The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1937-08-05
Observations From
Washington
BY Congressman Harold Knutsol

WdSlliliStOlA
BY Congressman Harold Knutsoi
Every once in a while we yearn
to get away from the wrangle oil
the forum and to seek the solitude
Of the countryside where we may
be free from the chatter and noise
and din. Such a mood came upon
me last Saturday after long, hot
spell in Washington. Taking my
two clerks, Schultz and Olson, with
me. I set out for the Eastern Shore
Of Maryland. We left Washington
shortly after two in the afternoon
and drove to Annapolis where we
ferried across to Matapeake and
then proceeded on toward the
Eastern Shore.
It has been so long since I went
to school that / had forgotten
that three states make up the east
ern acknowledgement, Della
ware, and Virginia. We drove to
Ocean City, Maryland. The roads
are good and in driving through
the countryside it was really sur
prising to me to see what they
raise on what appeared to me to
be lean, white sand. We saw acres
and acres of asparagus and toma-
toes; peach. pear and apple groves,
not to mention hibiscus and gladio-
las in bloom. The corn was any
where from ten to fifteen feet high
and the rye in shock. The entire
peninsula is as level as a table,
broken at intervals by beautiful
rivers that give access to the sea.
Here and there I saw dairy farm
with good and well-kept buildings
that reminded me of Minnesota
with the herds of Guernseys, Hol-
stems, or Jerseys. The road was
just winding enough to add inter
est to everything that we saw.
We spent the night at Ocean
City, arriving there just about
dusk. Early the following morning
we went surf bathing and to me ii
was a wonderful experience with
the breakers coming in six and
eight feet high. After two hours in
the water we had breakfast and
continued on down the coast to
Chincoteague Island, the habitat
Of many herds of wild ponies. My
readers will smile when tell them
that there are wild ponies on the
Atlantic seaboard, but it is fact
It seems that back in colonial days
Spanish ship laden with horses
was ship-wrecked at that point and
the horses swan ashore. They tel
me that this happened many years
ago. They are there on three is.
lands just off the coast of Virgin
ia, the biggest of which Is reached
by a causeway and bridge. Driving
over the causeway we saw tur.
key buzzard which was the first
one that the boys had ever seen.
When we reached Chincoteague
three or four little boys jumped on
to the running board and offered
to guide us to the wild ponies. ]
chose the one who appeared to be
the most intelligent and we set of
to see one of the wonders of the
East-wild ponies. Chincoteague is
town of 1000 inhabitants and yet
within four miles we saw several
herds, each led by a magnificent
understood stallion. These herds
each numbered from ten to fifteen
mares and young colts. The ones
that we saw were not particularly
wild because they were accustomed
to seeing innumerable automobile
parties but we were told that on
the other two islands, which are
inaccessible save by boat, the pom
les are very wild. These ponies are
smaller than the western broncho
and are in all colors and markings.
They had their annual roundup on
Thursday when hundreds and
hundreds of ponies were rounded
up and the colts branded. These
colts will be sold all over the East
to people who buy them for chill
dren's saddle ponies.
This is a funny world after all
for here in the East we have wild
ponies and millions Of acres of
land grown up to pine which are
Just as primitive as anything In
northern Minnesota.
After dinner we started back TO
Washington and passed through
an entirely different country. The
soil was the same and the general
lay Of the land was much alike but
1t was largely given over to raising
OF muskmellons and tomatoes.
1t was a delightful trip that I
would not have missed for a great
deal but, after al is said and done,
the Eastern Shore does not COM
pare with Minnesota and after
having visited nearly every state
in the Union I can truthfully say
that there is no better state in all
the land than the great and glor-
ious state of Minnesota.