The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1859-07-28
From Illinois.
Dwight, ILL.,, July 25th, 1855


at this place, / propose to give you a
few notes of travel, which you are at
liberty to lay quietly under the table or
publish, as to you, may seem tit.
About month since left Dowagiac,
which, by the way, is making more
progress this season than any place l
have seen in my travels, for a visiting
tour in Illinois. Leaving the Central
road at Niles, I came to St. Joseph by
stage. Our route lay, part of the way
along the St. Joseph river and through
some of the most desirable farming
country I have ever seen. The soil is
a rich, sandy loan, with mixture Of
clay and gravel and was originally well
timbered, though now luxuriant fields
of grain and thrifty orchards have to
= great extent taken the place of the
native forests. The wheat was looking
very promising, in many places standing
as high as the fences and very heavy.
Corn, owing to the continued cold
weather, was backward for the season,
though l presume the warm weather
since has produced a favorable change,
for though small, it was not then I'M
healthy in appearance. Along the
banks of the river the grape vines were
abundant, and their long winding trunks
climbing the oaks and browning them
with their deep green foliage aud clus-
tiers Of fruit presented 5 most beautiful
appearance. The apple trees on the
wholeroute, and near the lake the peach,
pear, plum, apricot, nectarine and
cherry trees, were all loaded with fruit,
the latter being red with their ripe and
luscious fruit. The orchardests were
busy thinning outthe fruit and propping
up the overladen branches to prevent
their breaking down with their precious
loads.
The town of St. Joseph looks some
what dilapidated, though it has fine
harbor and has been improving for a
year or two. It is situated on bluff
at the mouth of the river and commands
fine view of the lake. The vicinity
is probably one Of the best fruit growing
regions in the country. The tender
varieties of fruit trees and grape vines
which have been destroyed in other
sections by the severe winters, having
here escaped uninjured.
A nights ride with the pleasant and
sociable Captain Napier, on the pro-
pellor of which he is commander and
part owner, brought us in sight of
Chicago. The morning was quiet, the
sunrise on the lake most magnificent,
and as we approached the city, we had
splendids-Yiew of its shipping, its
spires and domes, its vast ware houses
and its princely marble palaces, just
lighted up by the morning sun. Having
refreshed the inner man at the fremont,
which needs no praise, nine o'clock
found me on the Burlington and Quincy
road, dashing over the prairies and
through cities and villages which have
sprung up as if by magic, since | was
here but five years ago. Fields OF
grain had all along usurped the place
of the prairie grass, and white farm
houses, their clusters Of tree, indi-
Gated the rapid advancement Of the
dominion of man over the but few years
since unbroken prairie. The spring
wheat which is the only kind that sue
ceeds here, was looking well but the
corn was quite poor. A few hours ride
brought us to Mendoza, which from a
depot, passenger house and few shan
tees, has since l was here become a
busting city. Changing to the Central
Railroad cars, | soon reached the thri-
wing city of Amboy, where l found
old friends and hearty welcome.
Amboy is but four years old but GER
tainly promising town. The location
here of the /. G. r. r. car works has
given it great impetus and still keeps
up the motion. 1t has at present about
three thousand inhabitants, several
churches, a public hall and large brick
union school house besides many elegant
private dwellings. After spending
several days here, during which l en-
|joyed some pleasant rides over the
prairies and visit to the extensive and
to me unexpectedly thrifty nursery a,
Franklin grove, l again took the cars
and we steamed away over the seem
ingly boundless prairies northward.
Dixon, on the Rock river and Free
port, on the Pecatomca, cities of from
five to six thousand in habitants, with
numerous villages between them, were
soon passed and / found myself IL
Winebago county. This is one of the
finest farming counties in the State
having the ADVANTAGES of timber and