Often the most obvious is over-looked and so it was with the letter that brought about this information. In 1984 I purchased a Creel City cancel from a fellow collector-inside was a three page letter. Before I purchased this particular item at least two people I know who collect this sort of item had a chance to purchase it. They, like I, did not take the time to really read the letter inside the cover. The cancel is not very good and the quality of the cover is nothing exceptional; the only reason I purchased it was because it is from my home town and I thought the return address was nice. About a year and a half after I had purchased the cover I finally read the contents during a rather dull football game. Reading the letter was infinitely more interesting than the game! It turned out to be a letter from one Frank L Wilson to his wife back in Bowling Green, Missouri and gives almost an hour by hour description of his train ride from Louisiana to Creel City, Dakota in April of 1884! Two of the principals involved in the beginnings of Cando are mentioned in this letter, one of whom is the traveling companion to this Frank Wilson. Mr Wilson uses the name of Parker as P P Parker; I presume he is the same Parker as P T Parker. He mentions the intent to platt and stake, out the townsite and also some meetings taking place as well as some people who may arrive to live there or in the area! In addition, on the reverse of the letter is some advertising by a G W Percival-perhaps a relative of the individual who actually platted Cando in 1886? As to who attended meetings and who platted the town I use as a reference Mary Ann Barnes Williams' "Origins of North Dakota Place Names". Perhaps this Wilson character was also a principal involved in the platting and developing of Cando?

At any rate, the letter pretty much speaks for itself. I have transcribed it below as well as I could. Words between the "{}" are words that I am not sure of. All capitalization and punctuation is according to the letter; I transcribed it just as it was written including misspellings. Copies 0f the actual cover, the letter and the advertising accompanies this write-up. I suspect this Frank L Wilson was some sort 0f agent who sold

land for the railroads-whoever would pay him the most. An interesting comment that caught my eye besides the references to the platting of Cando was his reference to the relative worthlessness of the Red River Valley farmland-if he could only be alive now to see how wrong he was! If anyone has any other

letter(s) written by this individual, I would be most happy if they could send me the contents(scans are fine) of the letters so that a better picture 0f who this man was could be obtained. Here then is the letter:

April 6, 1884

Dear Lizzie

We arrived here safely and in good condition last night about 10 O'Clock. Taken altogether the trip has not been unpleasant. There is quite a storm blowing here now but the weather for the past few weeks has been

exceptionally fine so the natives say. I think from the best information I have so far been able to get that the present spring like weather is from 2 to 4 weeks earlier than they have usually had here. So that I am early enough in reaching the front, I would like to write you a full account 0f the trip and will do so as far as I can. We left Louisiana about 2:30PM {all along} we found considerable water between La & Hannibal that made us a little late and between Han & West Quincy our train was in the water for miles at a time. In one place the water ran up on the steps 0f the cars and the train just moved very slowly frequently stoping to throw the drift off of the track the rails being entirely hidden and in some places a considerable current was running across the track. This stretch of water was about 7 miles in length. We crossed the River at Quincy and went up on Illinois side to Burlington crossed back to west side & then by "Albert Lee Route" to Minneapolis getting there about 4 hours late. We went on to St Paul. While there I went into the Engrs office(StPM&WRR) on the look out for work. The Chief was not in but the man in Charge stated that they would soon put a party or two in the field and while they had a good many men still he wanted to take my address as he might want us especially as I was at the front. At 4:30 we returned to Minneapolis and remained there until after 10 at night before we got started toward the North West. I looked the City of St P over a little. It is a flourishing city and I was greatly surprised to find the streets dry and dusty. Not a bit of snow & no mud, warm and sunshining, though the atmosphere was quite bracing and on the river real Cool. Minneapolis was equally as cool and dry but less dust and there was no wind. We noticed a great many teams plowing & sowing wheat & oats from about Albert Lee(State Line between Iowa & Minn) to St Paul. Also from St P west for probably 100 miles we saw drills & seeders work. We arrived at Fargo about 8AM saturday and eat breakfast & then lit out for grand forks. The Country between Fargo & Grand Forks is flatter than a pancake and was covered with water. Would not like to live in that part of the {moral} vinyard. From Grand forks west to Larimore the Country is {nice} rolling and looked to be a much

better Country. At grand forks the snow banks began to show up and increased in size & number as we went west. Between here & Larimore the snow banks on most miles of the road were in some places nearly up to the wire on the telegraph poles and in a great many places they were on a level with the top of the cars. The whole Country here is covered with patches of snow & in places banked up considerably & the streets are full of slush ice & snow. The storm has let up and the sun is now shining. Parker has just started for Cando with Everett Pew. He(Everett) and many others were expecting us and we were soon surrounded by a crowd when we reached the Hotel. All anxious to know about the Emigrants from Pike when they would be here & e &e. I find a good many folks here from our part of the world and all appear to be good respectable people. Quite a number of women are at the hotel and I think they are also of the right class. Parker will be back here tomorrow or tuesday and make his arrangements to {move} his stuff out. The train is expected on Tuesday. Hope the weather will moderate for it will be hard on them to strike this place in such a storm of wind & snow as was blowing this morning. 1 shall withold my opinion of the Country until 1 see more of it. Parker says they want us to make them a platt of the City of Cando and also to stake it out for them. So I have a job on hands you see anyway they wont think of us making any arrangements to stop with anyone else but them. I will keep you posted in regard to my arrangements If I go to work for the Manitoba Road it may be in a very different part of the Country – south West Dakota very likely. If I can see a chance to make some money out of the Town Co & enter land at same time I may remain here If not & the RR folks want me I I shall go with them.

Write to me in care of P P Parker Lake View Hotel

Devils Lake

Dakota

Your loving & devoted Frank