The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1881-11-05
WESTWARD BOUND.
"where the prairies like the seas
In pillows have rolled.
And are broad as the Kingdoms


There never dawned more delightful day for
travelling than Oct. o, that on which your cores
pondent with others, boarded Pullman paiace
car in Chicago, bound for the land OF the setting
sun. Scarcely had he slowed his grips away
when the stentorian voice OF the conductor was
heard shouting "all aboard" and afew moments
later there glded out OF the great Rock Island
depot one OF the finest trains OF cars on the Ameri
can continent Soon we were skirting the suo'
urbs, then town after town was passed In quick
succession. ard in due time we reached the
"classic" regions -
Where the Desplaines is flowing
by tine shores Of Joliet. .....
A brief stop and we go bounding on again over
stretches Of prairie, skirtng timber land and
soon entering the beautiful valley of the Illinois,
the most fertile region that the sun shines upon
Onward bounds our train over the broad and
beautiful pralries, dotted here and there with
shaded groves now gorgeous in their autumn
tints Presently Morris welcomes us, and as the
loud snort OF the iron horse dies away amid lis
roofs we are reminded that here, though now
peace prosperity and happiness reigns supreme,
was once the scene Of the first and most bloody
battle o: the Black Hawk war; and that there,
beneath lowly mound in the city OF the dead,
sleeps the once famed Shahbona, the noble war
rior and the white mans friend
Morris soon disappeared from view and Seneca
nits by like hee,ing shadow. change In the
landscape is now noticeable the broad and beau
tiful prairies over which our train has been Gid
ing, give away to a series Of bluffs, which now
begin to rise in grcen-like beauty, and as the
dasb Eny riy hridpp their
lovellncss, like feeting panorama, opens to our
view. At no point in the valley do the bluffs rise
to such dignifed grandeur as at Ottawa; their
cultivated beauty and autumn loneliness present
Ing picture nothing less than charming, while
here and there upon their submits are to be seen
the homes and dwellings OF select few OF o.
tawas aristocracy. ....
Ottawa is most picturesquely located, and
from most every point one may gaze on a
scene of exquisite loneliness especially at this
season of the year, when nature has robed the
valley in its most charming mantle. Looking
west the scene is q lovely one, indeed; seldom
does the eye OF man rest upon anything more
beautiful In the way Of wooded bluffs and pic
turesque heights, while the placid Illinois is seen
flowing calmly westward, till it's glimmering like
ribbon Ia lost in the hazy distance. Turning to
the east the picture is equally beautiful and
varied to the right, along the Illinois, low wood
ed bluffs and verdure-clad islands; along the Fox
to the left, high rocky banks with sandstone
lodges; while far away in the dim outlined dis
lance are seen the picturesque hills OF Rutland
township rising till their wooded heights would
seem to kiss the pale blue sky. Looking north
the view is limited and the south end closes with
the river, where beyond upon forestcrowned
bluffs are to be seen many pr0tentious dwellings
Of the people Of South Ottawa. .FI
Indeed, nothing in landscape scenes have I
ever seen that so faithfully represents the beau
tiful lines Of Moore, beginning with
"There is not In this wide world
As the vale in whose bosom
The bright waters meet"
And needs but the substituting Of the Fox and
Illinois rivers for those Of Avon and Avoca to
make the thing complete.
As we leave Ottawa many Of its most prominent
manufacturing establishments are seen, foremost
among them the Ottawa Flint Glass and Bot,
tie Works, the largest and best Of their kind the
west The Ottawa Glass Factory, and many 9th.
ers, all having frstclass regulations.
Westward we glide along the picturesque
bluffs, the beautiful Illinois on our left sparkling
In the sunlight as 1t did more than two hundred
years ago when Marquette and Joliet first stemm.
ed its tranquil current; and beyond are seen the
wooded slopes and craggy peaks, while high
above them all, towering in majestic grandeur
like grim sentinel on the walls Of time, The tim.
ber-crowned summit Of Starved Rock-a monu.
ment of the past and the admiration Of ages yet
unborn, as well as the most picturesque and his.
toric object in our lovely valley, and which will
be reminder to us
OF that noble tribe of warriora
The once famous llni
Sent from here by slow starvation,
10 their hunting grounds on high.
And now we glide by the village Of Utica, once
the great city Of the Iliini and containing a
population OF nearly 600 natives. Here, too,
were their great corn-flelds.
Passing from Utica, we plunge through tun-
mel and under the great bridge of the Illinois
Central r. r., and then La Sale with its smoky
furnaces and factories stands before US.
Onward dashes the train to Bureau Junction,
where we leave the beautiful valley Of the ILL.,
nols and glide along over the broad stretch of
open prairie and then through the Green and
Rock river valleys, whose scenery in many re.
spects is very picturesque.
Moline, with its great pillow, wind. mill and
other factories Is reached where, in the departing
rays OF the setting sun we catch a glimpse OF the
Mississippi, and soon after reach Rock Island
and just as night begins tospread its sable wings,
we cross the father of wsters upon one of the
finest bridges that spans this or any other river.
Supper over, we swung ourselves into an "up-
per tin," and soon the god of sleep holds US in
his arms, to relinquish his hold as we were near
Ing the muddy Missouri and seeing only the
tail end Of the great state of Iowa
We reached Leavenworth in time for break
FAST after which we took in the town, which Is
In every sense of the word city Of the past; for
like many other Heastern cities - ~ has had its