Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1870-07-22
OUR TRIP FROM AUSTIN.
st. Paul TO Lake Superior, ffuluu
and Surrounding Country.

Our last was written at Austin
Passing from there to st. Paul over
the Milwaukee g. st. Paul Road we
found it very pleasant one to ride
over, the coaches being much finer
than are usually found Oh Western
roads, some six OF them being filled
with passengers, showing this TO bc
a very popular line of travel, and
max ing the time from Cedar Falls TO
st. Paul Is hours. Remaining at st.
Paul over night, we take the train in
the morning, on the Lake Superior
and Mississippi Railroad for Duluth
the great commercial" bubble going
up at the head Of Lake Superior, dis
tant, 155 miles from st, Paul. The
first forty miles up, q few farms, sOine
prairie, several small lakes aud con-
siderable amount of poorly timbered
country are passed, the timber being
mainly sUrub oak. Next comes the
pine timber which is seen the entire
distance to the lake generally small
in size. We pass several small stae
tons, stopping at lIinkley for din
ner, and Frcnch's Eating House is
lively place for half an hour. Fifty
or sixty hungry men can eat "lots''
but the fare is good-better than at
the "Merchants" in st. Paul. Fifty
miles farther up where the stages
meet the train, some thirty tents or
shanties are. seen and the numerous
signs, one Is amused TO read. "Sa
loon" i'm Dozen places. Camp
EComfort,n F'rench's Hotel" &c.
Three miles farther, the point where
the cars now stop there is a similar
town, and travellers are very nicely
slept and fed by s. X. Swain in two
large tents.
Thompson a mile farther is the
most important Intermediate point
on the line, Founded Oil a "iein
! rock, where the road crosses st.
! Louis river III a wild dell, the dark
| forest surrounding. The water in
the ST. Louis river which is about
one half larger than our Cedar
makes a decent in going several miles
of two hundred aud thirty five feet.
1t is said that a water power reach-
ing the enormous aggregate of Sven
| ty-fve thousand horse powe: can be
made at this place. They also claim
an mex haustible slate qr AIRY which
is being worked by Philadelphia
parties.
The rapids here in the river called
the Dales-gives a scene wild and
grand, rushing ameng the rugged
rocks in places so numerous HAT the
water is almost invisible again fall
ing perpendicularly until the rising
spray is seen far in the distance.
Travellers this way, should not fail
20 see the Dalles.
| Several deep cuts are made through
the slate rock at this place. We could
scarcely believe our eyes when we
looked at the rock thrown out by the
heavy blasts. July 4th, u blast was
put in, using so kegs Of powder, (25
lbs. TO the keg,) which threw a piece
Of rock weighing about 100 tons,
some forty feet, and another weigh
~ M 40 Cl Mt i.N,h
twenty rods, cutting down trees two
feet In diameter. Nitro glycerine is
sometimes used. This singular ma
terial is only explosive by conclusion.
Puta quantity of it on the floor,
touch fire to it and no effect is pro-
| duced, but pat single drop Of il
upon an anvil, strike upon it with q
sledge and the hammer Is thrown
from your hands.
There is gap of eight miles be-
tween the ends Of the track, which
/ has been lain from both ways, and
the intention is to close this gap by
August first. We walked this dis.
lance, passing several very high truss
sci works and along the river bank,
at an altitude, in places, of two hun.
dred feet almost perpendicular above
the river, and made Fond du Lac, a
small town at the head of naviga-
ton of st. Louis river. The river
empties into st. Louis bag, and
the bay into Lake Superior at Supe-
rior City.
At Fon du Lac, some 800 Chippewa
Indians are assembled holding what
they term the Medicine Dance. -
We spent several hours looking at