The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-09-01
DELls OF The WIS.
A Party of Twin City soribes Visit
the Wonderful Rocky Gorge
VI. at Kilbourn, Wis.
Taken in a Special Coach to the Mar
velous Spot on the Milwau-
KEGS Pioneer Limited.

The Nokomis, beautiful special coach
attached to the Pioneer Limited on the
Milwaukee road Saturday evening carried
jolly party Of twin city newspaper men
and their wives as the guests OF w. 3.
Dixon, northwestern passenger agent OF
the road. Their destination was the IA
nous Dells of the Wisconsin river and
Mr.. Dixon, with his assistant, Joseph
Caldwell. chief clerk, had made every ar
rangenent for their comfort and enjoy
ment.
The Dells of Wisconsin, which extend
for two miles below and four miles above
the pretty little city Of Kilbourn, Wis,
are most wonderful and picturesque
formation, equally interesting to the
scientist and traveller. The narrow rocky
gorge has been eaten deep into the an
cient strata, called by the. biologists
Potsdam sandstone, by the rushing wa
ters Of the Wisconsin, How many ages
it has taken the water to accomplish it's
wonderful work is a question over which
the wis men of science differ, but Ger
tainly 1t took many long years for the
stream to carve out its rocky bed, even
though it must formerly have been much
larger river than now The water In
finding out the softer parts of the sand
stone has carved many picturesque freaks
that have been fancifully named by the
early settlers and by the Black Hawk In
dams, who from the earliest times made
their headquarters here. The Indians
have cast the glamour of legend and his
tory over the place, making it's romantic
side quite as interesting as its scientific
and picturesque sides. Naturally the Dells
are a mecca for the amateur photog-
rapher, who finds material for his lens
| in endless variety.
A company has been formed to control
the entire stretch Of country along the
Dells and so well has it managed that al
| Sl.s hox
been taken through that six miles OF
changing wonders. There Is a large stern
wheel steamer which runs to the upper
| Dells and expert guides and bOatmen are
furnished who take the visitor to a closer
view Of the caves and gulches. Nat Wet
eel, president and general manager OF the
Dells company, acted as cicerone for the
newspaper men and saw that nothing was
overlooked. Starting by the launch Wis
consin the Lower Dells were first visited
and then came the trip through the Up
per Dells by steamer Apollo to the
Witch's Gulch. The party went through
the wonderful gulch, long cleft In the
flows into the Wisconsin and visited
Standing Rock The party then returned
to the Larks hotel for dinner. Next came
the trip through Cold Water canyon tt
Artists Glen, back to the hotel and the1
to the Navy Yard and Skylight Cave. The
return to Kilbourn was by guide boats
visiting en- route the Old Dells House
Chapel Gorge and Romance Cliff. The da!
was wound up with six-mile drive
through the surrounding country and
view of a. gorgeous sunset from tn
Points.
The visitors then retired to their berth
in the Nokomis, which was picked up b,
the. Pioneer Limited after midnight an
reached the twin cities this morning. !
was delightful trip and one easily with
In the reach of Minneapolitans. Indeed
it is matter Of surprise that the Wis
consin Dells are not more frequently Wis
tied by Minneapolis people. e. -,