Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1917-09-06
COMMUNICATION.
Burlington. Ia. Sept. Z

We are stalled here by rain
and liable to remain for a time.
Your mother desires me to write
you something of our trip and
give you some idea of when we
will reach the Valley. We have
been trying to get started on this
trip for some weeks. At last,
"Wednesday morning, August 20,
found us with your mother and
Mrs. Spry in the auto headed for
somewhere in Iowa, as the boys
say in France. We came by way
of Corning, through the old
French settlement, the Icarian
society, where they lived in COM
munity style. sometimes think
it would he fine for us all to
have one general dining room.
All are scattered now. One of our
first men i'm the factory was of
this society. Our first stop for
the night was Charlton. We de-
cided to get the benefit of the
gypsy life. To do this we leave
he hotel about 5 a. m. each morn
ing, travel two hours, then stop
and cook our breakfast, and you
would be surprised to see how
many people are enjoying vaca-
ton just as we are. We spent our
second afternoon at Fairfield
calling on friends and visiting
Parsons college, a most beauti-
full little college and campus of
about thrifty acres. We find the
country district along here is
badly in need of rain; pastures
almost barren: corn in places
looks fine; only a few places we
found it fired.
Mt. Pleasant was our next stop
for the night. Here we called on
many friends. Were entertained
for lunch at the beautiful coun-
try club, Oakland, on the banks
of the Skunk river. II was not
as offensive as the name implies.
1t sounds little more aristo-
cratic to say "Chautauk" river, so
named by the Indians for a chief
|of the same name. A drive over
| the city and visit to the Wesleyan
college and we move on down the
oldest road i'm the state, the old
Salem road. This was planked
from Charleston to Keokuk.
Goods We're brought to Keokuk by
boat, then by this road to Mount
Pleasant and distributed over the
state in the days Of long ago.
When railroads came this road
was one of the things of the pio-
neer days gone. Along here was
the underground railroad for
transporting slaves. Reaching
Montrose we decided to ferry
across the Mississippi river and
spend the night at Nauvoo, Ill.,,
the historic old Mormon town,
the home of Joseph Smith, and
afterwards of Brigham Young,
before he left for Salt Lake. We
visited the old home of Joseph
Smith, now used as a tool house,
drank from the we'll still in use,
also his first and last mansion.
He was killed before the last was
finished, and was afterwards
completed by his wife's second
husband. Here she lived and
raised her two boys. She was
buried al the first home place of
Joseph Smith, near the house. It
is supposed his body rests be-
side hers, still no stone was ever
erected for him for fear the body
would be stolen. Brigham Young's
home is still in use. The town
and people are old, all living in
thoughts of other days. The next
morning we crossed the river and
drove down the wonderful Iowa
Boulevard, extending from Bur-
lington to Keokuk. The drive is
along this most beautiful river,
sometimes darling off through
he wonderful woods and back to
he river. All Bluff Park we stop
for breakfast. This is resort
, on high bluff overlooking the
river. Mr.. Lisle built the first
cottage here and spent the sum-
mers when he lived in Burlington
and Ft. Madison. We ate break
fast at this old cottage of his.
Moving on we reach Keokuk at
noon. Before we reach there we
pass through a little town called
Lalland, named for Washington
lLalland, the first white child
born in Iowa, and near this place.
After rest in the beautiful Rand
mark wn dpiyo dnx1,n tho horlox,ord