The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1875-09-11

traced X sof mile south.
This grave bed j. overland with Ericl sol
its edges are overlapped with aihlck slratar
4 cf tenacious clay, which confines within u
oeGy Of very pure water, softer than the w
Iers Of Lake Michigan. IN July found 10
Temperature 10 be dty-two degrees. pui
chased eight acres on The north boroer 81 IN
gravel bed, about half . mile east OF the FlcR
ems Quarter. and excgyated an opening int
: il 600 feet IN length, lG feet deep, cutting
Through the gravel into the underlying Ga!
in which placed drain, over which / threw
back the gravel, from winch obtained Ii
desired quantity Of water not only sGpplyln.
the Starch FACTORY, bat the principal bus!
: ness portion Of the city. ! land al elghilnc!
iron pire to the souih end Of the bridge anC
suspended four inch iron pipe under ih'
bridge through which ] conduct the waiel
Ito Tie Starch Factory, and thence the surplu:
water j. conveyed to the city pipes. The
Lowest stage Of this wafer have ever gaugec
was GO gallons per minute after Il three
wears drouih. during which the surface soil
had not been saturated to the gravel bed. Al
other times have gagged il 8, l20 gallons
per minute.
j This reservoir Of pure water, lying l2j feet
above the level Of our city, and which Judge
Cs.on tapped a, bu; single point, underlies
thousands Of acres, and 81 some future day,
If need be, can be drawn upon for an unlim.
tied supply TO the city when its population
shall be many times doubled.
uIsToRIcAL
A few words here may no; be out Of place
in regard to the early history Of our city.
Ottawa is among the earliest settled towns
Of northern Illinois. Here the tide OF emf
grafton from the south and east met al an
early day. The first white settlers halted
their moving wagons in this locality in 1924.
Among these were Jesse Walker, Mr.. Coville,
Joseph and George Brown, Enos Pembroke,
Louis Bsily, Warner Ramsey, James Bcres-
ford and others who long since have migra
ted 10 that unknown country towards which
we are all slowly but surely tending. In
1926 came others among whom were VI. Hall,
Msjor Campbell, Col. kellogg, DR.. Walker,
Hon Geo I. Walker, lately deceased, Rev
Wesley Baichelder the Armstrong;, Greens,
Trumbns and Shavers; and other hardy pio-
neers followed and braved the perils and
prIya,Ions Of pioneer life among the cruel,
ireacherous Indians Yet, despite all the oh,
stacles, perils and adYersities, they grew up
with the country" and now those Of them
who survive, and many Of these brave old
pioneers yet remain with us, in hale old age,
surrounded BY the luXuries Of life find them
selves in iAelr comfortable homes. with sons
and daughters about them to the second and
third generation 10 gladden. their declining
years.
II would hardly DC fitting that We should
write the history Of the lndian war which
was waged between that shrewd old savage
Black Hswk and his tribe and the early set
tiers OF Ottawa, or to recount how the women
and children repeatedly were compelled TO
seek shelter from their Indians foe, within
the fort Of which their are still remains not
far from the Mineral Spring in South Ottawa.
Suffice il TO say that at length. after much
varying successes and reverseess-sn age Of
anxiety and terror 20 the white settlers, the In
dams were defeated and driven beyond the
rlver. Ottawa became the coun-
ty seat OF La Sale County IN 1890, the coun.
ty then embracing about half the northern
portion Of this state running clear up to the
Wisconsin line, and embracing Grundy and
Kendall on the east and running TO Peoria on
the south and West Gradually as the popu-
lation increased, the county was curtailed in
extent until the present limits were attained,
and II still comprises about as large Il terri.
tory as any in the state. Ottawa kept pace
with the growth Of the country around, and
now numbers population Of about ten thou.
sand people.
Her advantages as shipping point are
She has, running from east to
west, connecting her with the Mississippi
river and the far west, the Chicago, Rock Is
land and Pacific rail road and on the same
route communication with Chicago and the
east From the Ohio river and to the fine re-
gions north she has transportation on the OF
tawa, Oswego and Fox river branch of the
G. B & q. r. X. This also gives her another
outlet to Chicago and the lakes These two
rail roads being powerful and wealthy rivals,
afford Ottawa the advantage Of constant
and energetic competition.
In addition to these railroads, the Illinois
and Michigan Canal, which connects lake
Michigan with the Mississippi through the
Illinois river. runs through Ottawa For the
special benefit of Ottawa shippers, large
lateral branch Of the canal, with capacious
basin, runs into the very heart Of the city.
Here a hundred canal boats could be receiv- |
ing and discharging freight al the same time,
and neither be in the way Of the other, and
none any obstruction to general traffic on the !
streets, as at every second street there is a !
bridge across This canal, while the main ca !
nal is bridged at nearly every street
Leading Structures and Attractions, |
As place Of residence, Ottawa abounds IN |
many attractions. Its location is most de !
llghiful, situated rs II is between the high |
bluffs Of the Illinois river, from any one of
which bridge view of the city may DO had |
as in panorama. The numerous elegant
and graceful church steeples her hundreds |
Of beautiful private dwellings along the banks
Of the rivers, or standing in stately mngni6- |
cence upon the bluffs on either side, her long !
streets adorned with shade trees; her many
tasteful private gardens public parks and |
walks and drives; all unite TO form picture |
of rare splendor.
Among the prominent public buildings we !
mention the
OPERA HOUSE,
just completed by Messrs Colwell, Clark & |
Co. This building, together with the Ma. |
sonic and Odd Fellows Hall connected with |
II as one complete structure, forms an edl- |
nee that has few RIVALS in any city in the west !
II Is mode Of architectural perfection. In |
design and finish both in the interior and /