, 1874-09-05
STERLING, ILL.
A Lively City in the Rock
River Valley.
It's Manufacturing Enterprise and Educa'
tional Faciiitios-1Yator and
Gas Works.

0as Works.
The Sistor City Of Rock Falls---Nowspa.
pors-..Fino Residoncos...A Post.
Office under Femilino
Management.
Correspondents Of Ths Chicago Tribune.
. . grEnrtsa. ILL.,, Hcpt. ., 1874.
Tho Rock River Valley, famous as ono of tho
finest agricultural portions Of the Woatorn
World, flaB
NO FINER o1ry THAN HTEn1rNa.
Located on tho north bauk Of tho riyer, at tho
foot Of tho rapids, whore, once upon time, tho
Stats Of Illinois expended largo amount OF
money to mako a canal 80 that steamboats, could
pass, It's growth haa boon slow, but constant md
stoady, until not loss than 8,oo0 people lind n
pleasant homo beside tho beautiful gtrsam.
It ia 10 ml1oa from Chicago, on tho limo Of tho
Chicago 4 Northwestern Ratlroad. Tho Rock
ford, Rook Island L. st. Louis Railroad onds
l,oro, and tho Chicago Il Rock Htvor Railroad
finds terminus In tho energetic village Of Rock
Falls, directly across tho river from Btorling,-
making 1t altogether ono Of tho finest shipping
points In tho Wost, outalde Of ohfcago.
Many yours ago, q substantial dam was orocted,
creating a. fno q wntor-powor as ean
bo found in tho wost. For a long
ttmo tho people waited aud hoped
for foreign capital to como and start
manufacturing, and thus improve the natural
advantages tho power Afforded; but, finding
their anticipations unraaizod, they horolchlly
[ resolved to put thoir shoulder to tho Whool
1nd
eHOW THEIR FAITH pY WOnHH
Tho result laa exceeded their most sanguino OK
pootations. To-day both sides of tho river-ba1,k
aro lined with 1argo factories, fltlod with tho
hum Of machinery, affording ateady employment
TOR hundreds OF operatives, who find pleasant
homo on tho borders Of our beautiful river.
When the city Was first settled. It
WIS laid out nearly milo
cast Of It's proaont location. For
rnnnY years tho county-soat waa located here
and tho old oonrt-Houso stands at TINT end Of
tho city, q reminiaocnce of tho fading paBt. In
tho moantimo, tho dam was built much farthor
down stream. and tho city gradually, though re-
| luotantly, took Grealoy'B advtco, and "went
!! Vest" Tho oounty-soat was romorod to . rlya1
town, tho uoasuro boing aidad by some Of
sterllng's own pooplo, noyor thinking for
u moment but 1t would return when
| wanted, mud would then bo more cen-
tIAAt 4othLUNs 0At tA4c} Aho A4*4t VIVA
human calculations, Inns "gang aglee," and, nftor
gears Of atrtto iu tho county and Legislature
oyor It, our people settled down to tho eonaiblo
conviction that 1t Wos gono and tho city was
| bettor off without 1t.
Tho ely, aud country surrounding it. arc s0s~
tod with m
| 1NnuDzn1ous. FRUGAL rEo11E.
who tako moro pains to onjoy what ifo has to
| Hi7e than in making vain show or trying to
outdo their neighboss in style.
three separate school distsicta. Tic First Ward
ID tho smallest IN woulth and population, but haa
| pluck and energy enough to mako It all up. It
has m elegant Bohool-houso, q woll-kopt school,
dence and grounds a. any place necd boast Ct in
tho houso aud grounds Of the late Con. Kirk.
This has rocontly passed into tho hands OF tho
Hou. j. III. Patterson, a banhcr Of this city, and
| member OF tho StAta Sonato, representing tho
Counties Of Whitesian and Carroll.
Tho Second Ward has d soiool-housa that cost
| 5000, aud for elegance and boauty is not cx-
callod By my house tn the State. Tho architect
reflects great credit upon his good taste and tho
energy and perseverance, Of our pooplo.
Tho Third Ward 10 now building . ilno school
houao; aud, when it ia finished, no city Of tho
West can Offer any snporior advantages for
ALL TILE EDUCATIONAL. RESOURCES
that common school affords.
Thoro ara olaven churchos; hut, like mast Of
tho smaller oitioB, ono-llalf Of tho number would
Tera "ro many an ana m mrcsidonces for country
~ W. ~ ha9 o ta ,aast aon
aoo, yos ~ Isa et 4h tn, ~ 4a,,o
o ~ ci1g Sna hno " unranet,y % hloaao1 ~
,no frcs wy h,t ,ie tIia as nny nd in effcct E.
s Ss IT, oue IL t,,o ,ar ,nt a1 ~ ~ oaro
nhe o n n Wv ~ ao ta rYar NV, n 3hronI
nnst 81 to etrsasa WIZ ,,v1rsnts nd
noss ~ tau ,u VIII a
nosa ~ 9so[y ,, oar mu iu,So a ,ot
tha stroets prn tornncv ot v H. a anent
RYstom of wator-workH.
3 " nos t a1e n beeG aS Snaiin o v
nGh 1;rht iii 1e1 ho faann veritahlo e Taatv ~
,"ua W. III III sheaa ata VIII ta e1co,t,on n,
w. naHS M ~ ~ snsso. WV "1, ,,
i9hr Gen' @ otp iHt r,r .mp VI ntrn agu
tnao hatsaos I'll" o1's noS aoa'o'-'a''''S' o"o a''
1'M Ml,c-o hotno m 1,oo,t,er or ,ncr countrv I,
tho Vast % tLaa hclo' m wo iooI forward to tho Tine
when 49, ~, n,,, ,,,,, , ,o,, ,,,,on,r on o,7,.oo
vii aaot, " ho1aa nia w. n ta ny,nt,caa ~ cn,7.
atea. ana,iaoinu ~ tho i3nost atrcn,nf
S e;nnIn nyor roo1,a Tod II thS
- nas", mnsus WV, W. r,o Hco-o Norsh,yn
na;1roai Wornunrv I'M tro;p fron 1,cro In Xxi