Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1881-05-10
In a Wild, Beautiful RegiOn--Over
the Wisconsin Central.
Its COnnecIiOnS---The Chicago
Milwaukee and ~. Paul
Railway.


Northern Wisconsin is comparative
ly a new country and has become
known to the travelling people Of the
south only in the last few years
With many Memphis people it is 9
favorite region to while away the hOi
summer months in boating, fishing.
or lounging about the many attractive
resorts along the line of the great
Wisconsin Central railroad, the north
ern end of which runs through a wild
and picturesque country scarcely sur
passed for variety, broken beauty and
changes constantly represented anywhere
in America. Said a surprised Mem
phian riding over it for the first time
a couple of years ago as the train shot
along under crags and across a tortu-
GUS creek that runs at the bottom of a
rugged canyon ut must have taken
men of nerve to survey this route the
first time. Just think of it! They
had to sleep here. l never would
have come here then unless there was
an army along" YES" said his
companion, who had been a railroad
man himself, and afterwards become a
newspaper man, land it must
have taken lots Of nerve for
men of capital to back up
the surveying party. Upon these
points they both agree. The Giants
Causeway in Ireland, which tourists
so hundreds Of miles out of their way
to see, may be unlike anything in this
country; yet it in its weird-like gran
deur, boldness'and impressiveness it
pales in comparison with many Of the
scenes which the trains on this rail
way shoot by with startling rapidity,
as if Indifferent to natures most
whimsical freaks and bent only on
performing mans mission of pleas
ure and business.
The Wisconsin Central proper be-
gins at Milwaukee, one of the best
built and most charming cities on the
continent, and has for its northwest
terminus the pretty little city of Ash.
land, on Lake Superior, a distance Of
35l miles from Milwaukee and 43G
miles from Chicago. The line of the
road is studded with thriving towns
beautiful lakes, splendid streams.
Astounding with fish and
ever-changing scenery, which is al.
ways picturesque and often approaches
the sublime in nature. The enter
prise and skill of man are almost
everywhere apparent, and nowhere has
the vanguard of civilization set it,
foot upon more attractive soil. Tht
road bed is solid and well ballasted
and the cars run with stately smooth
ness and ease. The comfort Of travel
ing is such that tourists bent simpl!
on sightseeing and case, are liable Il
go by many charming places withou
taking the trouble to get off.
Take, for instance, Elkhart Lake
sixty-two miles from Milwaukee, a
described in Summer Saunterings,'
a handsome little book, which de
seribes the movements and doings 0
a little club that went up into tina
country to get away from the NOR
fashionable and p~retentious place
which they had usually ~patronizet
There is no large, pr%etentious hott
at Elkhart Lake, but a number {
excellent houses, each with accom-
modatiOns for about twenty or thirt
guests. For the lake itself we can sa
it is the most beautiful sheet of clea
water in inland Wisconsin. Th
natural views and surroundings ar
unexcelled; the shores high an
picturesque, with a firm and sand
beach; boats can land at any poin.
The lake covers about 800 acres, an
is in many places 200 feet in deptl
being supplied from springs, the waite
is very pure and clear. With th
exception of here and there a fnishe
clearing, on which stands a hotel O
cottage, the lake is completely SUI
rounded by enormous trees, in man
places overhangingthe water. affordin
shelter for the angler, or shady nook
for rowing parties. No more beautiful
scene can be imagined than a vie'
IRON one of the hills, where, from