The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1875-06-12
III. sE EDITORIAL EXCURSION.

board the Andy Johnson at ST. Louis on FIR
day evening, May 2Sth headed for the uppe
Mississippi, and lest our readers may imal
inc they are lost, we shall continue the nal
ratve and see ifthey can't be got home again
Night soon closed in, and feet passage wa
given the hours by music, dancing, &c, II
the grand saloon of the boat until bedtime
their "downy pillows"
Walked up next morning to find ourselves a
Quincy. The boat was ahead of time, never
theless few carriages were found at thu
wharf which were freely rendered to the par
ty, and as the boat would stop an hour. many
took stroll or ride through the village
Quincy is one of the .handsom est az well az
Oldest and, in appearance, most finished
cities in Illinois. Its'streets are lined on both
sides with grand overhanging old trees, Civ
ing it this sultry morning very cool, com
Portable look of repose. Yet in its business
centers there are indications OF great activity
and its manufacturing Interests are second
only to those Of Chicago.
land and Davenport on Sunday, but these
cities we had "done" few years ago, and
shall pass them now with the simple remark
that we hope the crusty commandant of the
U. s. arsenal there, who was unwilling the
party should land on the island, will lose his
garden sass, which he seemed so fearful we
might tramp by grasshopper invasion.
The next briefhalt was at La Cross, young
and thriving city; and then we steamed pref.
~ steadily, with none but the bllefest halts
anywhere, until 2 o'clock p NJ Tuesday,
When the "hlgh towers and shining domes"
OF st. Paul "hove' in view. Here, again, the
boat was several hours ahead of time, and
the good citizens of st. Paul, who 1t seems
had planned quite an elaborate reception
and entertainment for the party, found them
selves little surprised. However, it was not
long before committee of citizens, headed
by the mayor, came on board the johnson,
and extended to the party very hearty well
come. AS the boat had not been expected
until night, no special programme for the af.
ternoon had been arranged, but the hiatus
was happily filled by an invitation from the
St, Paul and Lake Superior Railroad to take
aride TO White Bear Lake, famous fishing
resort some 10 miles north, of which many
availed themselves and had splendid after.
Moons sport, returning after dark.
The expectation of the people of ST. Paul
was to entertain the party while in that city
at their leading hotel, but the Fraternity"
themselves having decided to board with
Capt Worden on the boat during their stay,
the evening was spent there However, large
numbers of citizens ladies and gentlemen,
VISITED the boat in the evening and joined in
the social dance or contab. They were also
gratitied witnesses of surprise to President
Scroggs, of the Association, who was formal.
ly presented with gorgeous" goldheaded
cane. Both the presentation speech and re-
ply read admirably nreported.
Wednesdays programme involved drive
Of two hours around the city of ST. Paul IN !
carriages; then ride by rail to Minneapo
lis; q drive thence in carriages to St. An.
thongs Falls and an inspection of the vast
lumber and Touring mills there and drive |
around that city; then a drive to Minnehaha |
Falls; then ride by rail to Fort Smelling
and then return TO st. Paul by o'clock p.
~. when the boat would turn her bows home.
ward. Well, we took most OF that ride, but |
it..would have destroyed all our interest in and |
enjoyment of it, had we burdened ourselves
with the task of taking notes and describing
what we saw. So the reader must be content
TO imagine it. We can only say generally,
that st. Paul is city of some 10000 inhabi.
tants, the capital OF the state, situated on the
east bank OF the Mississippi rirer 2OS2 miles
from It's mouth; with a picturesque
location, partly on an elevated
bluff of limestone and partly on
a noble amphltheatre' OF hills which surround
the city on three sides, Its earliest settle.
ment dates back to the time of Father Hen
nepin, in 1850, but its real history as a city
with 1S49, when Minnesota
territory was organized and St. Paul, then
Boosting few dozen log cabins, was desig-
mated as the capital The city and vicinity
abound with many objects of interest to the
summer tourist and sight seer, such as Car.
ver's Cave, White Bear Lake, St. Anthonys
Falls Minnehaha Falls, &c. Minneapolis a
city little behind ST. Paul in thrift and popu-
lation, lies on the opposite side of the river,
q few miles above, with Mendoza and st. An.
thony between, the whole almost forming one
continuous city, approaching 100000 IN pop.
ulation.
Having "done" 81. Paul and lis envivous
IN day, we were ready to board the boat at
> O'Clock and start homeward, About this
time, however, J. X. Graves, Esq, President
Of the Chicago, Dubuque and Minnesota II.
T. sent US an invitation to leave the boat at
Winona, some l45 miles below St Paul, anu
in the morning Thursday take the cars