Eau Claire Wis. April 13.1883
Dear Grandfather!
Your esteemed and very welcome letter written the 15th of last month I received
today and for which I  give  you  my heartfelt thanks.  I see thereby that
you are well and living as  usual, and  the same I can report for us for
which I have the dear God to thank, and especially when a person is so far
from his distant home as I am.  I see further that you  point out  that 
you have written 2 letters to me since Grandmother died which  I  have  received
 long  ago, and  respectfully answered  the  same  days  on which I received
them, but they perhaps have not arrived.  the last time I wrote, I  sent
 it from  here  on  Tuesday, the  10th of this month, , therefore only 3
or 4 days ago, so you see I am not neglecting to carry out the same, though
simple and poor it does become.
First and most importantly, I want to tell you a  little about  America's
 economic  situation  in recent times, which according to my opinion is expanding
in greater  and  greater measure  in  regard  to  railroad  construction,
building  of factories, mills, and home and  business  buildings.  Yes, it
is  true  to  say that in the last year there were built many fine houses
here in the city of Eau Claire, but this is  just a  trifle in comparison
to the other states and cities in the country.  Likewise it is with railroad
construction. A person can now easily  travel  to  the  woods, namely, ride
 on  the trains many hundred miles which we couldn't have done 3 years ago,
and  another  thing  about  it - a person can travel as cheaply, yes, even
cheaper than he could before.  If a person had come to me 3 1/2 years ago
and said, specifically the summer that I worked at Meridean sawmill - that
in 3 years I would see  how  the  train  would  come  this far, I would not
have believed it.  But now actually it is over a half  year  since the  train
has passed there.  And here a person sees examples of how power and money
can  achieve  great  things.  Likewise with  the  factories  and such,there
 are  many  which  were constructed this past winter just  here  in  the
 city.  Last winter  there  was  a  great  deal of snow, yes, so to say,
a little too much, and still there is a good deal remaining  in many places,
and that is perhaps bad for the farmers, for now is  about  the  right  time
for them to begin with the spring work, yes, preferably a little  earlier
 they  usually  begin with  that  here  in  this country.  But you see, a
man might just as well wait until Our Lord's time comes.  He knows best when
the right time comes I  suppose, because  it says:  "He (Our Lord)
knows
and directs all things for the best."
I  don't  know  any  news  of  importance  to  tell you.  Everything hereabouts
is the same as usual.  Nothing further for  this time than an affectionate
greeting to you from your devoted grandson  A.P.Solem
You may greet Siri with the most friendly greetings from me. A.P.Solem
This was written quickly so you'll have to read what you can and guess at
the rest.      Most respectfully  A  Solem
*Grandmother, had died Dec. 24, 1882.
The letters to be addressed the same as usual
A. Solem
Wis   Eau Claire
North America