Little Falls weekly transcript. (Little Falls, Morrison Co., Minn.) 1894-19??, 1896-01-17

many miles along the river, their
road bed being cut in the sides OF the
hills. -
At nearly every town there are
large stjre and ware houses for the
use OF steamers, showing the large
amount Of business done In the past
by water. Uncle Sam has been t. q
great deal ot expense, improving the
upper river, putting in large wing
dams, dredging and digging out the
channels or practical navigation
would even now i'e II failure. As 1t
ia, steamers Of large proportions
have some trouble to keep of from
sand barx, which are continually
changing position. For the con-
vvnience OF pilots light houses (con-
sistinG Of Il lamp on post with dia-
mOnd shape hoard at back with
steps ascending thereto all white)
have been erected ON each side IF the
river from st. Paul to New Oriea ns.
We follow the different lights tOkeep
the channel. The course OF the river
has been Strengthened by short
canals.
Many acres Of land are washed
away from the shores by high water
yearly and for miles Umcles Sam hns
rip raped the shores with a layer ut
willows In large bundles layed at an
angle Of thirty degrees against the
bank. and called Il ma ttress. this is
veneered with loose stone to Allay
the washing.
Down river boats or RATS have the
right oi way. the vi, river crafts CIV
ing them plenty Ut room.
Some III the Villages are strung
along ON one or ttyO streets tor a
mile with back street fully forty feet
higher than the front street.
Brownsville, u small tom in
lower Minnesota. has streets as de-
scribed and building four stories
high ON the river ale but TWO stories
on first street. Upon the whole the
cities and villages that nestle along
the shores are thrifty and prosper
GUS.
Beautiful bridges span the river.
the two best being at Rock Island
and st. Louis. These are in
themselves worth seeing. showing
<>cc t<> 1,nI Il n -,
river beneath. Fishing seems to be
quite nm industry at every town and
many places along the banks are
fishing camps occupied by people
who have no other 0ccupa ton:
mode OF catching princip lily 10y nets;
hoop nets. funnel shaped, and seines,
some Of the latter 500 feet long.
These are repled up on long reels for
drying when not in USE.
The larger part of fish caught are
catfish and sturgeon, weighing all
the way from 10 to- $50 pounds each,
bringing 5 cents per- pound dressed.
Numerous fish. rmen fish ON the up
per river during the summer, and
drift down south in house-boats to
Cairo and even Memphis. where they
follow the same vocation during
winter.
There IL no doubt but that Iowa
ia one 1T the most prosperous states
In the Union. One is impressed with
this at every turn in the river. She
has no very large cities, the largest
not over 10000 people, but having
upwards of thirty towns with a
population each Of 20,OOO and over.
Her wealth In abundance is well dis
tributed. all of her principle cities
have their independent industries,
and wholesale houses. Her first city
we saw Dubuque. This is a thriving
place, with her jobbinE and shipping
houses fronting the river, where we
landed at a good stone dock, staying
one day.: We shall remember this
city ON the side hill as an example Of
thrift and prosperity, with her beau
tiful churches, hotels and public
;-,- -,
The upper rapids begin at lie Claire,
Iowa. They are very rapid and
Here we we're Obliged
to employ an extra pilot to take us
over safely. At the loot Of these
rapids, eighteen miles from begin.
ming, lay Rock Island, on the left,
and Davenport. Ia, on the right;
two most interesting cities with
their surroundings.
Between these two is the great
National Arsenal, situated on an
ISLAND; this island is a ridge Of lime !
stone rock three miles long, with an
area of nearly ], 900 acres. This was
as FIT. Armstrong during
the Black Hawk war. The prison
was used for the detention of Con-
prisoners during the Civil
war, and since that time the govern
ment has been to great expense in
the construction Of its present ex-
teusive works. This is intended to