Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1858-02-13

$50 above Carlo, 40 from Chicago, and IN the north
west part Of Madison County.
The town was fret settled in 1918. From this time
it gradually improved in population and in 1898 recev
ed It's charter ofncorroration as City It's locality
for City is unlike most other western towns, being
set upon hills and their intervening hoows. The irsl
inducements for building town here, The excel
lent natural advantages and facilities for river trade
the one hand, and rich fertile, prairie country
the other, for its support 1t is the first high land
above st. Louis, and viewed from the river presents
Il bold and picturesque appearance. Notwithstanding
the Of tho place, the streets laid out
at right angles with heavy grade, which gives to tho
city crude and unfinished appearance, rather forbid
ding TO the eye Of stranger
Very few Improvements, however had been made
with the idea Of ini-h ornament previous to 1898
/ from which late It has maintained an onward and
steady course Of improvement and prosperity. There
is now beautiful levec substantially built, extending
almost the entire length Of the town; aflordng safe
and convenient landing for and other water
craft.
Front street. bordering upon the leyee is principal
~ occupied by trading houses and Touring Mills Of
the latter there arc three capable of turning out 1000
barrels Of -four per day. One Of these mills is beau
f brick structure four stories hi gi erected one year
since upon the site Of the old stone mill Of Loveiov
memory. by the way, that Loyejoy affair gave Alton
n notorcty By no means an enyiablc one.
volcanic eruption, the deep suen throes Of an
earthquake, would scarcely have produced effects
more disaserous 10 the best interests Of the city,
! Long and deeply have the people mourncd oyer the
calanltyi and long did they feel that an indignant
humanity wa, melting cut to them a scathing rebukc.
! But, twenty years have produced change.
The standard of morality has changed to higher
tone; and ruianism has taken its Departure for more
congeual retreats. The Alton Of today l. not the
Alton Of 1887. Society then. had no, determined its
course; it had neither chart compass, but exposed
10 al the calamiiic- which brutal passions can naict
when infimcl by the power Of cori-whi.kv aud lager
beer Barharsm will crop ont where society is made
mp of 81 many incompatible elements we find in al
most every new western town. Then, the frc-uck
and bowie kuiic were the common weapon, of offence
Go well a. dcleuce and he who was the best shot was
the best fellow.
Ly"n ~ ih" present time, hrou ghout the whole west
hc-e tools not unrequeutN the closing argument.
10 settle an old grudge or excited dispute especial
y where Judge Lager !, the presiding genius. If the
citizen. ~ Alton were innocent of the murder Of Love
Joy they ~ least have had to bear the heavy bur'hc
Of rc-pousib lily for the crime while the Missouri out
law, who really were the head and front of thc ont
rage have long scc either received the mark in their
orchcads, or the Judgment that tribunal from which
/ there T. no appeal.
Atthe present time. Municipnl Law, are In fail C,r,e
and well sustained by the energetic and intelligent
people Of which Alton Is now composed Although
the population il made up of emiciant. from almo.,
every state in the MON, with right smart spriuk
ling Of Irish, Germans aud .renman oil, color sew
en- tcnth' 81 the business, probably is done by New
England Yankee
People who emigrnted here twenty-five ycars ago.
we're then poor ana held their own remarkably well
for many years But II strong determination 10 out
live The stern realities of poverty. has lel them
through 70 tie cnioymen, # honorable fortunes
III all the financial crises which have tax ten tlace for
the last thirty year, Alton has suffered more or less
severely But at this time, the fact that not failure
nor ~ assignment has taken place in the city, speak
wen Tor the foundation upon which rests all healthy
operations ntradc and commerce The place ccttain-
Is. j. peculiar in one respect, it, capital is all home
madc-u"hng has ever beeninve.ied here IRON abroad
The city now contains $1,000 inhabitants, one hal;
Of whom. have been added within the last seven ycar.
New streets are being opened and graded public
buildings are being erected, and private tweinq.
are sprngug up ~ every part of the civ though not
suicicni To supply the daily increasing population.
Inc principal place, OF attraction for Transient visi-
tors to this city Of all hills. are the Pcuiteutiarv and
Prospect Street, attracts by enchnnnent the 9th
er ny entertainments the latter believe is considered
me most poien, as It now holds 56o persons spell.
bound These people are comfortably fed and clothed
hu' IN common with all out-sders, complain Of hard
times
BY late act Of the Legislature the Pep,en,i,r, Z,
soon To- be moved to Toilet forty mile out Of Chcago
attending ihc tr,nspor,aton Of he ' d1yn 9ps
rom 'mcago. lbc Ahonians are greatly in favor 81
the move n 1t will give Place 10 large class of mo
chgnic, whose business j. now absorbed within the
walls Of the Prison.
Favorite places Of resort for pleasure rnrtie in hot
weather are lior Hollow, Green Wood aid Rose Dale
Occasionally moonlight excursion 10 the mouth OF
the Illinois River on board a Steamer. j. no small rra,.
ihcation 10 those who are fond of romance and music
he three mouths OF The Missouri River in full view
from Prospect street. In their way thee mouths are
great dircntcrs. for they have shot across the Mis-
i,sppi and euawcl of 200 acres Of free sle'' and
shipped II down stream. and we hone Southern fire
eaters will take il aud stop their mouths.
Beef pork. wheat, corn, fruit lime and coal are sta
pie commodities of trade and commerce in Alton
The bluffs immediately above the city, art uuletlaid
with limerick which presents n bold and almost per
pendicuar surface 10 the river and extending many
miles above. The rock is extensively quarried with
IN the limits of the city and used for building Me Ada
MIXING, paving ard burning into lime MANY wears
ago, 4 strange painting evidently the work Of The In
dams was discovered high up upon the even surface
o; the rock bordering upon the river it represented
ierocious animal. half bird and half alligator The
figure Of the animal has been transferred to canvass
for preservation, while the rock which contained the
original painting ha, been demolished for building and
other purpose. The Indian legend concerning thi,
singular painting is 20 the effect that ohg long wear,
aco-far IN tie distant past when the Red Man roam
ed Tree and Wild 'ocr the distant prairie there lwelt
IA cave Of this rock overlooking the river monster
which the Indian called lasa Bird, or Demon BIRD
in their passage up and down the Mississippi; some
times upseting their canoes. sometimes carrying OF q
child ami performing other freaks too greyuus a. APP
pa'ng to bear. Such was the fear that the Indians
entertained of the Piasa Bird, that they would often
shoulder their canoes andmerchandse and carry them
across the neck of land TO the Mi souri, yer ia order
TO avoid the terrible fate which many Of their little
ones Ia fallen victims.
AT length noble hearted and patriotic Chief deter
mined to offer himself sacrifice TO the power Of the
Demon Bird and save his people from future calami-
ties. Accordingly, he Invested himself OF his armor
andappcaredn his before the cave of the aveng
ing spirit, and invoked his dcath-teug power. In
the mean time the strong men and warriors of the
tribe, unwilling that their beloved Chief should thu,
give his life willing sacrifice for them. secreted them
selves under the trees and rocks in the vicinity of the
cave, and when the Pasa Bird was about 10 dart up
on ms devoted prey thousand arrows with lightning
speed trembed through the air; the Chief was saved
lranshNed with many arrows the Demon fell--its wild
terrific deathscream echong through the distant for
ests, while its hearts-bood mingled with the turbd
waters of the Mississippi
Jan. IS 1865. IHorEGER