Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1869-09-02
Correspondence.
CHICAGO CORRESPONDENCE.

-
Illinois, and spent some days among tho en-
tcrprising immi grants who have made tho
waste places OF suckerdom bud, blossom and
bear fruit like the garden Of Eden. All along
the line of tho Illinois Central Railroad, for
$50 miles north OF Cairo, more or loss fruit IL
cd to it-but the headquarters OF fruit-rais-
ing is now at
SOUTH PASS (coBDEN srATIoN,)
az miles north OF Cairo and 1923 miles south OF
Chicago. 1t is timbered region, the sur
face diversified with many hills, often of
conical form, and on the sides or tops OF
these hills are tho fruit orchards peaches,
pears, apples, grapes, strawberries. black
berries, raspbcrries ~. Large quantities OF
tomatoes, sweet potatoes, melons, and pea
nuts, and some cotton, are grown. A fruit
farm Of 40 acres, in good condition, is M in
dependent fortune. AChicagoan, OF the To-
gal persuasion, bad recently paid SIG 900 for
ono third ola single pear orchard. l think
it covered eighty acres. This town Is noted
for it's thrift, tho intelligence OF its people,
their public spirit, and tho number of beauti-
full rcsidcnces-most of them on the II lis en-.
bowored and surrounded with troes--from
which can DO seon Missouri Oh tho west and
Kentucky on tho cast, and tho finest land
scapes. Tho South Pass Horticultural So
ciety own hall 2Sx55 feet for its monthly
meetings. and in which religious services and
Sabbath. This town has boon built mp chiefly
by settlers from the North The pioneer, G.. II.
Baker, w.ll-known to the fruit-grOwors OF the
Northwest, went there from Ripon, Wis, and
established tho first fruit farm dozen or tif-
teen years ago, in an eligible location, some
200 rods from tho depot. There is now a
thriving village at tho station. with churches,
stores, mills, shops, q largo fruit-boX manu-
factory, with saw mill, run by steam, which
supplies the home demand and furnishes
boxes for all points as far south even as Mo-
bile.-a sweet potato house which stores
1O, 900 bushels, &c. As proof of vital growth,
there were erected here, i'll one year. fifty
mill, frnit.package factory, brick school
h use at cost OF Sl2, 900, two wagon-shops,
three blacksmith-shops and five stores. The
climate is salubriOus and delightful, the hot
season being tempered by fresh brcezes,
though this region is never subject to hurri-
canes or tornadOes.
whore spent two days, has reputation for
mnd which it does not deserve, except in OK
trcmcly wet weather, but it's mosquitoes arc
lively and cntcrprising. 1t is healthy city,
as vital statistics and the testimony Of impair
tial witnesses abundantly prove. The chief
drawback to its rapid growth is the monopoly
OF the Cairo Land Company, composed main
ly of English capitalists, who own largo part
sell, except at high prices. But the location
of the city at the confluence Of the Ohio and
Mississippi rivers, and it's proximity to almost
inexhaustible resources OF iron, coal, lead,
limestone and marble, and its connection by
rail and river with the great centres of trade,
predestine it to become large manufactur-
ing city.
had the good fortune to visit tho
IEoN-CLAD MONITORS
before they steamed from Moucd City, where
the Government Navy Yard is located, on the
Ohio, seven miles above Cairo.
THE SOLDIERS CEMETERY.
There, in which $40 soldiers and sailors
are buried, has had little governmental care.
It is enclosed with white picket fence, and
is intcrspersed with native oaks-and great
many tall weeds-a row of cannOns stand up
right as sentinels through the center, and
small white head-boards, numbered from !
to 5, 140, mark the resting place OF the dead.
Still, there il an air OF quietness and security
there, BETTING the last resting place OF those
who died that the nation might live. / am
under obligations to John Leimbert, al old
friend, WHO keeps the Railroad Houso at
Cairo, for courtesies in showing mo the
''lims" in that city and vicinity.
Ihave spoken OF Golden, or South Pass, as
a prominent point in tho fruit region o.
Southern Illinois, better idea, perhaps,
can be given of the extent of fruit raising
there by stating that in tho strawberry sea
son sometimes as many as eight car loads OF
containing from sixty-fvo to
in single day, and that 1926, 412 boxes Of
peaches wore shipped thence in ono season.
They are sent not only to Chicago, but to
Detroit, Buffalo. New York and Boston. In
1867, one-half Of all the berries and
one-third Of the peaches carried by tho
l-os l~xkr n,>n
d stance Ct 2l3 miles-were shipped from
South Pass. But there are q dozen places
that might DO made to rival South Pass, as all
the region south Of Centralia, and for 100
miles north OF it, is admirably adapted for
fruit raising. The railroad freight on peach
es alone, in a single year, from this section,
amounted to $100, 900. 1t is also remarkably
healthy all along this lire, and friends and
acquaintances in Wisconsin and other states,
who have suffered severely from asthma and
neuralgia, have been completely cured by
removing to southern Illinois.
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD LANDS.
The magnificent land grant by tho General
Government, in 1850, to the Illinois Central
Railroad Company-extending fifteen miles
lar grants-has proved a blessing to all
parties. It enabled the company, at an early
day, to build 7O5.73 miles Of railroad through
the very heart Of tho statc-tho main line
from Dunleith to Cairo, 455.51 miles, and tho
branch from Chicago to tho junction, noar
Centralia, 25o:22 Enthusiastically promoting
the early settlement OF the state, giving
homes to tens OF thousands OF families on
easy terms, opening up market for the pro-
ducts Of their labor, and adding. at least, a
third to the population and wealth of Illinois.
Tho population in 40 counties on tho limo of
this road increased from 1850 to 1865, from
351 1897 to 1, 1877 ,Os7. One million eight hum
rl,,ol H. md 81
have be en- sold to actual settlers, and 500, 900
acres-of tho best quality--rcmain unsold
and open to purchasers, Mt prices ranging
from 81 to $12 per acre. Ono peculiarly Of
these lands, which gives them great value, is
the large amount Of nitrogen in the soil es-
dred crops Of wheat. The prairie extends to
Du Quoin, 288 milos south Of Chicago. Thence
it IL mostly timber to Cairo, II miles. Tho
Agricultural College, endowed by the gcne-
raj government, is on tho line Of this road,
at CHAMPAIGN, 1928 miles south of Chicago.
road, and can be bought in tracts OF 40 or 80
acres, or more. according to the wants or
means of purchasers, for one-fourth cash
down and the balance in one, two and throe
years, at six per cent. interest, if DESIRED
And the Company never disturbs purchaser
who does his best to fulfil his contracts. It
is an excellent , opportunity for those wishing
and to the center Of civilization.
BUSINESS
ia beginning to revive slowly, money has
commenced flowing here from the East,
grain receipts are largo and command good
prices, the progress Of the harvest assures us
bountiful crops, and confidence in the future
il increasing. Our leading houses here arc
making full preparations for q large fall trade,
and already the sidewalks arc beginning to
be encountered with boxes, bales and casks
for the supply OF the great Northwest.
Among the wholesale houses here that have
made the largest preparations for an in
creased trade, is the firm OF
u. D. FISK co.,
importers of and Wholesale dealers in silks,
ribbons, straw goods and millinery articles.
white goods, hosiery, gloves and fancy goods,
at 50 & IS Lake street.-The Oldest wholesale
millinery house in Chicago, having been cs-
tablishrd here sixteen years. They have lust
enlarged their establishment to accommodate
their increasing business, by taking the whole
store, from top to MISUNDERSTANDING five
stories and basement-fifty feet wido by
ono hundred and sixty,tive feet deep; have
fitted it up at cost OF $4,000, and are now
prepared to show tho largest and best Sc
under one roof in this country, or the world.
Tho basement contains fuel, he a.ing ap.
paratus, &c. The first floor, silks, ribbons.
French flowers, feathers. The second, hats
bonnets, straw goods, fancy goods, ladies'
furnishing hosiery, gloves, white goods, dress
and cloak trimmings. The Mi,rt floor is tllc
pattern bonnet department, where large
number of skillful women are employed in
manufacturing pattern bonnets from import
cd patterns. In the rear is the receiving room
whero all goods ale received and examined
before being nut on SALE In the fnua1L stu, v