, 1866-07-17
blohsotntd ~ brarely around. IA Il t:,tll WAS
not Ericf nor eravr In al thc world. and
why pot: The ctonds drift over H.. sky,
bul the eternal hlnr il untouched, undilnmcl
and glorious forever,
TOWNS o. the lot
sTkAI4sa. July IT. 1868.

s7kAliso. July IT. 1865.
Eatosr Chicaso TY,hnnr:
Sterling, The metropolis ot VII tcside
County, IL Ito 1altcs wcs. OF Chicago, aud
thirty tr''m the Mississippi nlxon is tue
principal Town On the ca>i. md Morrison on
the vest. The hanks of Rock Iivcs an. high
here, nnd tbs bntidiugs stretching fur two
miles along the stresui, look very pretty to
the srectator standing on the south aide.
The place originally had two namcs; Harris
burg. In hon'r Of Cant. Harris. ot Gatena.
Frunlier. UP tho river; nut. Chatham applied
70 what IL how tue middle aud western fpor-
tlons Of the town. SIR. Brink was the ltst
settler In the torulcr. Nrssrs. felson, Masnu
and Hugh Wallace, 1s;G, il. the hitter, Stcr-
ling was suggested By air. Mason, after q
place In SCOTLAND, probably old Sterling
Castle, ono OF The most romantic ruins of the
border wals-
There are rapids In the river opposite the
the town- This WIS formerly famous spot
for ttshing. fn lSE1 tiny boats uf Indians
1e1d grand piscatortal festival here. After
fishing, th'y came RshnEc, cooked their sup
pers. and ma de their fares ornamental with
rcd and wllItr clay fund In The adjoining
banks Thcy seemed A. that day to lurtn
quite favorite cosmetic dco',i "hcnce our
dutky bells drew the charms Of their chceks.
In 1857 saw and grist mill cotabired was
crccted. aud In thr sa1Ilc year Mr. llaz lrd,
Congregational, preached the drst scsmou to
The natives.
The Dixon AIR Line. now a branch Of The
Southwestern, passed through sscr!in:. 10
1hIi, and since thai time the town las rapid
l5 ADVANCED in prosperity. The cnuutry
trade Gx ends Tor 1u!'cs lu cvcry direction. l
good bridge spsnnius tl,e river tiI'o~lte ny
depot commands tilr ttaliic uf thr st,rth siYp
rs fns us Green ltlrer- 4 substantial dan, *ia
shape Turning the arc OF circF':, af1,r0 q
Eaics-1ewcr equal 10 that 0, Lowell. In the
way Of Industrial production. the1c arc EfAt
snilss, fonndsies. Wagon shops, ntaSE ya1a4
*tc. Tie Keystone Agricultural Works OF
<islt, Tracy 4 TO arc we'll know tu the traIe.
Tic demuud inr their ~ulky rskes during The
present scason flls lar exceeded the supply.
The amount nE grain yearly shipped IL cnnr.
mons. f""lahly surpassinx anY ott,cs point
IN The r"ad. Third street, The irsncI3 3al busi.
pcss uycnuc. stn buey tiuys, aith lts noise an1
crowd ri people and wagons, makes one think
OF y..,lnE Chicago.
AS in ull Western towns, tho earlier build
5nrs we're Of ir.mc, hui ti''.sc erected within
tile lnst few yca.k show 4 c0M:icndahc re-.
Chrd n dutnf,le coastr,lctinn and handsome
appearance. Tic tfnrc> Of Patterson, Wit
nlrr & e.. and u. n, CrawftTl. NJ: nDdcls Ut
ucrynuti!c scanty mud coycncnec. Altno+t
every esa'se ot rsll.l,sls ae''ri lss IT, lh't.*e
uf wGrefttp. 4 t'utfn,ltc md nn Episcopal
church, bath nf 'tr!rk. arr fast approaching
cx,r.t1rifutt: the t1ret IL ul1nls and ihs,lye,
IL" recs's,l Is ut the tiDlhic ouer. with spfru
rising at ,ic c.,rts:r. 'fhE residence ii thu
1ancnttd Gen; Kirk, In tlie "rper ,p"rlion ri
The rlr'r, with II. toSrr md ti7.zas s1r-
rpu:st1t d 1y der1tc naturat Er"ra, reminds
one Of the t,ark t,f 4sfnr t,if e.i,Hitr erntfc-
n,an. The tna,,si N nj sIt~. Hugh Waltacr. II
f1nr { ,innUlEons horse uf stnnc, ris.s eall-
rr1ctl..,,~ IN Tho west ct,i. Fran It's ht.I
3s'rtlcos the ryr sw'rt,s nrer :ar1rd 1'ano.
ta.nr ii town. r1vfr "nt ct'sinfry.
The 1rl lou uEn,sl,d Sterling IN tins Vt great
natu,ui ndsantag'~. The e<'ft Ia productive.