Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-12-19
My Trip to Laona, Wis. :
BY Arthur Halberg

Lear rr1enQ:-l thought | would
write you about my trip to Wisconsin.
My mother and sister went with me.
We went to visit my uncle We left
Ottumwa 1880, August the 9th, and
got In Chicago at p. m. One of my
uncles and some of my friends were
there to meet us. We stayed five
hours Then we went to the Great
NORTHWESTERN depot. 1t is very
large and got on train to Milwaukee
there we changed trains. When we
got to Green Bay we had to wait one
hour and change trains again. And
then from there to Laona. We past
mining camps and numbering camps. I
saw Lake Michigan for the first time
at Green Bay and again at Milwaukee.
When we got to Laona my uncle was
there to meet us. was very tired
when we got to his house in the
woods. The next day was lonely with
the woods around us. went to the
barn | found out that he had some
calf, dog, a cat and some chickens
that is all. The day after that l went
out in the woods There were hazel
nuts, raspberries and some animals.
They were as follows, chimunks,
skunks, porcupines, muskrats, rabbits,
snakes, deer and bears. The birds
were hawks, blue cranes, crows,
snipes, wild geese, duck, quail, owls
and cartridges.
We went to town every day. l had
one mile to go. When | got there 1
would pick raspberries. One day my
mother was out in the woods picking
berries snake bit her. | was little
frightened after that. | killed some
snakes. Some days I would help my
uncle out in the field tie bundles of
oats, rake hay and watch the cattle
But most of the fun was to help
my uncle clear land. First we would
pull the stumps we could with the help
of the oxen. They are very strong.
Then we would blast the other stumps
with dynamite. We first drilled hole
under the stump, then we loaded 1T
and when it was lit we ran some
times the roots of the stumps were
very, very large. When they were all
pulled. We skidded them to a big
pile. When we were done we set il
afire; it lasted for about one day and
night.
There were many rocks there. !
saw many lumber jacks. They were
! mostly foreigners. One day l Went
fishing at a lake close by. lost my
| line so in the afternoon l went again.
I had better luck, caught twenty-six
fish. They were bass, perch and sun.
Hfsh. Another day went fishing again.
still had better luck caught forty
| four fish of the same kind. went
other times and caught fifteen fish,
There were many berry pickers on my
uncles land. When nutting time came
l picked quiet few hazel nuts
About the first of October they be.
gin to dig potatoes picked $50
bushels while l was there. One day
we went hunting; we go: four part,
ridges. My uncle has shot lots c.
animals.
The 9Th of October we left Laona
and got on a train. When we got t.
Green Bay we had to wait 5 hours.
When we got in Chicago my father
was there to meet us. We stayed ~
Chicago a few days. saw some Of
| Chicago
visited Lincoln park. l saw lots
| of animals visited the Boston store.
l was on the moving stairs. l was IN
the observatory; it is very high. |
! could see big boats out in Lake Mich
| igan. was on the elevated train and
in other buildings.
Then we went to La Port, Ind, to
visit some of my uncles and aunts.
I had lots of fun there. I was in
some big buildings. l visited park.
There was a band stand, swings girls
and boys, shoot the chutes, trapezes
and a swimming pool. We only stayed
there few days. Then from there
home. I was glad to get home. My
father sent me the paper, so | read
the Courier Junior page. / liked to
read it. | will now close.
Your friend,
Arthur Hallberg, Age 10.
| dA2 Anna ST OttnmWa. Iowa.