Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1865-06-30
of the Cedar Falls Gazette.
A Trip to Des Moines and st. Louis.

Correspondence of the Cedar Falls Gazette.
A Trip to Des Molnes and St. Louis.
! On BOARD STEAMER wARsAw,l
! Tuesday, June Goth ls55.
! DEAR GAZETTE - My trip to Des
Moines, in company with "Old Black
Hawk" alias Streeter, and that prince
of good fellows, "Old John Brown"
was one that will long be remembered.
At Farley we met the Dubuque delega-
ton, and others from the north part of
the State, including those tip-top fell
lows, Rich and Hart, of Independence.
At Marion, Cedar Rapids, Blairstown,
Toledo and Marshalltown, delegation
fafter delegation rushed in until we had
jolly big crowd. At Nevada, the end
of the railroad, we had to take stage
coaches, the good old-fashioned way of
travelling. Nine coaches were in wait
ing TO convey our crowd to the Conven-
ton. What comfort we did take with
fifteen on stage and the mercury
standing at 1902. We arrived at the Sa-
very House about dark, having been
put through in double quick time
You have already learned of the pro-
ccedings Of the Convention, therefore
on this point will say nothing.
On Saturday moring 1 left for st.
Louis taking the stage for Pella, the
terminus Of the Des Moincs Valley r..
r. Pella is in Marion county, was
originally settled by Hollanders, and
now contains about 1000 inhabitants
Took the train Monday morning for
Keokuk. About noon arrived at OF
tumwa, place Of about 5000 inbabit-
ants, and lively city it is. Here is the
junction of the Des Moines Valley and
the Burlington d Missouri River Rail
roads. Reached Keokuk at 4 p. NJ. This
is fine city of about l., 900 inhabitants,
though business is rather dull there at
present. 1t has many fine business
buildings, and its private residences l
think excel those of any other city III
the State. OF the Government hospi-
tails at Keolluk three have been closed,
leaving but two in operation. One of
these is under the charge of DR.. Sprague,
Of Butler county, and has about four
hundred patients, among whom are two
or three Cedar Falls boys. One of them
is John Swanegan, Sd Iowa Battery. ]
did not learn the names of the Others
At this place met our old fellowtowns-
m hi IN S,i,
Louis with fleet of lumber. His CO.
laborer, Tom. Walkup, had left for Ce-
dar Falls few days before. Mr.. B. was
fat, saucy and jovial.
I came on board of this fine steamer
WARSAW bound for st. Louis, this
morning. 1t is a large, fine boat, COM
manded by Capt. John III. Martin, and
on this trip had about two hundred pas
sengers, among the number large del
egation of Lutheran ministers who had
been attending a convention at Quincy;
also delegation of Iowans from the
counties of Appanoose, Marion, Mahas-
ka, Powesheik, Tama and Black Hawk,
on the way to attend convention in
st. Louis, having the interests Of the
Iowa Central Railroad in view. The
trip was one of pleasure, for the passen-
gers were sociable, loyal, intelligent and
joyful. The Germans would sing some
beautiful airs, and then the darkies
deck hands, would chime in and make
the welkin ring with their wild music.
The thing would have been complete
had Uncle Zimri Streeter been along to
have sung his favorite piece,-the same
which he sang at the Inauguration two
years ago. Our good boat arrived at
her dock in st. Louis about s a. NJ.
Wednesday morning.
BARNUM's HOTEL, ST. LouIs,t
June 9th, 1860. !
st. Louis is very lively at this time.
The system Of slavery has been a great
detriment to st. Louis, but new era
has dawned and this growing city has
set out anew in the struggle for the COM
merce of the great West. Slavery no
longer stands like partition wall be-
tween Missouri and Iowa, and, this bar
rier removed, mutual interest will tend
to bring these two great States more
closely together.
| st. Louis is a magnificent city. She
has many splendid buildings, and
among them the largest hotel in the
United States, the Lindell Hotel. An
other hotel equslly as fine as the Lin
dell, if not superior, though not so large,
called the Southern House, will be
opened in few weeks. The furnish.
ing of the house alone will cost S275, 900
The Planters House is being remodel
ed, and will be opened on the 10Th o.
July, by mine host, Josiah Fogg, now
of Barnum's Hotel. Mr.. Fogg know.
how to keep hotel, and he promises Il
take extra good care of every man tina
comes from Iowa, especially those from
: along the line of the Iowa Central Rail
. road.
/ The wharf is lined with steamboat
!. loading for southern ports. A daily lin
for New Orleans has just been estab
n lished. Measures have also been takel
# to establish line of steamers, to run il
connection nth the ako7s nserticne