Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1857-07-23
FROM THE NORTHWEST.
Correspondence of the Belmont Chronicle
MISSISSIPPI RIvER, July I'D, 1851.


Mr.. THoBURN: The never to be trusted
agents ard omnibusses dik not ges the bet
ter of NE this time. A little before the
hour or leaving Milwaukee, in company
with very clever gentlemen from La
Crosse, (whose acquaintance msde,)
started for the station on foot, with the
quarter in my pocket, and found the way
without difficulty; was soen off for Prsirie
du-Chien. by the way, when you ask an
agent or bar-keeper where the station is,
they reply the omnibus will be at the door
in good time, sir. Now, the question is a
civil one You do not ask when the omnI-
bus " i'll come, for it is sure to come with
out asking; aud if you have but two squares
to go. these landlords. agents, and 'buss
men think it very vulgar 10 walk. Now, |
think just otherw Use, and gentlemen and
ladies would not be caught in them if they
could avoid it; they are shat might be term
ed a sometimes necessary nuisance.
Although the cars started at l. O'Clock
at night. just so as by fast running to pre-
vent sight of Madison, by ;;sspme book or
crook" day dawned before w arrived attne
fret o: The small Lakes, or which it is situ-
ated; my friend kindly pointed them out,
also the situation Of the town, the principal
buildings, &c Madison is situated on a
succession of undulations Of ridge around
and among those Lakes; the Railroad is half
mile or more from the ceDter.of the town.
If Madison is not the prettiest town in the
world. would like to see the one that can
beat It, that's all, and good deal, too. |
regretted, after passing it, that | had not
made MY arrangements for stopping off until
the next train. After leaving Madison, the
country soon changed from level to sue
cession of small sand hills and ridges, with
bluffs and some poor sand prairie. We
soon came to small stream, sane descrip-
tion OF country, and followed it to the Wis
consin River, the poor country still contin-
uing, though | saw in some places good
fields of corn. At length, before 9 O'Clock
in the morning, the long, loud scream of
the iron horse gave The signal that wewere
approaching Prairie-du-C Chen ana the Grea,
Mississippi, of which had so long wondered
and had scarcely ever expected 10 see; both
broke on the vision at once. Where the
cars stopped part of the town was to be
seen, aud Just on our lett, almost on level
with us. was ringing the bell of the noble
steamer War Eagle; we were soon on board
and bound for ST. Paul, the end of the COM
merrial world for few months TO come;
where new place, with ten thousand at
fractions and may be a thousand miles off,
will erect its proud head TO dispute the sway.
Prairie-du-C presents some eRidences
OF prosperity. There are some new buildings.
saw the Fort from the river, consisting Of
several long two story white buildings,
built, think, of brick, possibly of stone;
there are several old frame dwellings scat
tered about, which probably some of cur
old men would recognize, for | learn that
it has been settled Tor two hundred years.
The Mississippi, where | first beheld it,
was very different from what had expect
ed. | had fanced stream with wide bot
toms, clear deep bed, and strong current,
the whole to be seen at once from shore to
shore; at this writing | have come fifty
miles up it, it is very high, yet do not be-
lieVe have seen at any one time more than
one fourth OF it; it is probably more :han a
has :lr
sion it makes on me is that OF a succession
of small Lakes, all connected tVgether.-
The islands are SO numerous and the river
SO high that the timber appears 10 be grow
ing all through it, yet our steamer plows
Oh, sometimes through numerous pass,
and at Others as wide as the Ohio,--but |
have found out that it is mighty river,
though running in so many channels around
and am, NC the thousands of islands that lie
in its bed. So far there are no bottoms,
except al Prairie-du- Chen, and the conilu-
ence of streams. At Praire-du-C a
large city might be built Along the river
the bluffs from two TO four hundred feet high
come down abruptly to the edge of the
water. These bluffs are in places rocky
and too steep to ascend, at others so they
might be climbed, with beautiful coat of
grass or other verdure, and the most beauti
ful oak openings. This, | believe, is the
first time have made mention of oak OPEN
ings. AT little distance they are very
beautiiu., aud remind me Of apple orchards,
though the tops are no: so broad nor bushy;
the trees stand irregular, not so thick as
orchards, and are much pretiier from their
irregularity and being as nature placed
them All along the river see these OPEN
ings, looking so beautiful, with thousands
and thousands OF pasturage, yet not fence
or house to be seen, that seems to have any
connexion whatever with them: there are
at intervals landings and ware-rooms, that
seem only tied to the river. These open
ings look much like farms nearly cleared
free from stumps and underground well set
in grass, turned out and abandoned There
will pasturage enough go to waste on the
Mississippi to Craze all the sheep in the
Union.
The day is wearing away--there is fine
breeze-the passengers are generally on
the guards ana hurricane deck; our atten-
ton is averted by an object on bluff four
hundred feet above US. The first impress
sion is that it is man standing erect on u
very high point that runs up perpendicular
from the river. Standing erect and looking
with great dignity and composure at the
boat and its contents, spy-glass is applied;
the result is announced that it is a woman,
Anxiety and speculation run high; all eyes
are turned to the figure, all seem anxious;
there has not been time to reason-from
the height Of the bluff, if Goliah mad been
standing there he would have looked like a
small boy! There the brown figure still
stood, calm and motonless, nothing daunted
by our gazing. Some one who knew in
formed US that the figure had lately been
raised, and that is twenty feet high.
The evening is delightful, the scenery
continues sublime. In trying to recollect