Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1888-10-10
OVER IOWA IN A CART.
Return of the Rock Island County
Boys From Their Novel Trip Across
cidenss and Observations.

hiLl4sDALh, Ill, oCt' ~ We itlt IL
R. Johnsons place in Benton county,
last Wednesday and Travelled to Vinton
twelve miles distant This is the county |
seat of Benton county, has population |
of about three thousand, and is built on |
quite level ground on the southwest bank |
OF Cedar river. 1t is very pretty town
with large shady lawns and comfortable |
houses and does great deal of business,
especially in grain and stock There is
a large canning factory here owned by
Mr.. Watson, q banker We did not get
time to visit it, it having been closed the
week before. the season being over. We
visited the new NJ. E. church which is
nearing completion. 1t is said it will be
the finest church in the state The cost
will be about SIT, 900. There are several
departments. The main church room is
carpeted with brussels carpet and has
improved chair seats. In this room is
$3.50 chandelier There are two Sun
day school rooms. ladies parlor, dining
room, etc. In the afternoon we went
out to the Blind Asylum which is located
in the western part of town. II is very
large four story stone structure built on
an elevation surround, d by large and
well kept lawn with shade trees and
shrGbhery of various kinds. There are
100 students at the present time engaged
in various occupations. We first went
into the reception room where all visi.
tors are required 10 register; then guide
took US all over the building W ele
taken into the parlor first tt D. fin.
room nicely furnished. We next went
into the recitation rooms where maps are
composed of wood ground and raised so
the blind can find any place on the map.
There are several music rooms with
organs and pianos. We heard some ex-
cellent music on these by the blind. We
were taken into the nursery where there
are some small children. They seemed
to be happy. Some OF the students are
not totally bind, but most of them are,
There is a water works attached TO the
building and hose around in convenient
places so that in case Of fire they would
he prepared There is large pipe organ
In tie concert room We heard
several good players using it; we
heard some of the best music
on pianos here that we ever heard; the
music and time WIS perfect. There are
women here who sew on the machine and
by hand as rapidly AS those who can see
After going over the upper part of the
building. we went down into the base
ment. Here is the weaving department,
where carpets, seins, hammocks, fyne;s.
etc, are made. The Ching room and
kitchen are on this floor; the dining room
| is kept neat and clean, the tables are
| furnished with silver ware and china as
nice as most hotels are. The laundry is
in separate building; the washing is
| done by steam. Next We went into the
| broom factory where the blind make q
| good quality of brooms. The time for
the afternoon concert having arrived, We
did not look around at anything els as
| We wanted to hear some music. At 8
/ o'clock about thirty young men entered
| the concert room with violins, horns,
/ flutes. clarionets and various other instru-
ments, and played some of the most per-
/ feet music We ever heard from string
band, all the musicians were blind. Al
nearly O'Clock the musicians were dis
small children, sang several splendid
songs. This closed the exercises of the
day, snd We took our departure The
manner IN which this institution is kept
reflects great credit on the managers.
We intended to 60 to the Methodist
Episcopal conference, but did not get
around in time. There are two hundred
ministers III attendance.
We left Viuton Thursday morning al
8 O'Clock and headed for Cedar Rapids
On the way we passed through some nice
country, most of the crops are good anC
the farming land is quite level The frs
town We came to was Shellsburg, small
town whose industry is brick and tile
making. We could not find any one who
knew how large place it was, but VT
estimated it at about four hundred in
habItants. Seven miles southeast OF
Shellsburg we came TO small town called
Palo. There is creamery in operation
here. The country here is a continue
ton of that about Vinton.
We stopped for dinner at small tow
named Covington, five miles northwest o
Cedar Rapids, and at 2 o'clock came t
Cedar Rapids. This is very busy cit,
. Of 20 900 people, large business houses
elevators, mills. pork packing houses
, etc. Most of the town is built on th
: east bank of Cedar river, but there is
, rapid improvement on the west sid
: which may be termed the residentia
part, The river is spsnned by twelv
r iron bridges. We did not have time t
, look over the town very much, as W
: were afraid of rain, so We left the city be
hind us and headed for Scion, four an
one sixth miles southeast. The couutr
D.. through here was quite billy.
[ After three hours ride from Ceda
e Rapids we came to the old state roaC
0 where we made our outward journey
From this place home we travelled on tn
k same road, so it has already been de
e scribed. We stopped for the night {
it Michael Dryers place, three miles we,
u of Cedar Bluffs. Here we found the be:
accommodations of any place along tn
d road and were Hospitality entertained
e After supper we were invited into til
t. drawing room and favored with some il
Z strumental and vocal music by the accom-
a plished Young ladies' On the whole "
o spent very enjoyable evening I'll
n farm is one of the incest in that part
:. the country. The buildings are well keI
it Everything denoted industry and thrift
We left next morning at O'Clock al
drove southeast to Upton, where v
stopped few minutes to get our harne
- repaired. and then travelled as far as Ne
Liberty, where we stopped for Dime
g The D. /. & D. railroad is going abor
: two miles west of this place. When Y
k left here it YVES sprinkling some ard v
were fearful of rain, but it did not com
We reached Port Byron at o'clock tt
~ same evening, and being tired did not {
, home until next morning. Taking ever
: thing into consideration, we think low
% is a good state Politics are not very e
- citing this year any place We were. tt
~ prohibition law has made a number
" democrats.
T. We arrived home last Saturday NOR
- ing, having travelled about $50 miles
- about forty-two hours, making abo
= eight miles per hour. IRA MARTIN.
III