Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1880-09-09
The SARATOGA OF THE NORTHWEST
a Treat Resort fer Pleasure Seekers
and Worn-ou. Business Men. A
Trip 70 Lake Minnetonka,
Minnesota, Graphically
Desc -ibed

Desc cibed
wsyIsta. MIMI. Aug. Is, 1850.
Especial correspondeuce.l
Believing that the readers of You,
most excsllent journal would be
pleased TO hear and learn something
more OF our northern GUNNER re-
sorts. please a'low a wanderer few
words in your columns and | will
give them a sketch Of Minnetonks
Lake and the region Whereabouts,
as place OF resort and enjoyment
for tired business men and pleasure
seekers generally, and that in as
brief manner as possible.
A few days since the writer
chanoed TO fall 10 with a company
of some twenty-five exeuvsionists at
Jacksonville, Illinois, who were
bound for Minneapolis, MINI. The
excursion was under the manage.
ment of that noted excursion or.
ganizer, Mr.. e II. Aver. of Spring.
field, Illinois. Mr.. Aver has fol.
lowed the business the past six
years, and besides being a most
affable and polite gentleman, is q
success as manager of excursions,
and is never more st home than
when in charge of a train load OF
tourists, giving IS he does he great.
est of attention 10 those under his
charge.
Leaving Jacksonville, which
beautiful little city is most appro-
priateIy termed the "Athens of the
West" on account of It's numerous
and expensive colleges and institu
tons OF learning, we came on TO
Peoria, over the Peoria, Pekin &
Jacksonville railroad This road
by the way, under it's new manage
mont has recently undergone some
valuable changes and received ex
tensive Improvements making it one
of the finest and most popular lines
in the Garden State. At Peoria we
were Joined by several carloads of
merry pleasure sevkefs from that
city and Springfield. and pursued
our journey onward to Burlington,
Iowa, over the Toledo, Peoria &
Warsaw railway, wea her exceeding
ly fine and deservedlv popular line
OF road The officers of this route
from the General Ticket Agent to
the conductor aud brakeman, were
exceedingly accommodating and
made i, pleasant for oil under their
care.
Arriving at Burlington, our mum
bors were again so largely increased
that the precious cargo OF human
freight was divided into two trains,
each bearing eight coaches filed
with tourists, all bound for the cool
and refreshing climate Of the North
From this point we were conveyed
forward to Minneapolis, over the
Burlington, Cedar Rapids & North
ern and Minneapolis & ST. Paul Rail.
ways, where We arrived in some
fifteen hours after emb.rking at
Jacksonville. Altogether the trip
was splendid one, affor ding trav-
elers some beautiful scenery along
the entire route, aud more especially
when passing through the beautiful
state of Minnesota.
While passing through Illinois the
thickly populated sections of the
country, The beautiful rolling land,
dotted with elegant cottages, many
of them being really mansions. the
wide fields of golden grain and
waving seas of growing corn greet,
ed our eyes on all sides, telling
plainly of the great wealth of the
country; whilo through northern
Iowa and the state Of Minnesota the
things to beholdwero of some " b L
different nature, more on the pic
turesque and wild order, though
none the less interesting aud attrac
tive. In fact, we found the beauties
Of these latter states perfectly capt..
waiting in many places. The deep
running rivulcts of cool and spark
ling water, the bright little lakes
that dot tho territory here and there
IN close proximity to the railroads g,
the heavy forests that skirt tho ls OF
and streamG, and the immense fields
of wheat throughout the entire state
of Minnesota, were really enchant.
ing TO the beholder. Iu short, we
look upon this section of the coun-
try, which as yet, is not thickly
populated, to DO the ficest 10 Amer.
lea. Is is certainly the greatest and
most successful wheat growing
country in the world.
Arriving at Minneapolis, the
great crowd separated for various
points, some for st. Paul, others fol
Lake Superior and other points in
Wise onsin, while it was our good
fortune to follow goodly number
of Others TO this point on Lake
Minnetonka, some fifteen miles wesl
of Minneapolis. and happy are we
all that we came.
Lake Mnnetonka is certainly des
tined to become, if, in fact, it nigh
not already be termed the Saratoga
Of the Northwest. It's accomoda
; tons have only been open to tn,
public some three years and already
numerous and elegant hotels have
: been erected which are thropgec
with people from ell parts OF thu
country, seeking rest and rscrea
tons, and no where on the CONT
nent, do we believe, could be founC
place better adapted to thci
: wants. The lake is deep and cIea
as crystal and abounds with myri
J ads OF the finest fish in the world
amocg which are pickerel, blacl
bass, cropies. sun fab, and occasion
! ally will be seen buffalo and cat
Pigeons, wild duck, pheasan.s, deer
squirrel and other game are plenti
ful in shis section, and the sports
man who can not DO satisfied wiit
: the results of few days angling
and hunting would certainly be bare
, 20 please. The main body of th'
lake Is some thirty miles in leng.l
, aud from six to eight in width, ant
+ 10 trsversed oy steam. sail and row
/ boats in all parts. The hotel &C
, comodations are excellent, ard IN