The Republican journal., 1900-01-25
A Visit to the Mississippi Valley.
fCorrespondence Of The Journal

fCorres pondeuce Of The Journal
ST Louis, Mo-. Dec. 30, 1890 Know
ing that the readers OF The journal have
friends and kindred in the West venture
, to send word concerning nay impressions
gained in visit to the Mississippi Valley.
] left Boston Thursday, Dec. l4th, aud
went to Chicago over the Fitchburg, West
Shore and Michigan southern Lines. The
ride through the Berkshire hills and
HOosac Tunnel was enlivened by the ge-
NAL company of well known Waldo
county gentleman, the Hon A. f. Nick
erson of Swanvile.
Chicago is the same huge, overgrowp,
dirty, yet nervous and busy place, that /
saw six years ago. Navigation is now
closed on the lakes and the huge steamers
are drawn up at the docks like bears in
winter quarters. | did not remain in
Chicago. but went to Madison, the capital
of Wisconsin, where | remained ten days.
This is one of the most beautiful places
in the west. The city crowns a ridge of
land which rises between two lakes, the
narrowest part but little over half a mile
wide. There is consequently great deal
of ground from which the water can be
seen, and this is largely taken for resi-
dences. The place numbers about Is GGG.
Here is located, beside tie State capitol,
tile University of Wisconsin, where over
/ ! mn
one of the most progressive and thorough
institutions of learning in the west 1t
has courses in law, pharmacy, engineer
ing, dairying and agriculture, besides the
regular academic department. 1t is CO.
educational. | met one young lady from
Massachusetts, who had come to Madison
for her college course. Many New Eng
land people live here, among them Hon.
&. l.. Storer, who left Portland 80 years
ago, now retired, and the family of Prof
Allen, well known by his Latin text books
! and brother of the late Dr. Joseph Henry
Allen of Cambridge. Mrs. Allen came
from Newouryport, Mass. Prof. Allen
filed the chair of history in the Univer-
sity for many years and his ripe and
thorough scholarship helped to place the
institution on its present high level.
The State Library of Wisconsin is one
of the most remarkable and valuable his
torical collections in this country, and is
specially rich in histories and documents
relating to the west. A fine new building
of Bedford granite, where this collection
will find permanent home, is nearly
completed.
Through the kindness of Hon. Geo. Bur-
rows | attended the dinner of those who
came from New England, their children
and wives, held on Forefathers' Day at
the Capitol Hotel. 1t was interesting to
| observe how the speakers blended their
love OF the Old home in the east with the
most sincere attachment to the new scenes
i'll which their lot is cast The celebrated
musician Ole Bull married Madison lady
and lived there for some years. His
nephew, Prof. Storm Bull is now in the
University. Mrs. Winnie Ream Hoxie,
the sculptor, lived here She will be re-
membered as the author of the statues of
Lincoln and Farragut which stand in the
city Of Washington.
The State Museum contains many in
teresting relics, both of the State and of
other places. Here are to be seen an old
batteau such as the fur traders used long
ago; also many copper axes, nails, knives,
ETC., from the shores of Lake Superior,
reminders of race whose name and his
tory no man knows. Old Abe, the Wis
consin war eagle, is here, and many me-
mentoes which tell of the important part
played by Wisconsin soldiers in the great
war. Here, too, is the carriage owned
by Daniel Webster, sitting in which I
tried in vain to imagine myself the great
''expounder of the constitution" Most
noteworthy was collection of objects
brought in from the great cyclone which
visited the town of New Richmond last
June and killed 100 persons. A block of
wood Is inches in diameter had piece
of the iron frame of bed driven half way
through it. A bar of iron feet long and
two inches wide by one thick was carried
across a river and embedded in tree SO
far that it could not be removed. was
told by the Hon. Robert LaFallete, for
merly member of Congress from this dis