Iowa news. [volume] (Dubuque, Upper Mississippi Lead Mines, Wisconsin Territory) 1837-1841, 1837-06-10

/ ne people OF this country naasse are inteIl-
gent and enterpiising ;-as sober, kind, friendly,
socaple. as any sgna ......he: &C people &c 10
iound III my of the old states. They are all in-
tent upon making money by the purchase Of gov
eenent lands, and the words section, hal-seetioa,
ana q'drter-sectton, IRE terms as familiar mere as
Iscythe and sickle, in Rockingham during haryes,
land hay making
: ne farmers raise with great ease, swine, horn
ca cattle, sheep, horses aud mules. With but in-
aiHefent ploughing the land yields grass, wheat,
hemp, oats, Indian corn, rye, fax, tobacco, po,a-
toes, pumpkins, aud melons of every description
tAii sorts OF acorns and nuts, except chestnut, a.
pound here the hickory and hazlenut in great a.
bundance OH the uplands, and the delightful pee
Ican in the bottoms On these the swine subsis,
land become very fat, that it is necessary TO feed
ltas. but little, until within q few weeks before
they are slaughtered.
Hickory, blackberry, walnut, ash, elm, locust,
linden. cherry, cotton wood, and the various oaks
abound as the common growth of the forest In
some places there are extensive beds of btuminous
coal.
Indian corn is now worth So 25per barrel, wheat
ST. IS per busl,el, oats % cents, bacon ~ and
beef cents per pound for the long quarters, the
hide and tallow being given as the perquisie Of the
butcher.
We have but few tanners and curriers' in this
region and scarcely any shoemakers. Our boots
and shoes are nearly all brought from the east
The country is better supplied with saddlers. All
workers in iron do profitable business here, as
you may judge from the fact that two dollars is the
price for shooting horse all round, and all other
work i'll the same proportion.
Wagon and carriage makers arc scarce, and
their wages high they get S75 for the wood work
of a large wagon, and $50 for the wood work of a
herse-caft. Good journeymem ofthistrade get $40
pc, motnh in Palmyra. The carpenters and brick
.g<,rs 4 IL
demands for work in their branches Brick are sell
ing at from 7 to dollars from the kiln, and they
charge from SIS to for laying. Journeymen car
pentefs get S2per day and found at Marion city a
few miles from here, and believe throughout the
country. Common day laborers get one dollar per
day and found. Negro men hired here at Christ
mas from $3.50 to $270 per annum. Cabine, work
and household furniture Of every description at a
proportionate high price with every thing else.
The older settled places are well supplied with
mercantile business is neverthe-
less pursued here at much better profit than in Vr-
ginia, although universal credit system embar-
raises it not little.
The farmers ofths country are not making more
money directly from their labor than the farmers of
your country their necessary current expenses |
are considerably higher. The farmer of the Val
Icy, am persuaded, more readily meets his me-
cessary current expenses for the products of his
farm than is done here.--The profit Of the Missou-
Il farmer Is in the increase the ualue Of his lands.
The roads ofthis country are naturally good, for ,
the inost part, but little nothing having been done
to improve them, there are not few bad places
which severely test the strength ofwheel carriages.
vi common schools this region Of the state, in
county places is lamentably destitute. Competent
teachers IF both sexes are generally found in the
vilages. An increased number of this useful class
Of citizens would be promptly encouraged at am
pie wages.
Marion college, few miles from Palmyra is a
1ourishng institution. There are now at the prn-
cipal and preparatory departments Of this scmina-
" l2O students, majority of whom arc studying
in view of entering tho gospel ministry.
Here, as i'll all new countries, there are tissatis-
led emigrants:-some have doubtless judged bad
y in breaking up good establishments TO come here;
others have suffered in their own, in the health
IF their families, and dissatisfied with the cli
nate, while not few with no special objection to
he country, are, with an amiablc amor pafr1a,
ghins for the homo of their youth. The far great
part OF the community however, are satisfied with
he country and contented with their new homes.
MANY persons visit this country, and meeting
With our rude November blasts, whirl about and
eturn without penetrating the cou"try ten miles
rom the Mississippi, and afterwards gravely sit in
Judgment upon the whole state.
The characterof the climate hero ID the objec-
ion most commonly, and perhaps most justly, urg-
ID against the country. II must be conceded 10
70 harsh, as il certainly is most changeable cli-
nate. l. will be found to differ from the climate
# the Valley of Virginia more in tho earlier ap-
'earance of cold in the fall, and its longe contin-
ance in the spring, than in it's positive degree of
old during the winter. Ihaye kept regular ca {
s,lder Of the weather during the winter that has
ust passed, and am therefore able TO speak with
onfdence Of tho temperature during that period.
The average temperature of the month of January
( u O'Clock, A. M, was II degrees above zero,--
( FEBRUARY 3l.--March, 36.
The winter Climate of your valley is subject to
udden variations from cod to heat, and from heat
cold, bu, far less so, conceive, than the climate
{ this country.
The most common diseases here arc bilious, re-
intent and intermittent levers and bowel com.
laints during the summer ard fall, with rheunia-
ism and various pectoral affections during the win
u and spring A. mightbe expected in climate
arsh aud changeabe, the constitution OF valctudi'
arians and feeble persons ID severely tried here.
The healthfulness Of new countries is usually
,attei Of eager enquiry by those who seek TO be
ell informed ~ relation to them stiitisdiicult,
not impossible, to impan correct and specific
icas upon this subject. The health of country
necessarily comparative, for men sicksn and die 4
all regions of the earth, and il isony by compa-
son thai can convey my opinion Of the health
Iness Of this. Do you ask then, sis il as healthy
Indiana or IlliDois?'' answer eyes, about
le same! - But do you ask. stIsit ashealthy as
ockingham?'' answer; ssNo, nor rs any 9th.
part Of Virginia above the water and cas-, Of the
legany mountains. True, many situations may e
selected hero as healthy as many that might be Z
und id that portion Of Virginia, but mean To i
understood generally.
Perhaps much Of tho sickness Of this countrylnay
operly be attributed u the excessive imprudence
the people;- ito the fact of the country being !;
wv, many Of the dwellings recently erected are
ten badly calculated to protect from the inclem-
ICY ofthe weather Yet if all these causes were II
,ated, it is probable that the longer continuance
cold and especially the sudden and paipab)e
,anges Of tho weather here would make this less p
lubrious than, more regular and temperate CT b