Catoctin clarion., 1884-11-06
Letter
From u Friend
On the Wing.

On the Wing.
CHESTER CENTER, Iowa OcT. 90 1884.
Friend Cnssell-
will endeavor to give you short history
of my trip through the western country. l
left Baltimore at p. NJ Thursday night on
the Chicago Express. 1t was a very pleas
ant ride, they made very few stops other side
of the OHIO river, but as for the scenery l
can not say much about that until the next
morning we came to the Cheat River Valley
and that certainly is a grand view. We run
along on one side ofthe mountain and be-
low was the River and on the other side was
another tremendous mountain. AT some
places We were 80 close to the edge Of the
bank that you could look right straight down
into the river and had we taken tumble it
would have been several hundred feet. am
satisfied of one thing, if we had been sleep
| il would have walked us up had we tumbled
down there. After we left the valley the
scenery was not so pretty until we crossed
the Ohio river. We arrived at Grafton Z
a. IN. for breaksfast and changed cars there
to 20 bv the way of Bellaire and from there to
! Chicago Junction 1t certainly is fine
country passing through GAINESVILLE, Newark,
Mt. Vernon, Mansfield and Il great many
other towns, but these are the principal
ones; there seem to be great deal OF husl-
ness if all of the towns and especially Mans
field which is the county seat of Muskingum
| Co. O. and is situated on the Muskingum
river and connected with Cleveland and the
lake by the Ohio canal Population $4,000 to
20, 900, has two Rail Roads, Baltomore and
Ohio, Pittsburg Cincinatti and st. Louis.
The business interests are the manuiac-
turing ofiron, flour, machinery, agricultural
implements, cotton and wooden fabrics, fruit
canning, pork packing &c. | think it is
one of the finest towns passed through
Mt. Vernon is u very pretty town, it is the
county seat of Knox county, Ohio; popula-
ton 5000 to 5000 there is some manu-
featuring, but not as much as Mansfield.
Newark is a town of 10, 900 or 10000 popu-
la,ion, county seat Of Licking county, Ohio,
situated at the confluence of the three forks
of Licking river and on the Ohio canal; has
three railroad business interests, manufac-
turing, mercantile, and agricultural. Balo.
s. Ohio railroad shops central Dls.) located
here. We took dinner here and then passed
through a beautiful country from there to
Chicago junction. The next thing after we
got there was supper and from there to Chi
/ cago we could not see anything, it is $40
miles from Chicago junction to Chicago. l
got to Chicago about one hour too soon TO
ge, view of the lake. passed by the lake
about $50 | did not leave Chicago until
1910; that give me more time to 60 around
Chicago; there certainly arc some fine build
ings there. | mention come Of the principal
buildings that saw the Grand Pacific Iio-
tel is one Of thr finest buildings have seen
for long time; it takes one block and nine
stories high; then just opposite is new
building that is not quite finished, that is the
Board of Trade Building and the next one
that notice is the Royal Insurance Buil'-
ing that is 10 stories out of ground then
go to the depot to finish trip, leaving at l2 10
running through the city fora long distance.
After you get outside of the city the coun-
try is just as level rs the floor and you can
see just as far as your eye will carry. for
| got to mention what road l went over l
took the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific
Out of Chicago 40 miles came to Joliet the
county seat Of Will county, Ill.,, situated on
the Dcsplaines river and Illinois and Mich
gan canal; population 16o00 to 19, 600, they
have four railroads; Business interests stone
quarries, manufacturing, mercantile &c. The
Illinois State Penitcntiary is located here l
did not care about stopping here too long
for have heard too much Of Joliet. The
next pace that come to of any interest is
Ottowa, county seat of La Sale county, ILL.,,
situated on the Illinois river and ILL.,, and
Michigan canal ; population 10000 to 10000,
has two railroads, business interests, agri-
cultural and manufacturing extensive win
dow glass bottle and starch factories, also
tile fire brick, flour sc. The next come to
is La Sale. situated on the Ill.,, river at the
Head of navigation and the terminus of the
H., and Michigan canal population 1000 to
5000, two railroads, business interests, coal
mining, zinc smelling, glass, brick and file
works. The country through here is very
rough, it looks little like a mountain and
night is coming on that cannot see any
thing more, so will take nap after sleep
ing four or five hours, just woke up in
time not to be carried past Grinnell, that is
where had to get off to go to Chester Cen
ter. arrived in Grinnell 1898 at night
The next day looked around Grinnel it
is a very nice little town, has 1900 inhabi-
tants saw where the cyclone went thro' ;
it just took every thing as it went. This will
do for this time NJ J. A.