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

back III this enterprise. Herr. also
we saw large rafting boats and
packets besa ring names familiar tn
til the citizens VI Little Falls. sucl,
as. The Musser, The Weyerhaenser.
After L." vine davenport the river
takes Il westerly course until 81 turns
south at Muscatine, about thirty
miles below. We made the ran into
Muscatine in. the evening; II as
beautiful; the electric lights along
the streets and upon the aide hills,
the coI.red lights upon the bridge,
together With the reflection ~ taT In
the broad. CLASSY river. was a sigh
not soon forgotten. >%$
This IL one Of the oldest cities on
the river, with a population If abOnt
10000. surrounded by Il very fertile
country, with numbering and riianu.
featuring industries on either iiHnd
She is one Of the blossoms of Iowa
n great manysOf her business and
PROFESSIONAL mel, are old ettlers, Oi
from forty to fifty years residence
One clergyman has occupied the pull.
pit of the CUnxrega tional church for
about fifty years; he is quite an old
gen tleman, but looks good for many
years service, still. This place ID also
the residence Of Mr.. Peter Musser,
The president of our Pine Tree Lum-
Der company. through whose court
esy and kindness We enjoyed our
visit. seeing much Of the city, with
him ~ our guide. One is impressed
on every side by its thrift and pros
perity, beautiful churches, the large
stores with extensive stocks. and the
milling industries, also the close
brOtherly feeling existing between
these old settlers, who have been
battling in this. world Of business
cares for so many years together.
Mr.. Musser has been in the numbering
business here for over forty years.
One Of the leading dry-goOds men
WAS horn here. MIR. Dllworth. who
has a beautiful china, crOckery and
gInss-W are store, has been In bust
ness here nearly forty years.-and so
on. We see many men well along in
life and yet engaged in active bust
ness. -
Going south from this place we zee
levee on our right, back of which
is u large tract Of low-'ands upon
which quantities of melons andsweet
potatoes are raised. Muscat tine is
the greatest melon point ON the
river. The country southwest. is
said to be very malAriOus.
Burlington was the next city OF.
importance. She is quite H. railroad
center. claiming a populn til n Of g.
QUO, what has been said of Dubuque
will apply not only to- Burlington
but to oil the little cities Of Iowa.
W. stayed here only six hours as we
were anxious to get to the KeOkuk
locks, ut lower rapids, 'before they
closed for the winter. Just before
we arrived at the head Of the rapids
we pass NauvOO. ILL.,, famous for its
Mormon settlement years ago; here
the prophet Joseph Smith flourished.
There are stir great many Nor
mons in the vicinity. Joseph Smiths
son being one of their leaders at
sort of camp-meeting or conference
held at MOntrose. across the river
from NauvOo. Last summer there
were over 5000 brethren in attend
ance. These Mormons, however, do
not claim to believe In poligamy,
and are at present a thrifty law
abiding people. At Montrose we
employed an extra pilot, to, take us
safely to, the head OF the canal. with
locks distanceOf two or three miles
from Montr,se. This canalhas three
locks. The first at the, head Of the
canal was open. 1t 10 about 40 feet
wide, and ON the Iowa side Of the
river. 1t was huilt between 1858 and
lse5-is twelve miles long, with one
lock at head, one six miles below,
which,. after spassing through. let
our boats down about ten feet. The
last lock is at Keokuk, and here We
dropped down fourteen feet, to the
level OF the river. and floated into
the river, tying, up at Keokuk dock
within 500 feet Of the foot OF the
canal. There is no current. In the
canal. The locks are operated BY
steam power. located in suitable
on the right of the canal.
When approaching we give a signal
OF four whistles, which they answer,
and immediatel: swing open two
large gates reaching to the bottom
OF the canal. Upon entering, these
two gates are closed, and we find
within a space 80 feet wide
and 800 feet long, at the foot of
which are two more such gates.
closed. We tie our fleet up to the
side of the canal in a manner so that
the ropes can be slackned away.
l. ID oR 10,