Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1865-09-04
Notes Inv ,he WAY.
Correspondence Of the Ohio Statesman
PRAIRIE DU CHEN, Wis.,
a. Au0nat 07 19Rh.

PRAIRIE DU CHIEN, WIs.1
~ AZ August ", 1865.
yDs. STATESMAN - Agreeably to promise,
top pycu few "notes by the way OF
Il , to the "Northwest." Leaving Golum-
b at 4 A. NJ, we arrive at Crestline at
G !, where we are informed that on ac-
c'Nnt of smash-up on the Western Dlyis-
Il of the Ft. Wayne road, and the wreck
OF freight train on the Eastern Division,
Il Sre will be no train west; but after
lie they conclude to make up train
a. we leave for Chicago. Having heard
, 81 ;at many stories of the roughness OF the
r .ad and general bad condition Of the same,
v, were agreeably surprised to find 1t in
E ,ellent condition, and every thing well
D; 4naged-indeed, we consider It second
o;.ly to the Cleveland g Columbus road,l
I III which there are few, If any, better
j all its appointments. Bucyrus, the first
1 zee of Importance, Is very. pretty and
/ irving town. Passing on through several
l important villages, we come to Forest,
vyuich is rightly named, asit Is situated IN
a forest and is important only as the cross
] Z of the Cincinnati and Sandusky rail-
D, id.G AT Lima we cross the Cincinnati and
. dedo road. AT this place aparty of'ln-
I ans, ."Sacs and Foxes" from kansas, came
(, oard the train and created quite an ex-
\ &
. ,inners and grotesque Dress Their Chief,
/" Wahpequot,p. wore a huge, collar OF fur
oinamented with bears claws. We arrived
D. due time at Fort Wayne, Ind, where we
/ ok dinner at the Railroad Eating House,
oae of the best in the western country
! { Pierceton we walt for the east bound
/, ;press train. This place, with Columbia,
] huntsville and Warsaw, is noted for Its ship
l'ient OF vast quantities OF black walnutlum-
u .r to the eastern cities. Material for gun
; ocks for the Springfield, Massachusetts,,
;,imory Is shipped from this point.
Thecountry around Warsaw Is very fine;
{ >ere is a very pretty lake close by the
town. Some miles west of Warsaw to the
: ate line, the country is quite sandy, and
Crops, especial v corn, are light. u ri'r
Wearrive in Chicago at $50 p. M; stop
q, the Sherman House, where we find ele-
I; mt accommodations, and are saved the
ouble of travelling up four flights OF stairs
. Y being carried up in.a'"dummy," and
jnded within, a few feet of our room,
hich (by the way) was good enough for a
/ ng. we left Chicago at 8 A. M. next
", by the Northwestern railway, which
one of the finest roads In this country.
hey have elegant coaches, with all the
.odern improvements. The travel on this
ijute Is immense, each train having from
/, ght to twelve coaches. The country for
: Venty miles west of Chicago is quite flat.
herehas beeHa great deal ofrain through
ut the northwest. Many fields of oats are
.,sill uncut and In others the shocks stand
Ia several inches of water.
AS we 90 towards GAINESVILLE, Wis, the
ountry is more rolling, is in a high state
rf cultivation, and is. beautiful beyond de-
I, ,..ription. AT Milton Junction, we take the
ililwankie & Prairie Du Chen road for the
liter place. We conclude, however, to
TOD over one train at Madison, the Capital
# the 1,Badger" State, and whose beauties
re the song of many an enchanted travel
r. TheSnatural beauties of this place are,
erhaps greater than those of any city in
he West. The city is situated between two
,akes of clear, pure water. The one on the
vest side is ten miles long and five wide;
shat on the east is five long by three wide.
Che square on which the State House stands
Is, one half larger than the square at Co
;umbus. The Capitol building stands In the
center Of the square, and is model OF ar
chitectural beauty. The Senate and as
sembly rooms are semi-eircular in form,
and are handsomely finished and furnished.
We did ourself the honor of taking a seat
in the chair of the President Of the Senate,
and gazing-aot on the assembled wisdom
Of the Representative "Badgers"-but on
their vacant seats. Thestreets of Madison are
handsomely laid out, with many handsome
and costly residences, and beautiful flower
gardens, and ornamented grounds. We re-
luctantly left the place. and arrived here in
the old townof Prairie Du Chen this MORN
ing. With the exception of two very fine
large hotels, and railroad buildings, the
place has not improved very much in the
past ten years. While waiting for boatto
60 up the river, we crossed in the ferry
boat to McGregor's landing, in Iowa, and
were astonished to find quite large
and thriving town, and doing an immense
business. Ten years ago there was nothing
but warehouse or two; now it has pop
ulation OF three to four thousand. 1t is the
outlet for the extreme northern counties of
Iowa, and has an immense. trade with the
interior; but we hear the whistle of the
steamer coming up the Father Of Waters to
bear us to our destination, and compelling
US to close. 1t is possible you may get
some more 'notes by the way" from G00Ii
Z gNtiSlh lH Gus 9 RUsTIcUs.