The Tiffin weekly tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1859-1868, 1861-06-28
FROM THE FAR WEST.
MARENGo, IowA,l
June 10, 1861. {

MAhENGOi lOWAt
June 10, 1861.
EDs. TfFFIN TRrBUNE:-
Take your map and follow me. Chioa-
go is built on u level plain, but high
enough to avoid ihundations from the
Lake. Still the Improvements Of it's
streets and the raising of It's grade and
buildings has added very much to its
beauty and no doubt will result to itsper-
manent health Thecouutry in It's yicin-
ity for several miles is also quite lcve'-
mostly prairie now covered with a luxu-
RANT growth of grass and diversified oc-
casionalIY by gentle slopes, with here
and there an island of timber. These
afford great reliefto the gazing eyes, and
are really objects of curiosity and consid-
cradle interest to the wearicd trayoler.-
Several inconsiderablc stations are pass
ed, before reaching the Aurora junction.
80 miles from Chicago, where the Gale
ma and Chicago Union Railroad, con-
nectswith the Chicago, Burlington and
Quincy Railroad. There arc few neat
y constructed buildings, but not much
Of a village. The Galena road thence
passes through Wayne and Clutonyilc,
both quite small, to Elgin AZ miles from
Chicago at its junction with the Fox Riv-
er Valley and Wisconsin Central Rail
road. Elgin IS situated on Fox river a.
bout the size Of the Sandusky. The
country, thus far, although inferior to
what is on the Rock river and west Of il,
is noverthelcssof Of a very fine quality Of
soil, and we'll settled aud diversified with
some excellent farms. EIgin i wen sup
piled with stone and other building ma
terials and is, as would suppose, about
the Size Of Fremont in our own State of
Ohio. 1t has several large and commo-
dious buildings of brick and stone; and
has every indication of thrift aud prosper
ity. We go thence through Gilbert
Hpptly, Union, Murengo and Garden
Prairie, all stations Of some business and
apparent activity, to Belylderc, 7s
miles from Chicago, at the junction Of
the Beloit and Madison Branch Railroad.
Belvidefo is nearly, II not quite as large
as Elgin and evidently in thrifty condi-
ton. Aiter passing Cherry Valley, we
come to Rockford 90 miles from Chica-
go at the crossing Of The Konesba, Rock
ford and Rock-Island Railway, which is
finished from Kenosha on Lake Michigan
to Rockford only. This town Crock
ford) is situated on Rock river aud isl
well supplied with stone, sc. Il is some
larger than Elgin, upd has an active trade
as might be expected from lis locality inI
the fertile Rock River Valley; but Il ap-I
peured to me to be more stationary than
Elgiu, Belyldere o. Frcebort. We soon
reach Freeport after passing through
Winnebago, Peeatolieq aud Nevada all
small but growing rapidly with very con-
siderable business. AT Freeport tho
Galena and Chicago Union Railw9y cor
meets with the Illinois Central Railway,
lwhichwe adopt by change Of cars and
the only change between Chicago and
Dunleith. The Racine aud Mississippi
Railwuy crosses at this Plaee to which it
Is finished and now in nses and work IS
-
being done on il below and / was assured
that it would be soon completed 70 its
terminus AZ SayaRnah on the left bank of
the Mississippi river. nsa1
Freeport Is the county seat Of Ste
phenson county, and 1870 miles from Chi
cagO. tits BEAUTIFULLY situated upon