The Canton advocate. [volume] (Canton, D.T. [S.D.]) 1877-1897, 1878-12-12
Down the Sioux.

we have been favored with, kept aloof the
dread Of cold and billiards. and a. an
,icipated on boarding Carpenters Stage q
Beloit Thursday morning, we did enjoy
tho ride PA
At the .Rsck and Keep plxsss .&'rcas OF
men and teams were piling up the dir. to
grade level in the heavy fills; from there
to Fairview the grade is complete, and as
its dark outlines are visible along the val
ley from the road, i, looked like q curving
I fire. break.
| A short tide and Bob McCullom wells
'maW,' which brings Post Master Hubbard
away from his cosy fire 70 inspect and sor,
matter destined for Fairview. Here soon
the stage will be among the things that were
and the never firing painting iron horse
will wake the echoes Of the Iowa bluffs
and the quiet burg will assume the &irs OF
Railroad town. Along the line of the
grade that Spencer has so rapidly aud
nicely made we pass, until leaving it op.
poslte the ford we cross back into Iowa
and hear towards Strubles Mills upon the
upper bench that stretches down to the
valley of the Rock. AT the crossing above
Strublcs little army of men were prepar.
ing and driving the spiles for the bridge
Along the road We meet men hauling the
huge tim bers and material tha, il to in q
few days creak beneath the ponderous
weight of long trains of cars. A little
further, and Eden is in sight. In the heart
of this town that has sprang into being
magic-like, we are landed and met by its
modest bsshtul proprietor Capt. Wheel.
ock, who quietly tells US Of the plans and
prospects for the future Of his home. A
good dinner at Snyders, and we step :nto
a Railroad car within Lincoln County. A
neat coach, combining seating capacity
for thirty, with postal, express and bag
gage divisions, has been assigned for this
extension until increasing travel will
necessitate first class passenger coach.
Will Merchant, the popular conductor
gives the signal, and we feel the motion
80 exhileratng to those who have been
bounded over roads in cramped and crazy
jerkeys; down the valley we roll IS smooth
ly as if the road was Of years standing.
The county line is reached, and the tIain
is haulted for the ceceiving Of the mail
ard passengers. Tom Sargent steps
aboard, lie is bornd for the Kansas plains
but admitted before we separated that the
Sioux Valley where he has liyed for nine
years never looked so we'll as during this
ride. Over the long bridge to Iowa soil
again, and a few moments time halt5 US a,
Cslliopc. Here we wait while the pay
ments are being made to the former track
layers, who receives his American Ducats
smilingly Stepping to the rear platform
we see across the river on the Dakota side
the line of the old Stage road winding
round the bluffs; but Its days are ended,
and those who have sweltered under the
burning sun or felt the keen breath OF
winter while psssing over 1t, will appreci.
ate the new mode Of transit.
Caliope has been made notorious for
the reluctance with which years ago, its
residents and County officials surrendered
the seat Of justice of Sioux county to Or.
aLgs City. A spacious depot and large
hotel have been added to the number OF
buildings that long stood as crumblin2
relics of the past. a fine extent OF country
upon both sides Of the river, will in time
pay tribute to this point.
As the train moved away from the de-
pot platform, Superintendent. Merchan,
made his appearance and kindly suggest
ed passing points of interest Below Cal.
liope, as the track approaches the river
the scenery is attractive, and as the train
skirts the bases OF the bluffs that loom up
bold to the rivers edge, the engine seems
to be curveting round the sand dunes fol
some place to get out Of the windings; {
moment our car is on the brink Of thu
Sioux as if intending to bound into its
clear waters, and tnen it plunges through
deep cuts whose graveied sides wall out
the view, and when we emerge from this
brief gloom the broad valley upon th<
Dakota side with its titled fields, thrifty
groves and we'll built farm housees dances
INTO view; here too is the counterpart Of thu
famous horse shoe curve upon the Penn
sylvanla Central, halt of our train is oh
scured from sight and the iron steed il
prescribing as handsome curve round
the point Of sharp bluff rs the skill o
engineer Nash could run. As it turns the
arc Of the double reverse leaving the rive
to its own meauderlngs, its shrill whistle
announces our approach to Portlandville
Some improvement during tho past yea
At this fine town are visible, among which
We noticed two churches. Business alst
has revived, more wheat is being shipp"t
than at this season last year. An ente.
pr,sing class Of inhabitants, fine waite
power, e!eYssos, and grist mill, and = goo!
farming country around it, Portlsndvill
will doubtless always maintain its preseu
business, and a hearty existance.
j To this point the telegraph poles are Sc
and the wires stretched, and the entir
line to Beloit will be IN order to operat
i as soon IS the cars reach there.
will be erected at the rate of five miles
lday. Westfield is reached, passed. An
six miles across the Missouri bottoms
column of steam tells US that the Yankto
; train on the main line is waiting for u