Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1900-08-01
COUNTRY'S GREAT RESORT
PROF. JULIUS sTAcKMAN AT FAMOUS
LAKE chAUTAu0uA.
Spending his Vacation Where Great intellectual
Feasts are to be Had Writes Interestingly Of
tie Place and its Superb Advantages

of the editor | will address this letter 10
you. 1t is the first time during the pasE
ten years That I have asked permission
70 talk to you through It's columns, and
ifords Blu great pleasure 10 present ID
fow items whieli trdst win be Of in
terest aud pr,tit 10 all.
| eft HlrmnRy. Minnesota, early on
the morning of the 5th of July, arrived
in Chicago at 10 p IN, boarded the fast
mail ON the Lake Shore a. Michigan
Southern at 3 o'clock on the following
morning and sped along ut the rate of
forty or fifty miles per hour and arrived
at Brockton, N, Y, ut 3;45 in the after
noon. Here / waited nearly an hour
and n half for train, end while waiting
| noticed an immense load of grape bas-
kets piled on a heavy truck wagon pass
by to an empty freight car. My curiosity
was aroused, so | proceeded to this Car
where two men were in readiness to
assist in unloading the baskets, and
asked the driver of the team (who hap
pened TO be the proprietor of grape
basket factory if there were not great
many grapes raised in the locality. |
had noticed while riding on the train
that for thirty or forty miles could see
scarcely any other growing crops, with
now and then a good apple orchard. He
answered. Yes, this is the greatest
grape producing locality in New York
and the entire eastern country. For
miles and miles along Lake Erie farmers
raise in the main nothing but grapes,
and it is no uncommon thing for many
a farmer to cultivate from 10 TO 100 acres
and one farmer has, in good growing
condition, 120 acres / said, "You
must ship them ont by the train-load,
Yes; one year we shipped out from this
grape belt along Lake Erie. forty four
hundred car-lords, with about 2,7O0 bas-
kets in each cal. each basket containing
from to pounds. This understood
him to say was four or five years ago. 1t
costs about cents to make one of these
baskets material and all We have often
wondered out in Wisconsin and Mime
sofa Low one of these baskets filed with
delicious clusters of this healthful fruit
could be sold by the retailers from l2i
to 25 cents per basket. But when this
gentleman told me that farmers consider
from to 10 cents fair price, delivered
at the market place, / could readily
understand, as they raise from to B
tons to the acre in an ordinary season
and more when they have an extra good
crop.
TIE next train came along in due time
and before six o'clock we were at the
beautiful and noted Chautauqua lake
A ride of three miles on n steamboat
from Mayyille. landed us on the assembly
grounds. where 80 many thousand people
have congregated year after year for a
quarter of century, and where nearly
every orator, statesman philosopher,
- as4 kaa ha1 h hay
part to perform. Lake Chautauqua In
about ~ miles in length and from to 3
in width. The water is fresh and coal,
| made up largely frola springs ] navs
not made inquiries in regard to the
depth. but good sized steamboats, travei
ali over the lake. 1t is located in the
southwestern part of New York, within
IS miles of Lake Erie and about three
hours ride from Niagara Falls. Chau.
taulua IL iigtie city of perhaps /, 500
or 2. 900 population and is located near
the northern end of the lake. There are
no commercial indt stries excepting q
number Of stores postoffice, ETC. sub
sfantial water works aud elecpric i Shts
are among the modern improvements
The plot oi ground on which this little
city rests, with the tine grove contains
1856 acres. tie greater portion being COW
cred with fue growth of trees. Near
lv all of them are good sized naples, and
in my Judgment would make iino ma
pie sugar bush The trees are thrifty
and vigorous aud show no signs of decay
as is so common in Vernon county.
Among these trees are found goodly
number of beach, few birch and hem
lock and number of chestnut. Among
these beautiful trees are built the greater
number of cottages, varying in size and
ornamentation, so nearly every house
and cottage is nicely shaded. and many
people from every state in the Union
come annually TO spend the warm sum
mer months. And what do they come
here for2' may be asked by many who
are not familiar with this modern way
of spending summer vacation.
About twenty five years ago Bishop
John H. Vincent Of New York, and
Lewis H. Miller of Akron, Ohio, met
here to take part in the annual Metho-
dist campmeeting, and while here they
be-. an to lay the foundation upon which
has grown this great Chautauqua move
ment, now all over the land. The first
years of this organization were devoted
principally TO the normal training Of
Sunday school teachers and superin-
tendents 80 rs to better fit and prepare
them for their arduous duties. New
features were added every year, Lect-
urers were employed and the assembly
soon began TO take on an undenomina
tional aspect, and now there are head
quarters on these grounds for all the
evangelical denominations. The educa-
tional interests from a secular standpoint
were duly considered and added to the
interests Of the large throng of humanity
who come here each year to spend u
month or more Then the large amphi-
| theatre, seating nearly five thousand
people. was built and around this mann
moth auditorium cluster many bright
| and happy memories. Many soul has
| been thrilled and many heart stirred
| by the eloquence and logic of the bright
! array of talent that has mad posr sssiOn
, of its platform. Lectures sermons, con
| certs both sacred and secular, dramatic
readings of different authors and writers,
| illustrated lectures, old fashioned spell
| ing schools, pronunciation matches,
| gymnastic performances by college boys
| from Yale and Harvard which remind
| one of the performances which we see
| at our great shows, but which in them
| selves are calculated to develope physi-
! cal strength and muscle-all these are TO
| be seen and heard in this great building.
But / must be brief Each year adds to
| the already large number Of visitors,
and this year finds more than ever. No
matter how much any one may know,
even ''sheepskin" from Yale or Har-
ward. il of no avail more can be learned
| here. The best teachers in the country
! are employed and the sciences, mathe-