The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1920-10-22
SESSIONS EDUCATORS BADGER STATE TRAVE[SF
Rev. j. NJ. Balm Tells Of bellies
And Many Other Interest
Ing Things 3

Endeavor, Wis, October Is 1920
To The Free Press: II is but natural
for we home people wnen on vaca-
ton to communicate scenes and events
that appeal to US as worthy Of public
notice
| The first place Of special interest
after entering Wisconsin and passing
through the western fifty miles where
we could see enroute the United
States cavalry, camp and military
camp Douglas with many gigantic
sandstone rock. rising like great cast
les here and there on the park pine
plains was the celebrated bellies Of
Wisconsin. - '
These Delles formed by the waters of
the Wisconsin river compressed be-
tween walls OF Potsdam rock for q
distance OF four miles with an average
width Of 100 feet and al one place but
fifty two foet OF great depth. The
rock walls on either side are carved
by waters of many centuries into
grotesQue shapes Of marvellous beau
ty. Near the head OF the Delfes the
Kilbourn city power plant furnished
light and power clear across the state.
Eighteen miles farther on Postage
city 10 located between the Fox and
rivers, but one mile apart.
- One Of these rivers flows southwest
into the Mississippi river and the
other flows northeast into Green Bay.
There 248 years ago Father Marquette
and Louis Joliet discovered the Wis
consin at this point. While there
Father Marquette in the Introductory
Of his address before large Indian
council said: my companions Joliet
is commissioned by the king Of France
to claim territory in his name while
l am an ambassador or the Lord Jesus
Christie bring the Bible to you. That
tells Of q saviour you need"
Here Rev. Charles 8. Thompson, 8.
years was the beloved secretary OF
home mission of the Presbyterian
church. -, q
General Winfield Scott had his
headquarters here during the Black
Nawk' war, having In his command
Abraham Lincoln and Jefferson Davis
as captains Twelve miles out In the
country from here is the Muir home-s
stead where John Muir, the noted
scientist and explorer lived from the
age Of twelve to his majority.
The Muir and Balm families emil
granted from Scotland In the year 1850
and settled near each other in what
was then called 1.-THE Indian Sand"
before surveyed by the government
Mr. Muir's last book my Boyhood
Days" gives graffic account Of our
pioneer days there showing the battle
Dor bread and education many OF us
experienced
A few miles farther north your
missionary organized and cared for
rural Sunday school in the center
of a. large rural district until It deve-
Hoped into the Greenwood church with
good membership and fine church
building, At the dedication of this
by grove where around rustic table
church dinner was served In a near
seventy feet long the entire congre-
cation gathered.
Our next stop where I write is En-
deavor on Buffalo Lake In the town
ship Of Moundsville, SO called because
Of many Indian mounds, found along
I the lake between the towns of En-
deavor, Packwaukee and Montello.
This part of the state abounds with
pre- historic relics OF ancient inhab-
itants SO favored by nature for the
abode of man and is, now q most de-
sirable place for recreation and his
! toric review. y
| Within the limits of Montello one Of
the finest granite Quarries ID worked
and at Endeavor Is a growing acade-
mey belonging to the Congregational
church-Yours most sincerely, J. NJ
Balm.