The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1876-08-18
tcorrsspoudsacs Of the courisr.l
Notes of Trip to
Iowa, Chicago, Rock Island and
Dcs Moines.

DEs MONIES, Iowa, Aug. It'll, 70.
ED. CouRiER:-On my way to this
great agricultural State. a great many
new things 10 me have passed under
observation, some of which l will jot
down for the readers OF the Courier. In
passing over the Vincenncs, Danvills
and Chicago Railroad, | could but notice
the great damage done TO the growing
corn crop by the long continued heavy
rains. Ii is not possible tor this part OF
! Illinois TO make half a crop Of corn this
year. Wheat and oats are but little
better. The hay crop is abundant and
saved in good order. On reaching
Chicago, your correspondent com.
menced exploring that great city at once
I But short drive found us under the
bottom OF the Chicago river, in the
tunnel, which is truly "A master piece of
architecture aud masonry. This tunnel
comprises two tracks for vehicles and
1.-TWO for pedestrians, which during the
busiest hours Of the day are filed with a
moving mass Of Chicago's busy people
There is another street tunnel under one
fork Of this river. which we did not have
time to pass through. Our next point,
4.
works. This structure is magnificent
affair. The boilers are nine feet ia
diameter. and the engine cylinders IA
large and long as the boiler OF an eight
horse ihr, shing engine. These water
works are located on Lake Michigan.
The observatory is about three hundred
feet high. taking about thirty minutes TO
ascend the Winding stairs 10 the top.
From the top of This iookou. can bs seen
every part Of the city and AS far out on
1.-THE luke MS the eve can reach, La order
Ito procure pure water, a tunnel two
lmiles long. under The bottom Of the
lake has been made. bringing water that
distance from the shore 10 supply the
/. .lcty. A hasly drive through part o
Some Of the most business streets Of tho
lefty brought train time, and away We
spced across the vast prairies OF Illinois
lgliilering in the sunlight with their ex
irnsive fields Of goidei grain, now q.it'
> ready Tor the musiea. rattle Of he liar
lves,cr The next plscc OF importanc
REACHED. was Moline. one OF the chic
Imanuincll Vi ~ place. o the sucker State
: iut its interest j. quickly absorbed b,
ilhc grand scenery OF kCck Island. lyin,
place aud Davenport. This Island con
iains the Government Arsenal and Ma
.lchine shops for the manufacture of gun,
small arms and The munitions of val
/, The magazine contains pow der enoug
~ ,o lifi The whole Island ont oI he rive
lit properly mincd Rock Island con
tain- abrn' three square miles, is hig
and umiu.ating. covered with a luxurI
ani grow h oi forc.t u ces, and the groun
2 beautifully carpetcd over with blu
grass. IninenS. sums of money hay
been spent by the Government here, an
large sums are now being spent impro,
!. ing the grounds aud erecting costl
hunldiugs. Two sulStantiii stone dsu
lave been built across that part of Ill
: Mississippi running ea>i ef tho l.ian,
from which water power IL derived /
run all of The Government mschiner,
aud. also a larg. portion OF the MANI
factories OF Moline. The Governm nmei
Cemetery here j. nicely located and We
kept. being enclosed with neat thong
d costly iron fence, and many a marb
slab and monument marks the sleepin
place OF brave warrior On our wa
90 visit this interesting place. we wcl
run over by heavy laden freight trai
on the G., X. J. & i. X. r. Yon ms
/, ask how could this happen aud then
lenough OF YOU Jeff to write this letter
esjThe Government bridge here Is col
= structed with two tracks for vehicle
;. land on either side way for footme
=" The railway track Is placed over bes
= 80 that when tho bridge is full Of trav
! the trains can ihunder along as thcus
there wasno body below. The Cover
ment has also built q bridge for WACO
and footmen only. at the head of q
e,. Island connecting IL with Moline. II
NEWPORT is on the Iowa side Of the riv,
land much the largest, most enterprise
of,and flourishing city in the State Of low
',, am The hills north OF this city rise abe
are 1.-TWO hundred fee above the river, givi
H"lthe most picturesque view Of Dave
us port, Rock Island, Moline, Milin a
r. their suburban towns. These cities a
their surroundings are certainly destin
!. III to become one Of the most imports
\ places OF the west, III not the count
a very extensive belt OF the richest
riculiural county in the wotli S
rounds them good quality of c
is In great abundance at Davenport, a
the very best facilities for transportat
g lby river and rail are at hand.
~ To-day, we have just visited one
the largest and most enthusiastic Met
dist Camp meetings II has ever been
5 for lplcasure TO wiine s, which is being h
scee GOO. in Governors block. in this citv, q
made Moines.) On our return. we took !,
eds' at tho new ate House building. wh
X. in now In process OF erection--a sup
structure indeed. so far 90 the work
}. besn carried. When completed, IL
lhs sercn1 N n ona IL, ,he V-.snr