Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1889-11-07
A TRIP TO THE. PACIFIC.
PLEASANT STOP IN lOWA-MiNNEsO
AND ITS BEAUTIFUL LAKES
AND CITIES.
The Northern Pacific Railroad and the
Wonders It Exhibits.
SALEM. OREGON, Oct. !. 1889.


and so much has happened and we have
seen so much i'll our long trip across the
continent, that it is almost bewildering
as try to think how l shall in few
words describe our journey.
We left Bellaire that night at 9 o'clock,
and after very pleasant and comforta-
bic trip arrived in Chicago the next day
about IL 90 A. NJ. 1t was raining and
quite disagreeable, so We didn't see much
of the city, but spent the day quietly rest
ing, getting ready for our journey, which
we resumed again at 4:15 p. NJ.
We took the Rock Island route from
there to Eddyyille, Iowa, arriving at 100
A. NJ. Friday. Here we spent a most de-
lightful week visiting Mr. Wiley's broth
er, who is Superintendent of the Public
Schools of that place. We went to see
the deserted old store of the late Richard
Butcher, formerly of st. Clairsville, who
will be remembered by the older citizens
of his native place. This store is large
brick building down by the river bank
and here imagination took US back to
more than fifty years ago when Mr.
Butcher used to trade with the Indians
Nothing was left of the old ferry where
they used to cross but the wire. 1t was
with almost feeling of sadness that we
looked upon this scene of ruin and de
sertion, and thought of the hum of busy
life that had been there only a few short
years ago. We could almost imagine we
could see the dusky forms of the Indians
as they shifted in and out among the
trees, or hear the silent dip Of the oars as
they dropped down the river in their
bark canoes. Now, all this has given
place to higher civilization, and each
year is getting farther back in our histo,
ry as the remnant of a past age.
at Eddyville we were about 13O miles
out of our route, and leaving there the
following Thursday at 10 P. NJ, we had
to retrace our way to Davenport, Iowa,
where we again took the Rock Island
for Saint Paul Well, we used to dread
trip on the Cleveland, Lorain and
Wheeling, because it was so very rough,
but that was mild jolting compared with
what we got from Davenport to Saint
Paul
AS we neared Minneapolis the country
changes from level to a slightly rolling,
excellent wheat country, dotted over
with the most beautiful lakes, ranging
from few acres to several square miles
in extent. These are not swamps OF
marshy places, but beautiful lakes in the
fullest sense of the word, with clear water
and clean, solid banks. We only stopped
few moments in Minneapolis and
could not see any of the business part OF
the city, but on leaving the depot, we
passed along the river bank, (the Missis
sippi River again) and got good view
of the Touring mills and grain elevators
as we'll as the fine water power, to which
the city owes its existence. Passing on
it is almost one continual city through the
ten miles which lie between Minneapolis
and Saint Paul. These two. cities were
founded about the same time, and have
been bitter rivals ever since. They are
the only two cities of any size in that
part of the country, and their growth
has been truly remarkable. In 1880 they
each had 10000 population, now they
have over 10000 each-a growth of 12O,-
900 people in nine years, an average OF
over 1900 every year. Now the corpo-
rations join, and 1 suppose will be one
city before, many years, in reality, if not
in name. Both are still growing as rap
idly as ever.
At st. Paul we spent the day with the
family of Mr.. L. K. Merrill Mrs. Mer-
rill, nee Miss Ella Cochran, who will be
well remembered by many of your read
ers, is daughter of Judge R. II. Coch-
ran, of Toledo, formerly of st. Clairsville
Here we had most delightful visit and
enjoyed driving around and sightseeing
in that beautiful city. The view of the
river, the bridge and the city from the
bluffs is especially fine.
AT Ais P. NJ we took possession of our
section in the sleeper, and sat down for a
1900 miles ride in that same seat. This
car was to be our home for the next four
days, and it seemed as if now in reality
our long journey was only just begun.
All through Minnesota and Dakota we
were impressed with the fact that we
were in the land of the Dakota blizzard
The railroad is lined on both sides with
an almost continual line of snow fences
and every house is surrounded by thickly
planted clumps of trees, usually pines
The barns are made from posts set in
the ground, which support roof of straw
or sod, and the inclosure is banked to
the roof on three sides with sod. This
kind of barn is found from Minnesota on
till the Cascade Mountains are crossed.
Crossing the plains at times grew quite
monotonous. We would ride for hours
and hours with not thing to rest the
eye, and nothing but the same dreary lev.
ell. Occasionally, however, we would
pass group of Indians with not a sign
of habitation in sight, not even "dug-
out" They were usually on foot--the
squaws carrying the loads, and they
would wave and yell at us as we went
whizzing by.
In this part of the country we got some
idea of the immense wheat fields we had
heard so much about. In Ohio, 15 or 20
acre field of wheat is considered pretty
good size. But here, the fields extended
from the railroad for miles and miles, as
far as the eye could reach.
We crossed the Missouri River at Bis
marck, Dakota. This was one of the
most exciting incidents of our trip. We
had avery long train-thirteen coaches,
and fairly crawled across the long bridge
oh epanc tho rivar Tbic brid rro bo Il