The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1884-11-15
GETAWAYS OUTLOOK.
The Accomplishments ofthe Past
and Conditions OF the Pres
ent PreSage Il Great
Future for Our City.
An Editorial Review "i the '"'"h'r'''
Manufacturing, social Ed"'ati"hhi'
and other Aspects, and CITATIONS
of Numerous Examples OF
Local Enterprise, Ne.

not given 10 any man. II we uo hOt SHo'
ourselves. however, we neither see Ourselye
or allow others to see us, There is, TO b.
sure, q faith in the unseen, but is 1.-THE sub
stance of things hoped for" and the ener
getic town or man does not "iaed on hope
but pushes on, certain that the hoped-fO
will be attained
As true of all other thriving towns in II
linois, Ottawas growth in population an,
manufacturing is the result of the work o
man, in whom there existed and still exist
an abiding faith in the town, coupled witt
the determination 10 make the most Of he
advantages.
The class of people attracted in year
gone by to the original nucleus of thriv
ing city still but the embryo of its future
promise, was distinguished by acquired
habits of industry good moral training and
principles innate enterprise and determl
nation to wrest prosperity and plenty foI
themselves and decendcntj from the
matchless and ineaXhauStible sources OF
wealth known to abound here and herea-
bouts To attempt even in the most super
fetal manner to sketch the progress of OF
tawa towards its present plane Of prosperity
would far exceed the reasonable limits of
a newspaper sketch, and as matter of
necessity the review here given is Of cur
sorry character, dealing only with general.
ties of prominent interest as regards the
existing condition Of the community, but
in this form afrording just occasion
for pride to every citizen and resident of
the section of which it is the center and
capital
Ottawa, as well as being the county seat,
is in point of population, wealth and extent
of business transacted, the principal city of
La Sale county and is the center of trade
for wide, prosperous, and richly produc-
tive district. Situated on a level plateau
80 feet above the water mark of the Hi
nois river, in the most picturesque section
of whose valley it is located with natural
drainage which is simply perfection, and
with abundant supply of water from fifty
artesion wells supplemented by water
works it is not surprising that the general
health of the people is far above and the
death rate much below the average of pop
ulous communities, being less than ten to
the thousand, while epidemics of any sort
are almost unknown.
Thirty competent teachers conduct a
complete system of graded schools, the
numerous buildings used for educational
purposes being of brick, substantial and
commodious structures and entirely paid
for These are supplemented by several
parochal schools in connection with
churches and an academy conducted by
the Sisters of St Joseph As being rela-
ton TO this subject, in the High School,
which is the largest township high school
in the state, the cabinet of curiosit!es OF
the Ottawa Academy Of Natural Sciences
is located. 1t is one of the finest cabinets
in the state, containing 1000 specimens
accessible to the students. The Supreme
Court House contains also the state law Ii
brary of 5000 volumes.
All the chief religious denominations
are represented by ten churches, whose
many handsome temples afford ample fa
cilties to all for worship according to the
special tenets they may affect
The several fraternities and benevolent
are very fully represented,
including among others English and Ger
man lodges of A. f. Il A. NJ, l. o, o. f.,
A. o. L. W, X of H., X. of p, 1. O. VI. A.
and B'uai Birth These orders embrace a
large membership in the aggregate, and
are merely an item of the immense
provisions for the cultivation and promo
ton of social intercourse among the PEG
pie, while the inducements of this Charac-
ter held out to non.residents coupled with
the cordial hospitality of our people, have
doubtless had much to do with the attrac-
lloHS vi ullt Stltitutilt, W dii "a
tent that has secured substantial growth
of population within a decade and which
still gives promise of a future for Ottawa
not to be measured by ordinary estimates
or standards of probability.
The manufactures which are slowly but
constantly expanding andtranscendently i'm.
portant factor in Ottawa's future progress,
are of such varied character and interest,
that the lack of space to describe each in
detail is subject of regret.
We are constrained, however, TO contine
ourselves to brief enumeration of them,
but even this will afford synopsis which
canuot fail to crafty all interested in the
we'll being of the city, for while not as ex-
tensive as the exceptional and manifest ad-
vantages of the city will ultimately attract,
they are numerous, represent large invest
ments of capital and give employment to
large numbers of men and provide comfor
table subsistence TO many families. The
cbiaf Industries ore as follows.