Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1911-10-04
A TRIP TO MADISON.

Last Friday afternoon We editor
forsook the Willmar Tribune sane
tum for trip to Madison, Lac qui
Parle county, where the county fair
and 'Pioneer's Home Coming" was
in progress. We boarded the Great
Northern west-bound train at 2:25
p. M, in company with Mr.. and Mrs.
S. S. Glarum, whom were going to
Madison on the invitation of rela-
tives to remain over Sunday. We
had a pleasant trip. After a couple
Of days cloudy and rainy weather
the sun shone brightly over the land
scape. We enjoyed the view Of the
passing scenery, which was not
nearly so familiar as that to the
East, where oft repeated trips to the
cities has taken away that interest
in the landscape which the stranger
finds. Too often we do not annre-
ciate the good things we have right
at home for the reason that familiar
ity renders them common place to
our eyes.
After passing the thriving little
village Of Pennock, (Which name brot
out personal "reminiscences from Mr..
Glarum Of Supt. Pennock for whom
the station was renamed,) we soon
saw the distant but familiar prom
ontories Of Mamre disappear and
passed the Lofven home, which
marks the western boundary Of Kan
diyohi county. On this Mace the
residence is in this county and the
barn is in Swift county, with the
dividing highway between. Passing
into Pillsbury township Mrs. Glarum
remarked that the scenery to the
south was practically nothing but
uninteresting meadow and hay
stacks, while on the north the sue
cession of splendid farm homes con-
tinued. Kerkhoven and Murdoch
villages both give evidence Of healthy
growth and substantial improvement.
Where years ago the naked build
ings stood out unprotected from the
blasts of the prairies, are now fine
residence streets with well-kept
lawns, shade trees and shrubbery.
Nearing De Graft, the next station,
We passed a farm place where
stood lonely threshing machine
the place where the engine blew up
recently and caused the death of
poor Lars Vik Of New London.
De Graft station looks about the
same as it ever did. It is notorious
as the first station for many miles
where Intoxicating liquors may be
legally sold. The line is dry back
for seven stations or until Litchfield
is reached, a distance Of over fifty
miles.
The Benson business district, cut
in two by the Great Northern rail-
way, appeared as usual. The ear
we occupied was detached from the
Fargo train and was hooked onto the
Watertown train. Crossing the Chip
newa river, the train started for it's
South Dakota destination. Hay!
Hay!! Hay!!!- Both sides of the
track were endless meadows dotted
with hay stacks, with here and there
hay press at work. Some day this
country will all be drained and tiled,
and after the "Indian" is worked out
Of the soil will be classed among the
best lands in Minnesota. But before
this comes about there must some
progressive spirits settle here who
possess untiring energy and who are
willing to push for improvements
against all kinds of discoura gemehts.
They must combat the inertia of the
let-good- enough alone and the fear
full of-increased-taxes citizens as
we'll as the opposition Of the specul-
ator who holds his lands with the
least possible expense in order to
profit by the industry of others in the
neighborhood. But eventually it will
come. The native woods along the
Chippewa river receded from view to
the south. The stations of Danvers
and Holloway still bear the marks
Of frontier towns, with few if any
shade trees. Gradually we emerge
into a more developed country with
grain and corn fields. At Appleton
we cross the Milwaukee railroad and
the Pomme de Terre river. The lat
ter is used here for power purposes.
Appleton ought to be town with a
good future. The train continues
along the low-lands of the Pomme de
Terre until the Minnesota river is
/. reached. As we cross this historic
river we also cross from Swift to
! Lac qui Parle county. The little
train laboriously makes it's way up
I the stone crested bluff until the plat