Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1885-08-27
The Arcadia Valley.

|
! never go to Arcadia without a
strong desire on my return to fill about
two columns of the Spectator with talk
hereabouts that satisfies the New Eng
lander's craving for the bracing air,
! mountain scenery and granite hills OF
his native State. But Arcadia has few
equals in New England even in the
| number and variety of its points of in
terests. The Shut-In alone will occu-
py the lover of NATURES mighty hand
iworks with days of study and contem-
plation. while the musical reply of the
waters among the boulders and over
the little rocky falls will fill his soul
with delicious feeling Of languor and
rest. The music of the spheres is not
echoed in falling rivulets, but they are
a part of the stupenduous whole aud
the murmurings awaken in the quiet
listener the deeper thoughts and feel
ings. A very great changeis that from
the Shut-In to Pilot Knob. From any
point on the mountain scenes of une.
qualed beauty present themselves. The
works of men and the works of nature
commingle. On every side the mouu-
tain is scanned and gashed by the min
er's art and beneath the white houses
the winding railway and yonder the
fort, right in the midst of the valley.
Arcadia and Pilot Knob were both the
scenes of battles and in the open fields
before that little breastwork one sunny
evening thirteen hundred men laid
down their lives for what they thought
the right. The attack was an inexcus-
able blunder OH the part of the Confed-
crate commander, but not the less
heroic was the sacrifice, "theirs not
to reason why.'' The mines are a
wonderful sight. and the occasion of
repeated visits to summer residents.
The mines are the finest in this coun-
try If not in the world and operated
with all the scientific methods of the
present day. But excuse me, please.
I did not intend to talk about Arcadia,
but only to mention couple of points
about getting there.
First the wheezy, spiteful, cinder-
throwing volcano that used to draw
Fourth and Chouteau at 4:30 p. NJ has
been taken off and frst-class engine
put in its place. The ride to Arcadia
is now a very pleasant one. The train
is the fastest on the road, no cinders or
dust to annoy. Second, the commuta-
ton rates to Arcadia are very low. Ten
tickets are sold at $3.50, or 81 .25 for
for the trip of ninety miles. A party
of five can go and return at $3.50 each.
These tickets are to be had only at the
Iron Mountain Depot, Fourth and
Chouteau. Third, the table at the Ar
caiia House is better than it has been
for years past. The house has been
full all summer, and I advise any In
tending to take n trip to engage rooms
i'm advance. I heard rumors that the
railroad company would erect fine
hotel the coming year. 1t Is the one
thing needed to make Arcadia II good
summer resort for st. Louisans who
don't want to send their familits 8" far
away that they can not see them dur
ing the summer. A family hotel at Ar
cadia, as well kept AS is the MontesanO
Hotel, would do o very large business
from the start.
The advantages and Disadvantages
of the wheel were never better illus
trated than at Arcadia last Sunday.
In one day the party of eleven " heel
men "did" the Shut-In. Pilot Knob
and Granite Quarries easily, starting
at 10 O'Clock A. NJ, and taking dinner
at the hotel. They spent an hour or
more Mt each place. and two hours on
Mr.. w. H. Thomson's most delightful
grounds. The disadvan: ages are that
the possession of bicycle tempts one
to cover too much ground. The spirit
moveth too often. and the flesh Is not
weak; hence restlessness. The next
time go to Arcadia shall take my
wheel, but shall not cover all the sur
rounding country in one day. In the
two hours we spent OH Mr.. Thomson g
grounds we were very cordially enter
tained by Mr.. and Mrs. Thomson.
There are on the grounds over fifty
superb trees, and all sorts OF appliances
for comfort and pleasure, rroquet. lawn
tennis, swings, settees, chairs, gaines,
and horizontal bar, on which several
of the party gave very entertaining
performances. In party of wheelmen
one is pretty sure to find all sorts of
talent, from gymnastics to speech
making.