Dayton daily empire. [volume] (Dayton [Ohio]) 1850-1865, 1859-07-27
p.Alnlr pr Gums. Julr qIal. lbg.

PRAiHiE Du CHIN, July 2lst. 80.
EE. ENPRE ,--It is fortunate for youga well
as yoar readers that the not very gentle motion
Of the cars over a rough road would not allow
the writing OF legible hand, else, being gran.
ted the privilege by you Of writing entirely ad
libitum, should have recorded so many Incl
dents and suggestions occurring on so pleasant
a trip as would have marred even your most pro
verbal patience, and certainly that Of your
readers. The idea Of an excursion into the
country aud escape from the city was too much
for even my accustomed gravity aud yielded
myself to all the enthusiasm Of boy at the
coming Of the Fourth Of July, The excursion,
Of which you may have heard, is nominallY
under the auspices Of the Sons Of Malta (but
really scarce badge OF shred Of an insignia
can be seen however--perhsps this ia a part Of
their very mysterious proceedings, and not to
be comprehended BY the uuinitisted,) aud IL
bound to St. Pauls and Minnehsha Falls. A
largo party from Cincinnati bound IN the same
place left Chicago yesterday, aud at present
excursions and picnics from all qoarters and to
all parts seems TO be the order Of the day.
was glad to see few familiar faces from Day
ton, but felt no little surprise that the represen.
tation was so small The whole number Of
our party was far less than was anticipated aud
less than was prepared for, requiring but one
train Of 8 cars, instead oftwo. The day doubt
less appeared to some inauspieious, opening
cloudy and with promise of storm, but this
to me, after experience Of heat and sunshine
never surpassed in severity and continuance,
was a source of no small comfort and gratula
tion. Before noon, however, the clouds broke
away and the sun shone out very pleasantly
while the air continued cool.
After leaving the prairie which stretches back
to Chicago, we passed through very a wild
and uneven section, which forbds the posslbilN
ity OF lis being of any value, which continued
until we reached the line Of Illinois and WisS
consin, when we came upon n beautiful rolling
prairie which is thickly settled aud well CULTS
vated and looked as fine as any country in the
West. All along the route the crops were look
ing very well indeed. Winter wheat was har.
vested and the most Of it stacked in the field.
Spring wheat is beginning to ripen, and so far
as could judge promises we'll, while oats were
very thrifty and for the most part headed and
apparently we'll filed. What little haying
is done here is in progress and in many cases
completed. Corn which suffered more in this
section, probably, than in any other, received
generous impulse from the late warm weather
and he's recovered its wonted life aud vigor, and
is in many cases higher than the fence. Az
unusual early aud destructive frost seems the
only means of preventing an abundant yield
and frustrating the hopes now so confidently
entertained in regard to the corn.
As we progressed on our journey even the
good spirits Of our party were not proof against
its monotony, except where they were perpetua-
ted from a supply contained in small sized
vessel commonly known as a bottle, and one
after another subsidized into restless doing un
til we reached Janesville where being granted
an hour for refreshments the sleepers were
readily aroused.
JRnesville is a pretty romantic looking place
Of several thousand inhabitants, is situated on
Rock River, has several fine buildings, among
which a fine Court house, having an elevated
sight and beautiful exterior. Passing on, the
face Of the country is uneven and varied, but
the soil continues good as luxuriant vegetation
sbundantly asserts. There are some places Of
great beauty and farms which cannot be ex>
celled, and the entire aspect of the country ex
cept occasional swamps reminds one Of the
better portions Of the Empire State.
Getting view Of the four Lakes closely nest
led here we soon reached Madison which is lo'
Gated on the bank Of the third Lake, very
much like Milwaukee on Michigan. The State
House, finely situated on an eminence is nearly
completed, and promises to be Ia very Rne build
ing. From this point the country assumed az
entirely different appearance, for as we came
down inLo the valley OF small stream we found
ourselves hemmed in by a series Of knolls,
ridges, headlands aud conical pyramids now
almost closing together and now reoeding, pre-.
senting a very unique and picturesque appear.
| ance. The sides Of the mounds were COW
cred with a short yerdure, except Where a rock
now and then cropped out. and few bore
thick covering Of foliage. All this was very
unlike anything have seen in the West and
was almost convinced that we had very sud
denly and surprisingly been transferred to the
mountainous regions Of the East. or course
there is but very little beauty here except what
is furnished by nature as the narrow limits Of
the valley supply very few inducements to ag.
riculture until we approach the Wisconsin Riv.
or, when the Bluffs separated TO some distance
still presenting very unique and novel front.
The bottoms have here a very light soil almost
pure sand aud yet they pay for their tillRge.
The scenery at certain points here on this clear
aud pleasant evening is very beautiful. in fact
l never saw a range Of bills which could afford
a greater variety and beauty of outline than
those which enc lose this valley, Their Attrac>
tiveness is a hundred times enhanced from the
fact that they are comparatively fresh and new
not having been viewed for scores Of years by
multitudes of eyes. 1t must he confessed that
one pays pretty dear for this pleasure in en-.
countsrlug the almost insufforable dust which
the train raises on this field Of sand. But
must leave you here. or rather you must allow
me TO take the boat which waits to bear US up
the river.
A@r The New York papers are filed with
the details Of a bloody tragedy which occur.
red there on Saturday evening last. A cot,
ton dealer from the South named II. Z.
MODonald, shot down his paramour, Yir.