The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1882-08-12
summer Resorts.

The warm weather having come at last,
with "to.becontinuedin ournext disposl-
ton on the part OF the rain clerk of the weather
bureau, the summer resorts OF this county
have put on their holiday attire, and are re-
ceiyIng numerously. Few counties in the
west are 80 well supplied with summer
lands" as this. OF the 10000 population very
few comparatively have both the means and
opportunity to spend their summers away
from home, Yet every one no matter no"
circumstance feels the necessity OF an occa-
sional "outing"-an open air rest; or feels the
irresistible impulse, relic, perhaps, OF his
primitive experiences IN antediluvlan Gays,
to turn savage and eat his provision for the
nonce in primitive style sans every thing
comfortable, a.pic.nicking in Gods first tenn
pie" resting his tired limbs on the soft side
of a boulder. Outot door life seems natural
necessity to thousands, both physical and
mental needs demanding 1t.
Residents of this county are therefore spe-
cially fortunate in having so many spots IN
which to indulge this bent of mind. In few
parts of the county are these quiet hooks want
ing and no part Of 1t Is far away from them.
In the days to come when the population be.
comes denser these spots will be more appre-
cia,ed than they are now they will be i'm.
proved, and made ready for the public-beau-
tifu places up the Fox river, along the lli'
nois, now used as hog runs, sheep pastures
and cattle yards.
At present, however, only Deer Park and
Starved Rock are at all popular; and this is
due simply to the fact that at these places
some effort has been made 10 accommodate
the public. Starved Rock has improved none
since last year. There is room for numerous
reforms here; after trip to the Rock the first
thought Is that the adsge cleanliness Is next
to goodness" has not been heard Of there.
The notion that the place should be LET. in its
primitive rough condition is absurd, and
cannot be an excuse for allowing weeds, brush,
&c, to cucumber half the surface of the sum.
nit. little work would double the availa
BILE area of the Rock, which is sadly needed
on days when three or four parties are present.
At Deer Park, since Mr.. Clayton erected
lodge" and made other Improvements for the
convenience and comfort of visitors, their
numbers have largely increased. Although
the season has but just fairly opened, over one
thousand visitors have registered their names
to date, and how many have neglected to do
so 1t is impossible to state. Parties are booked
from almost every Northern stale. Large
companies from Ottawa, Mendoza, Amboy,
La Sale, Granville, Streator and Tonica have
plcnicked in the glen and spent the day
amidst the grandeur of the surrounding
scenery.
Recently" says the Tonica Neos, Miss c..
L. Jones, an artist from Galesburg, painted o
fine picture Of the park that is much admired"
Deer Park is a good place for "items."-
Here Is one Tonca Ne,os man picked up
the other day, found written ON q small scrap
of paper:
Clayton's Deer Park
Ia a nice place to spark,
And spend a hot day
When the sun y hid away
Behind the high walls.
Where gurgling waterfalls
Scatter their spray
And frisklly play
In their rocky den,
Down into the glen,
Midst shady bowers and cool.
Losing themselves ut the base in pool
My rhyme just begun,
Is already done,
For the girls are calling me to participate In de-
molishng big basket OF lunch which
they prepared expressly for picnic ap.
petites on this memorable occasion.
1t Is here in place to add that the govern,
ment of the park is excellent. No shooting 10
allowed IN the glen. Visitors are forbidden
to dig terms or destroy anything growing in q
wild state. Such as wish to get ferns or other
native plants may obtain them in abundance
Al II Il.