River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1878-07-03
yer, to which amplejustice was done,

Ell an opportunity 10 move III the may
dance. On Thursday the Ashland peo-
pie exhibited generous hospitality
which did them unreasonable credit
in entertaining their guests with an
excursion up the bay on the fine steam
Ell Maaistee, of the Peoples Line.
The first landing was made at La
Pointe, a place of historic interest,
having first been settled by Jesuit
missionaries i'll the seventeenth GEN.
fury, the Catholic church, half mile
inland and constructed more than fifty
years ago, was visited and some inter-
esting relics of former centuries,
among others an oil painting repre-
senting'sThe Descent from the Cross,
painted upon handmade canvas and
fastened to a rough frame with forged
nails, in remarkable state of preser-
walton, were looked upon 10y our par
ty. Re-embarking our next objective
point was Bayfield,, nestled cosi-
ly on the hillside. it's numerous foun-
tains, found in almost every yard,
supplied by spring far up the hill,
exciting very general comment and
admiration. Leaving Bayfield, the
cruise was continued among the Apos-
tie Islands, the fine scenery of which
viii ever remain pictured in the
mind of the beholder. Pending this
delightful trip at seasonable hour
the tourists were summoned to the
cabin where a bountiful repast had
been prepared by the ladies of Ash
land the palatable and delicious vi
ands disposed of, speeches, songs, ETC.,
followed, the day being one of unal-
loyed pleasure, the New Richmond
Band, by which the excursionists were
joined at Madison, and the Ashland
Cornet Band enliyening the party with
an occasional interlude. At six
O'Clock the pleasure-seekers were land
ed at Ashland, making the Chequame-
gon Hotel their headquarters. where
they were entertained by speeches
from the balcony thereof by Gov.
Smith, Hon. E. w. Keye5 and Col. f.,
A. Calkins, the former neatly compli-
menting Ashland and speaking in
glowing terms of the magnificent har-
Dor there. the latter paying hand
some tribute to the memory of Will
liam Cullen Bryant, the talented jour-
nalist, poet and statesman recently
deceased.
Friday morning at seven o'clock the
party left their Ashland friends and
the beautiful scenery of Lake Superior
for their respective homes, the prog
ress of our return trip being at times
somewhat impeded by the reluctance
of horses and cattle upon the track of
the locomotive to allow our train to
move at greater rate of speed than
they themselves desired to travel, at
one time compelling the engineer to
stop bis engine for the purpose of
having the track cleared. The train
bearing the excursionists arrived at
Madison near midnight and preferring
change i'll sleeping accommodations
we sought repose at the Villas House
till morning. Remaining at Madison
till four O'Clock in the afternoon on
Saturday we babe cur friends there
adieu and started for home where we
arrived in due time. Abe Van Meter,
of the st. Croix Republican, genial
companion who seemed to take sort
of fatherly interest in the Band boys
from that place, and ourself, were the
only representatives of the press from
Pierce and st. Croix counties in at
tendance.
As brief season of recreation and
agreeable social pastime these an
nual gatherings of the editorial frater-
nifty are productive of good results
and really very desirable, but we feel
constrained to say that III business
point of view they are of little if any
Importance. The freedom of the press
is one of the boosted privileges of this
country and as rule editors and pub
fishers adhere personally to the pre-
rogative OF refusing to be bound by
any action of business nature taken
by a Convention of this kind. The
excursion of the Association for
1878, which we were privileged to
accompany, was much enjoyed and
will ever remain pleasant recollec-
ton indelibly inscribed upon memo