The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1875-09-11
Brief Historical Sketch OF
the City.
Its Leading Public Struc-
lures and Institutions.
Comprehensive View Of its Busi.
ness Enterprises and
Pursuits.
DRscETPTTNE.


cities in northern Illinois none takes ran
above our own beautiful city, Ottawa II
the county seat Of La Sale county, which !
The second II wealth and population in IN
state OF Illinois, and the fifth In The amour
of agricultural products IN the United State.
The rapid growth Of La Sale county is
marvel TO smaller counties In 1880 the tols
population was scarcely five hundred souls
and now !, reaches eighty thousand Ii con
ta1ns more good farming land than any othel
county in the state, and larger proportion
is under actual cultivation. NfnGy PEI
cent. Of its soil is suited for the plow. Be.
sides its rare fertility OF soil, excellent water
abounds everyW here, and III abundance o.
coal, brick and building clay and sand, snl
superior qualityot stone is found in every
nook and corner Of It's limits. Probably il
30 similar space in the entire west DO SO
zAuy sources Of wealth exist IS are distr!bu'
.e6 with lavish hand all over La Sale
county.
The great staple article Of produce, Of
course, is corn, but spring wheat, rye barley
oats, timothy and clover, potatoes, and sll
sorts OF vegetables and fruits suited 10 this
Latitude grow in rich abundance. Our agri-
cultural fairs present displays Of grain, fruits,
vegetables and aowers such as no rival in
Illinois can hope TO initiate.
While La Sale county holds tie proud
position q being the finest agricultural coun.
" II the state, SIZE stands equally high IS a
siockTsisiDg region. 10 other county in
Illinois can exhibit an equal number Of in.
ported and thoroughbred cattle and horses.
one single firm, that Of the Degen Bros, OF
Ottawa, alone imported from France and Bel
giUm, during the last year, thirty head of rs
fine Norman and Percheron stations as
money could buy. They are not alone in
this sort of enterprise Mr.. Abner S,rawn
E. c, Lewis, Jackson, Price, Long, Neeley
Wood, Shaver, Bruner and many others have
for long time also given their attention to
raising thoroughbred horses, cattle, sheep,
swine and poultry.
Ottawa IS the shire town Of La Sale Co and
piateau of Level ground at The junction of the
Illinois and Fox rivers SO miles from Chica-
90, at the crossing Of the c., r. |. g. T. rail.
road and the Fox River Branch of the Chica-
20, Burlington & Quincy r. r., one, the great
thorOughfare across the continent from the
Atlantic to the Pacific, and the other opening
communication with the pineries and copper
pf ka no IL
tropics. The city limits embrace space
Of three miles east and west along the Illinois
river, and about two miles north and south
from the north bluffs of the same river to the
southern line of what is known as South
Ottawa"
The city proper stands upon what was
once probably the bed OF the Illinois river,
level space between the bluffs. The soil is a
light sandy loan, rich, and except u small
space towards the western limits where the
soft sand rock crops out, splendidily adapted
to market gardens and flowers The surface
slopes gently and uniformly towards the riv-
er, thus afording most excellent natural
drainage.
FOX RIVER
comes through tue city from the north, leav-
located near its center. 1t stands manly on IA
ing on either side rugged and picturesque
walls Of sand rock twenty to thirty feet in
height, or rather, the river has worn ITS bed
10 that depth. Fox river is spanned near its
mouth by substantial iron bridge free,
which connects what is called East Ottawa
with the city proper.
The soft porous sandstone which underlics
the city bears an excellent quality Of water,
which Is usually reached at depth Of TWEEN
" 20 thirty feet. Below this is found the
Potsdam sandstone, or the true water.bearing
rock. BY boring depth OF from 325 to 800
feet water is found In prodigous quantities.
which flows twenty.nine feet above tho sur
face OF the ground on being tubed. There are
twenty Of these artesian wells in the city, all
sending up stream Of the most deliciously
pure and sparkling water at the rate of 5000
barrels per day each, The cost Of boring
and tubing these wells is not great when di
vided among neIghborlood. The usual
plan Is for the inhabitants of three or four
blocks to club together and sink well at
central point They then lay pipes to their
residences, barns and fountains in their door
yards, and therwell supplies them with
enough and 70 spare, running night aud day,
scarcely ever needing the least attention or
requiring any further outlay