The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1866-11-02
A Short TrIp M the River.

On Monday last, the writer secured
comfortable quarters on the steamer
Rose Hite, and, without delay on acct
dent, reached Grandyiew, Spencer
County, about Z o'clock, the same
evening. The Rose Hite is cOm-
manded by Capt. Ballard, veteran
steamboatman, with Mr.. George Pat
terson, a pleasant and attentive gen
man, in the Office The fare and accom-
modations of the boat are all that
could be desired or expected of a
steamer of its capacity. At Grand
! view we received cordial welcome
from Mr.. r. T. Kercheval, Treasurer
of Spencer County. He was for sew
eral years, during the war, mail agent
on one of the Cairo packets, in which
capacity he made the acquaintance of
many of our citizens, whose respect he
secured and will always retain.
GRAND VIEW. .aaf.I
Tuesday morning, we took an early
observation to ascertain the propriety
with which SO high sounding a title
has been bestowed upon SO modest
little village Grand View is situated
on a high plateau on the north bank
of the Ohio, of which it commands
a most extensive and glorious piano.
rama, as it name signifies. Six miles
below, Rockport, the County Seat of
Spencer is seen, crowning some beau
tiful hills, and with white cottages
costly nesting in the intervening ra-
vines. About the same distance above,
on the opposite side of the river, the
town of Lewisport is seen spread out
on the side of high hill, distance of
course lending enchantment to its ap-
pearance. 1t looks lovely from Grand
View, but near approach disappoints
the expectations aroused, for it is in
reality but a small collection of very
ordinary buildings, At this season
of the year, our forests are always
beautiful, but we do not remember to
have seen them look so grand as
they appeared spread out before
us from a single stand point in Grand
Notwithstanding up and down the
river browning the hills with pink, 4
carmine and golden splendors, varie-
gated by the emerald of the trees
occupying the deep ravines, whose
leaves had not yet experienced the
full effects of Autumn's sun and
frosts, The morning and evening
sun seemed to make the colors blaze
out with brilliancy that was enehant-
ing. Miles away, the trees that covered
the hills seemed tipped with FURNISHED
gold and silver, and not unfrequentIy
assumed the appearance of lovely little
villages bathing in sunlight.
The population of Grand View is
about 800. The town is growing with
a steady growth. Its business is on
the increase. New and substantial
buildings are being erected every year.
As a-shipping point, it has few super
Tors between Evansville and Louis
vile. Several large warehouses have
been built, and fine tobacco stem
cry IS in operation. The town is the
proper and most convenient river out
let for large part of Spencer
and nearly all of Dubois Counties,
and must ultimately become the prin-
cipal shipping point for the produce of
that agricultural region. q znr j
Spencer County is already attract
ing much attention on account of. its
rich mineral resources. Coal and stone
of a most superior quality have al I
ready been developed, Two coal mines
have been opened within two miles
s of Grand View. One of these fur
nishes coal that makes most excellent
coke, said to be but little inferior to
that produced from the Pittsburg
coal. Experiments have been made
with it at the Greensboro gas-works.
which demonstrated that it may be
used with success in the manufacture
of gas. When these mines are fully
opened and worked up to their ca
pacity, population will be attracted
to, and commercial activity aroused
in. Grand View that must make it one
of the leading towns on the Ohio.
The ground upon which the village is
located is SO level that no impeachment
can be found to building houses The
streets viii need very little grading.
The expenses for improvements, which
are usually so hurdensome on towns