900 M. ELKHART, Pop. 24,277.
(Train 3 passes 5:00; No. 41, 10:05; No. 25, 7:21; No. 19, 1:10. Eastbound: No. 6 passes at 12:50; No. 26, 2:45; No. 16, 4:10; No. 22, 8:15.)
Elkhart, originally "Elkheart" (the translation of an Indian word), is so named by the Indians from the shape of an island, near the centre of the city, formed by the junction of the two rivers, the St. Joe and the Elkhart, which make many turns and windings here. There are several parks, in one of which, McNaughton Park, a Chautauqua assembly is held annually.
La Salle (1643-1687)
René Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle, was born at Rouen, France, and began his explorations from Montreal in 1669. Discovering the Ohio River, he travelled down possibly as far as (its?) junction with the Mississippi and then returned. The winter of 1679 La Salle passed at a post above Niagra Falls, where he built his famous (ship?), the "Griffin," in which he sailed the Great Lakes to Lake Michigan, (and?) which he sent back laden with (furs?) in the hope of satisfying the loans of his creditors, while he himself proceeded westward. In 1682, (after?) many adventures, he floated down (to?) the mouth of the Mississippi, where he erected a monument and cross, took possession of the region in the name of Louis XIV and named it Louisiana. When he returned there two years (later?) with four vessels he mistook the waters of Matagorda Bay, in the present state of Texas, for the mouth of a branch of the Mississippi and landed there. Fruitlessly wandering through the wilderness in search of the Mississippi River, the Illinois country and Canada, he was killed by his followers in March, 1687.
Elkhart is a city of factories. Band instruments, furniture, telephone supplies, drugs, carriages, and many other products are included among its manufactures, which have an annual value of more than $15,000,000. Two Mennonite papers are published here.