The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1870-06-04
Correspondence.
Notes by the Way.

Editors Free 7rader-BavIng come to the con-
clusion, not long since, that my presence was
not required in Ottawa its vicinity. unless to
answer charges professed against me for getting
into debt on account of the existing hard times,
got all my "duds" Tito one package, and small
one at that and turned my heels towards sunrise,
l. G., struck "out west" Having my choice OF
modes Of travelling, olambered into lumber
wagon, with a white cover, that was headed in
the direction in which the star of Empire is said
to have taken its way, and soon lost sight OF old
Ottawa. Before starting We provided ourselves
with ham, bushel Of potatoes, frying pan
and kettle and several other etceteras, travel
ers are supposed I, have mouths aud appetites
a. we'll as any other class of people. Keeping
along the bottom road to Utica, thence, on the
bluff, to La Sale, which we reached at noon,
and which is well known to your readers
village on the outskirts of Ottawa, where fel.
low, by the name of Webster. is trying to edit
newspaper, upholding the principles of the best
government 1.-THE world ever saw. Crossing the
new bridge at Perm, we slowly wend our way
southwark until, arriving on top of steep hill,
VVcEiOohluS tudt DVtCu settlehcut, WuoT0 We
pitch our first tent. and proceed to try our ham
and potatoes, which we know, by our sppetites,
will disappear in hurry. Dinner over, 1t be-
gins to rain, and after consultation we conclude
to wait until morning before going any farther.
Morning dawned bright and clear, and s!ter a
hearty breakfast we again shape our course west.
ward Entering Putnam county we come to q
settlement now known as the
BlFTEENTH ANENDMElT,
Planting corn with hoes in a clearing made in
the woods One of the aforesaid amendments
WAS perched on rail fence chewing tobacco with
great gusto, and appeared to- enjoy the situation
Immensely. Drawing up oar teams we ask him
els this the road to H,nnepiu?" to which he
replies i
"Do you see dat an dDwn dar ?" and he point.
70 with as black diy.t as I ever saw, to lane
short distance south.
EYES," we answer.
"Well, dat goes lar too"
(which is the shortest"
swell, il YOU take dis here uu You'll wish.
afore you git tru, dat you took de oder un an
II you take de- oder un you will wish dat you'd
took dis hen one"
by this time the other ones had come out to
the end, end drawing themselves in line count.
Cd no less than thirteen, without our men, on the
fence, ranging in size from knee high to six feet
and half. in all styles of dress imaginable,
each wench being provided with supply of gen.
uinc navy chewing tobacco
j Alter five hours ride, through splendid farm
ing country, we come to
4 HRNNEpIN,
The county seat of Putnam county, n pretty viii
lage OF 1900 inhabitants, situated on the east
Dank OF the Illinois river. just north Of the
town are the fair grounds. in q grOve-a nice
shady place with nice level track and all other
things necessary to add to the amusements of
the people of Putnam. The court house ia a
large brick building, with yard filled with
'eyergreens and shade trees everything looking
neat and orderly. There are four good churches |
here. largo school building, number OF nice |
residences and stores; everybody appearing to |
enjoy life and take things easy.
Crossing the river the ferry we are in Blu. |
rsau Valley one of the most fertile tracts Of land
to be found in the state, or the Northern states |
All along the valley fine farm houses barns |
and corn cribs filled to OVERLOOKING with bright |
yellow CON- AT one place I noticed a crib |
made of ton lengths of sixteen feet fencing |
boards twelve feet wide, and nine feet high full |
to the top all OF which raised last year on a |
hundred and twenty acres.
Passing down the valley to the southwark we
reached Snatchwine at six o'clock Saturday eve
ming, and camped short distance north of that |
former resident of Ottawa, and whose father
still lives y few miles northwest OF Ottawa.
John owns snug wagon and blacksmith shop
here, as also very pretty residence, and is do.
ing good business, all of which he deserves AZ
no more genial good hearted fellow can be found
anywhere. We had the pleasure of taking din.
aer with him and his interesting family ON Sun
day, and can say that we never sat down to .
better dinner in all our lives, all Of which we
will bear in mind, and when John comes out
our way we will do likewise.
Keeping on down the valley, which 10 . ION.
tlnuation of fine farm houses, big barns and
corn cribs, droves of hogs and cattle, and fiocks
OF sheep, we come to
sPARLAND,
small village the C. IL r. I. II. r. twelve
miles south of SDatchwine. Passing through
Sparland TO tho south we oamped about one
mile out, and on Monday morning again re.
suned our journey, reaching Chillicothe about
ten o'clock. This is a town Of 300 inhabitants
1t contains two notes.-the Wood and Will
houses--a large school house, some nice private
residences, some good business blocks, and the
G. r. l. d p. II. r. Depot, "A magnificent build.
ing u eight by ten, inch of dirt on the win.
dows and floor and stove that looked IA though
1t had been resurrected from the ruins Of Hersu.
laneum. Ifthe R. r. Co. are too poor to erect
decent building to accommodate their custom.
ers, the citizens of Chicothe ought for shame
sake, vote them bonus of a sufficient sum to
build depot that would not look like the coal
shed OF some country school house. More anon.
H.
rDnE MnNwnH,A