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Hagen family; Solem, Andrew P. / Papers, 1879-1899 [Translations]
Call Number, Eau Claire Mss CC Box 1 Folder 1 ([unpublished])
Eau Claire April 26th 1883
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Eau Claire April 26th 1883 Dear Grandfather! Your esteemed and very welcome letter of the 3rd of this month I have received. I am going to a big dinner given for Nils P. Estenstadsoien's wife Berit as she with several Soknedalings have arrived here in Eau Claire. Yes, it is true to say that it was a large group. Many got off the train here, but the largest number continued westward to a well-known place by the name of Menomonie about 3 Norwegian miles west of Eau Claire. Ole R. Braek went there, although I met him for a few minutes at the railroad station here yesterday. It wasn't for a very long time as you must understand the train doesn't stop for many minutes at any station. Enough of this. I am going bak to my own story and say first and foremost - thank you for that welcome letter. I see that you are well and live as usual which is a joy for me to hear, and the same I can report that I am, and for that I have only the good God to thank. As mentioned before, the emigrants arrived here yesterday at 10:00 in the morning in a very long train - it consisted of 10 passenger cars entirely occupied; and most of them, or the greater portion of the were emigrants. It was also the largest emigrant train that has gone past here for a longe time. Yes, I think it was the largest since I've been here. That time that Sivert Sneensgjerdet had emigrants with him it could be we were just as many. And for another thing, I can report that all who emigrated from Soknedal and Storen boarded the 5th of this month at Trondhjem, arrived here well and happy as far as Eau Claire. They had had good weather on the trip and especially so on the Atlantic Ocean. I can then greet you from several of the acquaintances amongst the emigrants, but that would be too long a list to enumerate the names of all those here, so this will have to be enought on this subject. Nothing new of importance do I know to report to you this time. Everything around her is as usual. I understand that there at home in Norway signs point to a late spring which is also the situation here. Today it is the 26th, but it is still cold weather and not much accomplished with the spring-work, but we will hope that it will be better by the 1st. Not many sawmills have started up yet, but most have decided to start this coming Monday, the 30th. Yesterday I was out and had a talk with the company I worked for last summer and came to an agreement to work for them this summer also. Here you see I am known the best and can get the biggest pay and the lightest work. This company is known as "Valley Lumber Company", mill here in the city, amd has decided to start up next Monday. Nothing further for this time than an affectionate greeting from your devoted grandson A.P.Solem You may greet Siri and the others in the household. I am to greet you and Siri from Berit N D Estenstad *N D stands for Nilsdatter (Nils Daughter)
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