Tama County Republican. (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1867-1872, 1870-08-11
To 81. L0llis Mlll RetMrA.

/ -
passed editors and their ladies over
their lines to join the excursion party
at Ottumwa. This generosity was
the more remarkable, inasmuch as
the road whose opening the -excur
sion was planned to formally inaugu-
rate will he a formidable Eival to
them all. The Dcs Mcines Valley
road, especially, is entic.ed to thanks,
Us neatly all the cxcursscnists used
that line of read for greater or less
distance, in reaching the place Of
rendezvous. a special train for the
accommodation Of the cXcursionists
was furnished at Grand junction on
tho morning of the Goth and was
well loaded by the time it reached
Ottumwa, at liz A. NJ. The Engine
that drew this train was gracefully
decorated with flags and banners. In
courtesy to the editors, three of the
banners bore the following inscrip-
tons:
"Thc Press. Mistress Of Intclli-
gence."
"Intelligence. Mistress Of the
World
"rhc Steam Press and the Steam
Car. The Worlds Motors
At Ottumwa, the reception was
warm. As the hotels Of the place
were not sufficiently commodious to
receive all the guests, private families
threw open their doors, and took the
strangers in. All seemed to vic in
the hcartincss with which the gener-
al welcome was extended.
In the evening the Fire Company
paradcd the streets with their cx-
tinguisl,ing implements and enter
tanned the visitors with sample of
their skill ir handling their machine.
Alter the fircmcns' parade, pub
lie and formal reception was held at
the Ballingall House. Mayor Little
ton delivered an address of warm
welcome, and Hon. John r. Irish, of
the State Press, Of Iowa City, re-
sponded for the visitors. After the
speeches, the visitors were invited to
banquet in Taylor 4 Blakc's Hall.
This banquet was in keeping with
the other acts of generosity and libcr
atty on the part Of the good people
ofOttumwa. No expense was spar
ed to make it, in truth, II glorious
feast There were toasts and speeches
on the occasion, .followetlby grand
bali, and it was late hour before the
banquet hall was deserted.
At Ottumwa, the excursion prop
erly began. To this point the North
Missouri Railroad Company has just
completed the north branch Of its
road, which, commencing at st.
Louis, traverscs two hundlel and
sevcnty-seycn miles, reaching into
the rich country Of the Dcs Moines
Valley. This is the most important
railroad connecting Iowa with st.
Louis, and, by its completion, there
is opened to southern Iowa market
whose rivalry with Chicago will slim
ulate industries and assist trade.
At Ottumwa the railroad company
supplied special train for the OK
cursionists. It consisted of seven
magnificent passenger coaches, four
Of which were Pullman's Palace Cars.
Mr.. Knigh., the company's Generalsu
perintcndcnt, accompanied the train
and party while they journeyed over
the North Missouri road, and con-
tributcd all that was possible to the
comfort and convenience ofthc party.
The excursion left the depot at o.
tumwa, early on the morning Of the
9th. The day was warm one, as
indeed had been many Of the days be-
fore it. So little rain had fallen of
late, in that section Of the State, that
the soil was almost dry powder.
We had some breeze, but not enough
to prevent the fine dust entering ev-
cry open window, door and crcvicc
and sitting down upon the party un-
til they looked like dust-covcred
statues, or powdered chancellors.
The railroads in the southern part |
of the State do not run SO near a
straight line as those in the northern.
The surface Of the land is less level
and more irregular. The track
winds in and out among the hills |
like serpcnt's trail, often approx
mating the shape Of the letter S.
Those hills are nearly all covered
with a young growth Of oak and 9th
er forest trees. Generally the farms
appear to he made in the timber, by
which they are surrounded. These
remarks apply more particularly to
the country travcrsed in few hours
ride after leaving the city Of Ottum-
wa. Approaching nearer the State
line, the river is left far away and a
nearer semblance to a prairie is
found, but it is not the same prairie,
with its graceful, regular rolls and
undulations, and sloughs and ridges,
which we see here, in this part of