Muscatine journal. [volume] (Bloomington, Iowa) 1849-185?, 1853-07-15
For the Journal.
Notes Of Travel,

MassFIELp, Ohio, July G, 1858.
DEAR EDITOR: | wrote you line from
Naples, Illinois. on the 9th ult. The pas
sage up the Illinois river on the Belle
Gould, was without especial interest. The
scenery of the Illinois and adjacent coun-
try is less diversified than that Of tn e
Mississippi. Low banks covered with dense
forests; here anu there a dilapidated town,
suffering with high water through the
spring, and with fever and ague through
the summer, can encourage the stranger but
little who travel through from Lasalle to
st. LOUIS BY steamboat. Yet there is u
beautiful and fertile country little back
from the river. In Morgan, Fulton. San
gamoo and Schuyler counties, on either side
there are prairies, where for miles the eye
can sean fields of grain, now in golden hue,
of tall, rank grass, of rich green corn, al
ternating with island groves, and along the
rolling prairies, as far as the eye can reach
noticed several hedg, rows of the m aciura,
Dosage Orange) "turned OUT" and their
appearance justified the confidence of the
farmer who entrusted to their protection
valuable gardens and orchards. Naples is
poorly supplied with public houses A large
number of travellers were detained over
night and packed away, eleven in bed-to
wit: Two bipeds and nine bugs of the spe-
cies that commonly sponge lodgings at dirty
hotels, and feed on luckless wights SHAKEN
in" At first sight respectfully declined
sharing bed with so many, and camped
out. Nevertheless, the bill satifed me that
ed-bugs and huma bugs sometimes dwell
together and agree as to blood-sucking. =
We passed Pekin, pleasantly located, just
at dusk, and Peru in the night. These
towns are said to be rather pleasant, and
Peoria is growing up to be city. Lasalle,
just one mile above Peru, and Peru are Bit
ter rivals They will ultimately unite in
one city. Here is the head of navigation
for the Illinois river, the termination of the
Chicago canal, and the intersection of two
railroads --one the l. c. from Bloomington
Ito Galena, the other the G. r. l., from Chi
Icago to Rock Island. The cars now run on
)either road westward to Chicago and south
east to Bloomington. Of course large
C ty is to be built (on paper) and corner
lots in favorable locations are worth thou
sands of dollars, though hills and ravines
are the most noticeable features of the place
Just at this time. Now we take the cars for
Chicago. First up the valley Of the III
inos we roll along over wet bottom prai-
RE; then through tunnel that pierces o
projecting ledge of rock; then rising on to
higher prairie. We pass Ottawa, pleas
ant village, the famous circular mound near
Joliet, the village and SEINE small towns,
whose names did not learn, and here, in
FIVE hours from Lasalle, we are at Chicago,
the "Garden City," Distance 100 miles.
The face OF the country after leaving
the Illinois is GENERALLY fiat prairie, less de-
sirable than our prairies in Iowa, yet capa-
bic of being made a wealthy country.
tarried but a short time in Chicago. Bus.1
ness seemed lively, and many new buildings
are going up. There are many fine church,
es, hotels, and residences; but the dozen
fine, substantial school houses are the es-
peciai boast (and JUSTIFY of the city fathers
and mothers.
A night ride in tho Southern Michigan
and Northern Indiana Railroad to Toledo
lgave NE but little opportunity to see the
lcountry. Cold Water and AID rian, as seen
lby the grey light of the morning, seem to
be improving; but the land is far inferior
| to ours in appearance. 1t seems pity to
strip off the timber and SO reveal the naked
ness of the soil.
took no time to look at Toledo. We
cross the Maumee river by ferry, and speed
along by railroad to Norwalk. Distance
from Chicago. 215 miles; fare 81 rs; time
Is hours. From Toledo east for 40 miles
the primegal forests re echo the laundering
of the railroad train, save here and there a
little clearing, which, ere you can say $ 10 !
here" is there; but as you aivance on to
the ssReserve," pretty little farms, neat
cottages, thrifty orchards, change the pros
pect. You are never out of sight of these,
while every few miles the tidy village points
it's spires heaven-ward.
| Norwalk is famous for its beauty. A
large street, lined on both sides with for
est of shade trees, benlnd which rise up
pretty dwellings, surrounded by nice gar
dens, give the town an air Of comfort quite
refreshing on hot summers day.
Detained here by business, | visited my
old friends in Seville, Medina county, for
the 4th, and met there Hon. j. G. johnson,
Speaker Of the House of Representatives of
Ohio. Six years since, We were the Speaker
in our national anniversary, and after the
regular grafton we were both called out once
more, to add our mite to the general re-
ioicing was not 10th to extend greetings
from the prairies of Iowa to the pioneer
State of the West. The stirring must c of
the village brass band, the patriotic songs
of the choir, the sentiments uttered on the
occasion, heartfelt If not eloquent, and the
meeting with old friends and former pupils,
with many cordial greeting, will make
this day enc long remembered.
To-day a trial is had, at Wooster, Of
different reapers and moves, competing for
the prize at the State Fair. noticed quite
a crowd of farmers who were brought to-
gether on the occasion. S,me Ave or SIX
| - nh;co. 90 an hand I amid mot ram In,