The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1865-10-04

'sBrick."
The editor of the Lacrosse Democrat was
delegate to the Wisconsin State Democratic
Convention. On his return to Lacrosse he
came this way TO have pleasant ride home
via the River. Possibly he may have wanted
to see McGregor and its bluffs: at all events
We had pleasant time with him from early
morn to the end of the day. What he says
about it. and more too, is below. He talks
nice of Capt. Laughton, Charley Mather and
Jesse Johnston of the Key City steamer On
which he, went up, of WINNIE, conductor of
The train vest of Capt. Mitchell, Codtc ina
Melville, Of the War Eagle, Of Sol. Illusions
inimitsble Hotel At, Pr. du Chen. Finally
arriving at McGregor, he thus goes on. We
showed him Pictured Rocks and Moss Noun.
tain: A-@i'@"
"Nc(regor is narrower, than p republican
craftsmanship; That u to say: il was originally
a cold bluff, on the west side Of the river,
rising three hundred feet above water mark -
wedge of lightning opened a narrow, crook.
ed crevice in tie rock, SO the fluid or current
of electricity could run in the river. Somebody
| located there ard called that crevice or assure
a site for a town. Enterprise and rich conn-
| try back. have made McGregor one of the
busiest, sharpest little cities on the river But
it Is 80 narrow. There is but one street, and
that sits up edgewse like crooked piece of
tine or a bent scythe Base ball players get
on the bluff over the town and play across the
ravine, over the heads of people below The
houses are sidewise the street, while the doors
slide up and down, because there is no room
fer fha IN Opop nd ahut Cows in tha Sfra.,t
tiisk their tails up and down; there is no room
for them to flap them about promscuously lest
they whisk the goods out of show widows
Droves of cattle from Iowa going to market
via McGregor, are stopped at the cattle yards
| at the upper end of the city, where their tails
are cat of. SO they will not put out the eyes Of
| people as they switch flies A man was going
over the country. by land, boxing for McGregor,
when he fell into the town. The ladies' wear
hoops, coffin shaped, SO they can pass On the
street. Sausages are put in cases-there is no
room to display them in balls. Graves are
made by enlargipg wood pccker's holes in trees,
or'sv4llow's holes in the sand bluffs, and men
| are put in collins rs opera glasses are shut up
in casas, on end. It is against the law to use
whips, SO goads with sharp nails in the end are
used to drive horses and cattle. Door yards
and flower plants are carried about in snuff
boxes. But the people are not so narrow, for
a more liberal, en'erprising, well to do settle.
ment is not to be found. ,,18Yd hTGgEI
WE FOUND HERE LOTS OF FRIENDS.
Called on Richardson and Andrick Of the
| Tines. We love to visit our cotemporarics,
| and joke with them because there is some wit
and sharpness about their remarks. We called
| at Lu. Peavey gallery OF Art, and US twain,
| Richardson. ~ the sensible, and "Brick," the
f"copperhead," were by, Peavey ambrotypel in
most excellent style. Dropped in to chat with
Senator Hummer, a genial democrat, whose
| California vintage is prime and yet more -
! Then We called on John c.. Baker Of the re-
| howned Baker Family, who is IN trade ut Nc
Gregor, and in his parlor listened to his soul
stirring singing and instrumental music. They
i say we differ on politics, but for all that we
like John c. He is gentleman genius-a
good friend bitter enemy. Who can help
| liking such men? We saw in his rooms some
OF the most wonderful specimens of whiting
ever done in the country. One was wooden
chain thirty six feet long. The other was
set of thirty wooden pincers, Whitfield with
jack knife from a solid piece of wood, and so
wonderfully perfect in every tenon and joint
| that to open one was to open the whole Give
John c. Baker bunch OF shingles and jack
knife on an island in mid ocean, and he would
| make a boat and sail ashore certain. esa r taa
| After dinner with Gen. Washington Salisbury
| in company with Col Richardson, Mr. French
and Mr., Peavey. behind the splendid team
owned by the latter named gentleman, we rode
down the river bank TWO miles, down to the
mouth Of gorge cooled and made enchanting
by leaping, laughing little stream whose silver
| thread leaps down the rocky bed Of the r.vine,
| Up the rayine climbing and clambeiil x, joking
| and jumping, viewing the wildly beautiful, and
| revealing in the dimpenrd shade, We reached
! the summit OF the hill to see spread at our, fee:
landscape Of most wondrous beauty. The
river close inshore below us, halt q thousand
feet-a score of islands-emeralds set in silver
1.-The winding Wisconsin river coming down TO
mingle iea drops and destiniss with the Father
houses, half hid in trees-the widely scattered
| village of Pr. du Chen away to the lett. like
the playthings of a sleeping child Mt random
strewn-the buff and green hill sides of the
Wisconsin, all making landscape the eye
| drank in for memory ever to retain. #s-
And here, surrounded by the beautiful pic
! lures OF nature. arrayed in early autumnal love-
illness, the moments sped swiftly Oh till there
came the toursfor return and then for a
scramble down the rugged and ragged noun.
| tain side, pausing to laugh at the misliaps Of
| friends or to secure some of the beautiful
specimens of petriactions SO plentiluIly left
| here by the hand of nature. And thus the
afternoon sped too swiftly away, rs we realized
when shutdown came strolliag over the hills,
and the bonnie Key City, true to her time tn BILE,
came putting up the river, calling us to leave
the kind friends of McGreg"r and return to
editorial and business duties at home"