Friends,
The library came through, and the microfilm of the Chesterton Tribune
has arrived. Will try to get some of the articles typed and posted.
But this one caught my eye, especially due to the large amount of
persons mentioned in the Vidette Index as "of Neb. and Kan." So I am
posting it now.
Chesterton Tribune - April 29, 1886
Another train load of emigrants passed through this station on the Lake
Shore road, last Sunday, bound for the west. They numbered over 700.
Over 3000 emigrants went through here in the past three weeks. At this
rate the great West must be rapidly filling up. The greater part of
emigrants now coming are Swedish. They seem to be of a better class,
and have some money. Most of them are able to buy a farm and pay the
money down. Minnesota and Dakota are getting the majority of these
settlers. While in Valparaiso the other day, we discovered a practice
which we afterwards learned was quite common. An old Swede was sitting
on the platform of the car, quietly smoking an elegant meerschaum pipe.
As is common with old country people, the bowl was attached to a very
long stem. Just as the train pulled out, a man darted along the
platform, snatched the pike, and before you could say Jack Robinson, had
disappeared. The old Swede was heart-broken, and rung his hands in
despair, for his lost treasure, but he could not jump off to give chase
to the thief. In Chesterton, this has been done several times. The old
fellows stick their pipes out the windows, and some one comes along and
grabs them. One meerschaum was taken from a car window while the train
was standing in Chesterton, that was sold twenty minutes afterwards, for
$12.
More to follow. . .