"...Leprosy Town..."

From the March 7, 1890 edition of the St. Vincent New Era comes this distressing assessment of St. Vincent as a town to be avoided (albeit for good reasons at the time):

And now poor St. Vincent is to loose the Signal office also. It is recommended by the chief signal officer that it be discontinued, as the reports from Winnipeg are deemed sufficient. The truth is that St. Vincent is in Minnesota and the reports from St. Vincent makes the climate cold. Thus Minnesota don’t want it. And thus time and cold avenge the theft from Pembina.

"The customs to St. Paul
The signal to dust
Only for the New Era,
St. Vincent would bust."

During the past few months the city papers have referred to St. Vincent as the leprosy town, Hallock was referred to as the pauper district; we have been advertised as the refuge of tramps and quarantined on account of glanders*; but last of all and worst of all Bro, W-- --- has commenced pelting us with poetry, and SUCH poetry!

- Ed. ERA (March 7, 1890 edition)

* A contagious, usually fatal disease of horses and other equine species, caused by the bacterium Pseudomonas mallei and symptomized by swollen lymph nodes, nasal discharge, and ulcers of the respiratory tract and skin. The disease is communicable to other mammals, including humans.