, 1875-01-02
Its Location, Geology, and
Surrounding Scenery.
EulIaIo, Starved, Little, and Split
Roclls---Great Commissions
Of Nature.
The Ottnwa Mineral Spring--AnaIysis of
The Waterfalls High Medical
Properties.

&rain In Chicago, your correspondent found him
self, after faw hours ride, in this old.scttled
and respectable town. Having before written
,s, It's business and commercial pros.ccta, nov
propose to say something in regard 10 thc rreat
natural attractions Of tlis portion of the 1liinoa
liver Valley.
THE CITY or OTTAWA PROPER
stands upon III elevated plateau Of land At tho
junction Of tho Fox With tho Illinois River.
about 81 miles from Chicago. AMI connected
with tho Metropolis by two lines OF railroad anll
the Illinois l. Michigan Canal. The Illinois VAL
loy, hero some 2 miles wide. is crowned on either
eide by magnificent wooded bluffs. which rio
from 100 10 200 feet in height, and afford mark
eli and pleasing contrast 10 the prairie PARTON Of
tho country farther back. The Kap,ds Of tho
Tux and Illinois Evera, Immediately ahoye thu
city, furnish ono Of tho finest wa.er-rowers in
the world. bns yet unly partially improved.
The grain, lumbor. manufacturing, aud other
iuterestg OF tue town. support population Of
about 10,ouo. There AFRO many fine buildings,
such M the Supreme Court lfouRo and the Gill
ton Hotel, MD iino private residences withent
humber. Ono OF tho lattcr,--tlIat OF thu lion.
JOHN d. Caton,-on Tho north bluff, has
LAnaE TAnK.
Which tho Judge keeps well stocked with
elk, deer, and other game. All tho B2e-
represented. THIS rark IL great resort
for pleasure acekers. From tho north
and south blu.1a. tho viow III every direction is
grand, even 1T this tine OF tho year. Un the
cast, up tho valley, ht miles distance is the
manufacturing Village of 3i1rscllles; aud,
miles farther, Seneca. High bluffs bound tho
valley on olthor Eide. and extend beyond tho
range Of vision. On tho north. noarer town,
tho Fo1 River debonchcs from among tbs hills
iuto the plain below with 4 rapid descent, having
cut its way through Tho DriIt aud Ssurian for
NATIONS that outc.op i'll tl,is vicinity. Near tho
exit OF the Fox from tLo bluffs stands ont to
Wow What IL known Al tho lronp,torv.-a high
md beautiful t!aet Of farming la:" But by far
TIC finest view appears Ill luHking weHt Al 2
miles distance FROM ustaHa. IN tho canro Of tue
Illinois Valley, is
nrFFALo nocE.
This MAS formerly part Of tho main north
b!nr, from which it bcealno ATTACHED during
holno great natural neutrality-suspicious.
ia tho Giac'al or Drift epoch. Tho
thin bed Of good coal, auti ebose Tho uslul Drift
series. Its faco covers Bono 50 acres. The
canal ami railfoad run thto7sEf tho deep natural
cut between 1t md the 1nain blNi. 1t is rronl-
iuent landmark, and IL interesting al being tho
place where the buffalo 3os 4AMerican'ts} WIS
last esen in tiIis section. David Walker, l;sl..
of Ottawa, exhibited to m" tho senl-fohH,l head
ot olsot, which l,e found Lere. liz also slosed
same locality.
SIX miles farther down tho valley, and over
hanging tho ILLINOIS River. il reon tho famous
HrAHgED Nstck,
celebrated in llst0r., hlory, aud EonS It covers
Il anrfsce Of hnlf MI aero. AMI. rising porpentcu-
larly to l,aght OF LII feet, Brure, white sand
s1opn Wa!.a remind QUO OF eo1ne medieval
castle. On the top, Which is cuyerod with
Fort St. Lou,s, built by do Tont anil his brave
Frcnchmcn, quo yearh ago. Tho only rlaco Of
access ia OH tho H0utl or land sldo of tile roclt,
by narrow steps. I remember tint, homo tNonty-
five yearH aEu, when wnH q 1nc1e lat, 1t uaa no
easy task 10 ascend to the top. NEt tho tholt-
tands Of yistord hayo made it mars acccHsbe.
The outwolkb and ditch connected with sao fotti-
Gcation may AtlH be seen. about 80 rods Bouth-
cart. Who surveying tLis work somo years
ago, found the d,siuteErateL Tenaily of tl.ou-
Hands Of clanl-shee, tho animals OF mhcI, were
eaten tT tile besiesed garrison. O'ller relics
nnch swortla hatchets. arrow .llc atb, etu.-are
frequently found. On tho Sturycd Iocs pellslseA
the last Of tho Illinl Almost optt,etc, across
Lilo river, Was, in tho tlmo OF La :'ale,--lG5D,-
nE Indian town. Kear by was THUR cemetery,
Three miles father west il Littlo lsock; and,
directly Opposite, Split ltock.-an immense nlhaa
detached FROM tho north bluff. At this point,
GREAT HEoIoutcAL CONCLUSIONS j.
have taken place, ~ shown by the exposuro OF
four great groups Of locks Within 10 rods, naIne
ly: tho Calciferous formation. tbs Trenton. tho
Coal-MoaBures, and tt,e 1T. peter's Sandstone.
From the position and apPcafanco Of littlo
Rock aud Split lsock, and tue huge uptufncd
MASSES in thv vicinity, 1t IL supposed tlRt agreat
rataract onco exlBted here extending from b)uH
70 bluG, somo miles apart. SPLIT Hook s OIL
taIo limo known ns tho great asls OF uphcaral,-
Dno Of the most interesting geoloEiesi features
miles IL the deep rocky canou Of Deer l'urk, the
Big Beud OF tho Feralil!lop. Hnd other Interest,"
Ing points. Thousands annually visit tleso
PLACES.
GEOLOGICAL FORMATIONS.
VI tho tcu great HyatellH recognized lY Eaolo-
Hists, three outcrop III the county. Tneso nre
the QuarternaTy, tho CarbonferouH, aul tho
of tho latter formation outcrops i'll tho bnffs as
far tue great axis. and iB tho prevailing lock
in the valley aud around OTTAWA Ita thckners
il ITO feet. In the vicinity OF Ottawa, there IL
by . portion Of tho Coal. Measuies. and abose
theHe the britt series. The Carbun.iqro,is is
highly developed iu the vicinity u Iasallo nni
on the Ve1,nillion., and abounds in fossils;
1M1lenBe Etanltc bnwljers, showing glacial
marks, arc found eycrswhe'e. hns particularly
around Ottawa md tho adjoining rrairies.
Harriet ,dursineau In ono Of her works, 1nontionB
lhsB lcats,Eo Of cur geology, rs observed BY hcr
in travelling through the state.
Geologk:ay. tho Illinois Valley presents an
Interesting study. From Chicago to I.aSalte tho
Dehplainck and tho Illinois liver fslloyn Accm
10 have been tie ontlet III this tlircci,n uf takn
tIichigan. Tho dip and conformation of tito
.ccks, the in. nonso gr9vGl and bo"l!ur depohts,
ndcuto this. Tho Illinois then flowed from
,uK to tlulr. Iu tho great changes that occur
ID, tho rivers were contracted, anu ilulerauh
avineH and canons cut in tho rocks. There arc
nauy Vi theYe near OttaWl.
In tho ln1ueuiate vicinity arc also number of
lpr!ugs. The most noted ons, called tho
OTTAWA MlSEKAL sPHlSu,
situated OIL the south bank of this Illinois
River, and only few minutes walk {loul tue
Clifton Hotel.
bud for eeycgal months heard such wonderful
stories about the healing properties Of thu water
3Lat have not been surprised, during my weeks
with Jugs aud kegs for their supply ol tho
aqueous element. In company with iriend, l
visited tho spot. We found tue water How
:nE rpwarast t,. thIousn = 2 &C., esey!ce Or isssn1o
per minute. Tile tlBBure IL about = feet In width
aud 10 feet long, and c1tenus downward perle,-
licu!Atiy. Froul buringa made lur artea1au wuiis
slu,ll!d O.tawn. tho tlicAnuss uf tue TT. peter'a
vi ,cats to 10 ubout i60 10 Ito feet,
k.axt haIa& tbiA Ii tbs MHHuaEiau ]. J.imastnna