the Columbia forty feet be-
low, and derailing two. A mistake
in ORDERS" which might have had
a serious ending. Nevertheless one
woman in the car gravely quoted:
"Here today, tomorrow in eternity
voicing the sentiment o. us all just
then.
Our stay i'm Portland was short.
but it's a busy city and doing an
enormous amount Of business. Eugene
being our goal, we were soon speed
ing on to that village. lying in the
broad Willamette valley and here are
enjoying the fine climate for which
this valley is SO famous.
I'm visit to the fine farm home of
Louis Vitus, an old settler, his good
wife kindly and freely permitted us
to gather big bunch of beautiful
roses and chrysanthemums from her
garden, growing in great profusiOn:
fragrant roses and spicy fluffy
NUNS" Mrs. Vitus is famous for
her fine flowers, especially the chrys-
anthemums In some places pears
and apples still hang on the trees,
but the grapes and famous Oregon
cherries are long gathered i'll.
Weather Cool and Clear.
The weather SO far has been cool.
clear and bracing with but two light
rains. This Willamette valley is from
thirty to forty miles wide and $50
miles long with smaller valleys run
ming into it, Great Mountain ranges
loom upon the sides of this valley
and high hills. all covered with great
stately fir trees. Have followed sever
al of these valleys some distance up
and greatly enjoyed these trips. Fruit
farming is the main industry, the
grain and general farming is carried
on in the large valleys.
Fifteen miles up the Mckenzie
river is the electric power plant that
Eugene with electricity. The
fruit industry in this valley is great
and one man, Charles Grant. a for
mer Window citizen, ships 1000
bushels of apples per season. We
have met quite a number of former
people who are all more
than pleased and content here and
would not leave this balmy climate
for old clustering" Minnesota again.
Have met Miss Ida Rood, former
Blue Earth county lady, but find she
is we'll pleased here also.
Fast Filling With People.
Eugene and vicinity is fast filling
in with people who wish to escape
the severe winters OF the east. Four
miles south from Eugene is Spencers
Butte $4,000 feet high, its sides