Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1867-08-16

STEAMER HAwREYE STATE,
MISSISSIPPI RIVER, NEAR LACROSSE, Wis,
August Z, 1867.

- travel has been filled with delightful in,
cidents, and the pleasures that naturally
arise during a voyage on q river that is
bordered by such ever-changing and
varied scenery as that OF the upper
Mississippi. Tourists are usually very
rapturous in their descriptions Of the
. panorama exhibited on q journey OF this
character. There is much to make them
so, whether the views are taken in a rO-
mantle or utilitarian sense. Along the
? beautiful expanse OF these rich and
fertile valleys, and over all the magnih-
cent reaches of undulating hills, there
are constantly visible, over q stretch of
hundreds of miles, the most gratifying
evidences of the thrift and industry of
the western people. Immense farms,
covered with wheat and the most luXu-
rious growth OF corn, appear every
where: villages, towns and cities are
constantly in sight. The labor Of the
husbandman is visible on every point
that can be made available. Enterprise
seems to have made this section the
especial domain, where the most ftatter-
ing results Of wealth and comfort can be
obtained. From st. Louis to Lacrosse,
near which city we are now sailing, the
river is mOnotOnOus, and presents
much ssmeness of outlines 4 features,
vet it is very beautiful. The river main
tsips a broad eXpanse OF water hardly
varying in width throughout its whole
course. Inuumerable islands stud the
surface, presenting the most pleasing "a
Tjety Of distractions to the view. At
intervals magnificent vista stretch out
before the vision, the dim blue outlines
Of the bluffs cross them and shut of the
view. Often the course OF the channel,
as il winds between the islands, seems to
be closed against our progress we turn
a point, and a magnificent view OF water
surprises us into explanations OF delight.
The irregular outlines of bluffs, that
border the river, garnish it as a beautiful
! framework. The p~rairies, fertile bills
and nights, are covered with luXuriant
herbsge and crowned with hne houses,
barns. etc. Villages are constantly in
sight, and around them especially, there
are noticeable finely cultivated farms, on
/ which innumerable fields of wheat CLEAN
in every direction. This cereal seems to
be especially the favOrite production of
all this upper country. From st. Louis
to Davenport, the fields have been cut
and cleared. and all the wheat is in
stacks and barns or threshed, bGt from
Davenport northward, there is a great
deal of grain yet unripe and ~unharvested.
About Dubuque, the harvest has just
begun. Thence to La Crosse, the respers
are at work, though there is very little
Of the crop ripe. Ten days or two weeks
will elapse before the harvest will be in
full operation. The yield of grain in this
section is enormous. The season has
been very late, yet more propitious other
wise than for many years previous TO the
present. The usual yield is TeckOned at
twenty to thirty, or more, bushels of
wheat to the acre. A great many fields
contain several hundreds of acres. The
smooth, level prairie surface is free from
Instructions, HENCE all manner Of ma
chinery that is available is used to save
muscle and secure the crops quickly. A
wonderful variety Of reaping machines
are in use for this purpose. The greater
number OF the threshers combine win
moving mills and separators in the same
machine. They are placed on wheels,
and can be removed from point to point
like an ordinary wagon. Throughout all
this section the farmers use steam en-
gines for running these machines, and
thereby the work is done very rapidly.
The engines are light, set on ordinary
wheels, and are easily moved from field
to field. They are used also for
all name of farm use, such as saving
wood, grinding food for stock, etc. Thus
these appliances are not only made to
subserve the uses Of the farm, secure the
CROPS quickly and simultaneously, but
also curtail largely the expenses of labor.
The principal grain produce Of all this
upper country is spring wheat. The
flour Of it ranks as a low grade, and Is
sold in the st. Louis market at abOuttWo
dollars a barrel less than winter wheat,
or that which is raised below the fOrtieth
latitude. Enormous shipments
r---aL--- -.zIwan -. hzLa.aHa-I.
already to seek the lower river markets.
There has been such an abundance, such I
an enormous surplus of grains raised {
everywhere this year, that prices must
necessarily be reduced to low figures. {
There are numerous evidences Of won
deTful improvement visible everywhere
along the river. The cities on the Illinois
side, from st. Louis to KeOkuk, are [
thriving and rapidly increasing. Quincy,
for example, is one of the most beauti- I
fully and substantially built cities on the T
river. 1t is situated on a very high bluff, q
has magnificent residences, stores and 2
churches, is built Of bricks and stone. has :
an admirably arranged system of rail. .
way and steamboat lines, is rapidly 2
increasing in population and Importance, !
and is improving steadily aud substan- +
tally. 1t is handsomely built, beautifully t
on q high and airy bluff, and has S
q promise Of a splendid future in prospect Q
There are numerous beautifully built d
villages along the Missouri shore, above t
Louis, but some peculiar conditions I
Of the late war has had a Strengthening d
influence on their prosperity. At
the contemplate and de- b
radical misrule that sfflicts 4
the state like an incubus On its energies, O
and prevents its resources from being &
developed, is rather disposed to cause its 2
every Interest to r~etrogRde b q to foster c
and improve it's immense advantages. c
the result of Fletcher's contemplate 1
barbsrism, militia despotism, etc, the v
beautiful towers Of Louisiana, Hannibal, 8
Canton, Alexandra, and r
other places, that were once very pros q
porous are now afflicted and stupefed Q
with oxpOlitiOal nightmare. Above Ke- 4
Okuk, the improving towns ana cities G
are all on the Iowa shore. Business is n
the very desdest in all the God forsaken
and d~ilapidsted villages, and aborted a
cities on the Illinois side. In NAM of y
them, the only improvement Of the past o
ten years, that is visible, is that the i
that felldGwn or were burned, etc, a
have, perhaps, been replaced by new d
and well built structures. The genii Of z
The camp and the mine have been at .
on inc LOWE SUE LuAuElhlA HH4us | \
visible constantly fine buildings APP v
pear everywhere the cities are splen- 81
Idly built, and improving in the most D
manner. The public I
buildings are imposing and elegant Ii
structures, not only ornamental, o
but very substantial. Railways stretch 81
heir long iron fingers far into the inte- *
-ior and gather to these grainary depots il
he gOlded treasures Of immense fields. q,
The levees are solid and well adapted to /,
he uses of commerce. Warehouses are OF
conveniently to boats, railways c,
and business centers. Every conve- q
nienee that inventive genius can secure in
IS applied to make business advantageous Q;
ali parties concerned. or this eharac- a
especially, are Muscatine, Daven- Il
and Dubuque. Tho former is espe- b
,ialIy n of the most thriving and i'm al
Dortant cities that is visible from a boat. D,
Davenport has increased at least three z.
" four times in size and population dur ce
the past ten years. 1t has magnificent Ii
,uildipgs, fine stores and delightful resi-
lencss. Its streets are well laid out, and
resent a neat aud smooth appearance. a,
rhe entire city is very attractive, is q
God business point, and rapidly improv- p,
40. As an episode, We we're treated BI
ere 60 en- example Of the fondness OF "
hese people for the negro. Our crew "
onsists of black deck hands. A party Br
( whites attacked them on shore, "
nd banged them with rocks that flew e
Or s while like shot on a battlefield. b
Dnr crew Eas driven on the boat, lost b.
heir stage, and were generally worsted Pl
! the encounter. They presented some b.
)rn faces, bloody noses, and lost their
ats. Altogether 1t was a very lively
,ene TO occur ia radieal-riddeD lows. T..
What 8 breeze the riot would have -
Tired in a southern city. The military -
I'd police would have been called out 50
I'd King Philip would have declared
In Davenport, lows, it was Z,
.ughed At as 3 good joke: PSI