River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1877-08-09
ST. CROLX VALLEY--FROM PRES
OOTT TO THE DALLES.
BY CHARLES A. CARSON.

BY CHARLES A. CARSON.
shall never forget the feeling with which
on the morning of the 18th of July, 1877,
opened the door and put my pedagogic head
into the cabin room n board the pleasure.
boat, Maggie Reaney. 80 tons burden, more
or less, plying between Prescott and Taylors
Falls, carrying freight and large numbers Of
tourists. had often wished to explore the
St. Croix and now after long waiting my wish
was about to be gratifed. As is well known,
| il is one Of the boundaries between Wisson-
sin and Minnesota, and the former state has
most fertile country tributary to the river
which will ere long be one vast wheat field.
Parties in Osceola told me that six years ago
Polk county had to import wheat while this
year the the crop will exceed 900 bushels.
In Minnesota, too, the development ofthe coun-
try is going forward, but not so rapidly.
Lumber is the great staple OF commerce and
Saltwater, city OF 1900 inhabitants, is its
metropolis on this river. 1t is remarkably
busy town, especially when the logs come
down.
The numerous trout brooks accessible, min
eral springs guraling up their health giving
waters, numberless streams, clear as crystal,
and packed with fish, the magnificent sites
for rural homes on every hand from Prescott
to the Dalles and far above,-all these in the
near future will bring in large numbers of
tourists and insure the steady progress OF the
tourist trade. have not seen many towns
in this northern country which commend
themselves more favorably, and pleasantly at
a close glance than Saltwater. But that
which most fascinated me was the State Pris-
on. 1t really looked like home. Upon the
windows of the main building pots of flowers
stood blooming, which humming birds were
counting unmindful of the guard The grass
upon the enclosed sward shot up as green as
any which cheered the early days of these
outcasts. The firm of Seymour, Sabin &
Co, manufacturers of the threshing machine,
minnesota Chief, chad leased the force entire
and all seemed busy as the force of Dido
when Eneas made call. In company with
the assistant warden | visited the main build
ing and then the work shop. In the latter |
shortly passed near the room where the
Youngers are employed. What scenes in
stinctively rose before my mind when l saw
"Cole" once more. pictured to my mind
former meeting when stalwart frame enter
ed my editorial sanctum in Missouri, and
without much ceremony held spirited in
terview That was several years since, and
the thought came to me then: what mag
nificent convict the future will make you.
But little did | think it would be in
"L'etoile du nord'' at Saltwater, and that the
days of of his brigandage were so nearly end
ed The outside men who are employed IN
~ H.
and have seldom seen more powerful man.
Born in Pennsylvania early learned to abhor
and detest the solitary confinement system
peculiar to that State. In 1859, while boy,
| visited the great prison at Philadelphia.
Over the iron door to the main building were
the words which Dante saw written oyer the
gate OF hell, "Entre qui que tn sOis ct laisse
Pesperance," HE who enters here leaves
hope behind But at Saltwater | saw no
such hideous motto. could not wish
more pleasant room in which to work, or rest
even, than the one in which the Youngers
were confined The exhIlarating air kept
rushing through it all the day. Leaving
these poor outcasts 10 whom time, even
under the most favorable conditions, must
seem long, will continue my journey upthe
St Croix.
II would not be advisable in an article of
this kind to delineate the many beauties
which saw. Twenty miles above saltwater
at the lime kilns | procured specimen OF
petrified moss. At these kilns the lime is of
two kinds. One brown lime manufactured
from the rocks upon the rivers bank. A
curious deposit of material from which the
white lime is made is found short distance
from the kiln, and is one OF the natural Gu
riosities OF the valley. 1t is soft and can easily
be dug and is formed by deg osts of vegetable
and crustaceous matter that has been turned
into lime by the percOlation OF water from the
hills above. Tourists gather up many very
Ioa t1fif111 cr1aainaana IF mortified a
well as shells. Not far from here is the ST.
Croix Mineral Springs, where many have
been cured OF numerous ills incident to hu-
mainly. The hotel at this point is an ele-
CANT one in its architecture and equipment,
having been erected by parties from Eau
Claire, Wisconsin, at an expense of S25, 900.
One mile above and we come to UsceOla
Mills, where is found very rare and beauti-
ful cascade Of which it is said by tourists that
Minnesota has but one that can vie with it.
1t is on the Wisconsin side, 10 rods from the
river in a lovely glen : the banks of which are
wrapped i'm rare and radiant foliage Gaz-
ing at it from the glen below, the fall resem-
bles Minnehaha the bank on one side rises
to the height OF rs feet above the bottom of
the valley, giving it a wild romantic appear
ance.
Osceola, seat of Justice for Polk county, has
| two large Touring mills, several good BUSH
ness houses and 500 inhabitants Here had
pleasant interview with Charley Mears, ed
| itor of the Polk County Press, an intelligent,
courteous and agreeable gentleman, who ed
| its paper which is credit to the county
For term of years superintendent of Public
instruction in Polk county, he still takes an
ardent interest in educational matters. Mr..
Fifield. his assistant, was a resident OF Pres
colt more than a score of years ago, when 1T
was an undetermined problem where the
great city of the North West would be. Bid
| ding Oseeola with all its scenic beauties
| l VI stand in fhn a the
| DaIles OF St. Croix. In this beautiful place,
the most enchanting among tue many en-
| chanting and lovely spots of the st. Croix,
adorned with green heights, and fright
| ful chasms, and looking down upon the dis
| tant town of 0sceola along q glittering path
| OF sunlit water with here and there a tourist 3
skiff, whose white sail often goes abaft as sud
| den gusts of wind come rushing down upon
| her from the valleys in the hills, encircled,
| too, all round with memories of Joliet, Mar
| quette and Louis, Henneplu and the stirring
| scenes of pioneer life among the Red Man, are
the Justly tar-tamed Dalles of the st. CroIx.
| The impression made upon the visitor by the
Dales, their giddy heights, their DEVILS Chair,
| suspended, as il were in the air, their pict-
uresque cliffs, and trowning chasms, and the
| splendid views which burst upon the eye at
| every turn is at once unique and lasting. Ii
| is place not to be forgotten or mixed up in
/ the mind with other places, or altered tor q
/ moment in the crowd of scenes a traveller can
| recall. Apart from the realities OF this most
| picturesque spot there are associations clus-
tering around it which would make desert
rich in interest. For tradition has it that up
on this upheaved mass in the dim misty past
/ the devil convened a council, and sat IN
demoniac state upon that towering shaft OF
unhewn trap which still adorns the valley.
| The object of this council of fiends has here
tofore been shrouded in mystery. But as
| ''Truth comes in through ehinks which time
| has made" il is now generally supposed they
| were anticipating the vote of the people oil
Minnesota upon the bond proposition, and
oounseling the best method whereby to place
uppermost the principle Of knavery in Min
| Iesotian hearts.
AP. Weld, of River Falls, explained in 4
very systematic way the incongruities of the
| Dalles, and as his description is the best
have heard, not only for its perspicuity, but
for its brevIty, | will take the liberty to pre-
| sent il Said Mr. Weld: 'sThe formation