The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1843-09-10
Iowa..
lCouesaondsnee of the Herald.1


City Cultivation of Editor, Murine and Fossil
Productions, once cousred ,oith the Dean
J. G. BENNETT, ESQ -
DEAR SIR
have been spending week at this beautiful
place, and now, on review, fad that my time is
not misspent. When l first landed here from the
stage, walked down Broadway to the Park, 4"
saw the Mechanics Institute and churches, and re.
turned back across the Square and saw the State
House | thought there was nothing more to be
seen here than in New York city, but before had
been here three days, discovered that although
your city contains much that is human, this here
abous" embraces natures field OF observation.
This is to be the seat of government for the new
State OF lowa-a very central location, which il
likely to be as permanent as that of any other State
It is situated on the east side of Iowa River, on
beautiful elevation, with valley of rich unduating
prairie on The south and east, large grove ON the
north and northwest OF the finest oaks, walnut,
hick DRY, Nc, that / ever saw What a glorious
place uld this be to supply navy yard with ship
TIMBER But it serves the farmer rs "migh,y well''
for rail timber, and the black aud white walnut
makes fine finish for houses. Here are good brick
at S3 per 1000, ard the best of lime is made within
the town Oak and walnut lumber is worth SIS per
1000 Here also good building stone. 1t is
whitsh limestone, obtained in large blocks six miles
up the river of which the State House is built, in.
ste sd OF Iowa City MARBLE, is frequently mott
ced IN the papers Here is found within the town
the most b"au,iful specimen of marble ever the eye
beheld l. is frequently called Birdseye Marble,
from It's resemblance to birdseye maple, or much
closer resemblance to the brdseye itself 1t is viii.
fish, with the dark spots thicklv spatered over 1t
Is found only IN pieces the largest about one foot
in diameter. 1t Is much used Tor heads to canes,
which will soon be seen in the east and south,
beautiful specimen OF Iowa marble.
The road from Bloomington to Iowa City, is 81
mics, over dry rolling prairie most of the way /;
three miles from b it is hin oak openlngs-ten miles
o Cedar River, stream about the size of the Con-
nectcut, skrted with grove of nile in width
eighteen miles to the Wapsinonock Greek. is a
beautiful grove and fine prairie, where The Friend
Quakers have " caused the wilderness to blossom -
Uuimproved land is worth from So TO $4 per acre
The settler who comes here in the spring, builds his
log cabin, splits his rais, ploughs an acre cr Two in
a hazlepa,ch, where he can make his garden or
raise great crop Of any thing; then. June, with
four pairs OF oxen and prairie plough of enormous
dimensions, with shear aud coure share az II
scythe, turns very thin furrow, % inches broad,
and from two to three acres per day. This is MOI
fit for crop the first year-the second it produces
fair crop-and the third, the old tough prairie turf
becomes pulverized, and then the soil is perfec'.
Contrast this with the settler who settles in the
heavy forest 1t is the labor of mans lite to put
in good cultivation farm in the forest.
On approaching Iowa City the east, most
picturesque view was before me. was on an ee-
walton, two miles distant, in the open prairie The
town is in the oak opeDings-the large stone State
house towering above the trees-the red brick and
wildwood buildings peerng through their green
foliage. with the green prairie grass beneath, aud
the wild country in every dlrectlnn, ives truly mag
ni6cent. The town contains 1000 inhabitants |
should think they were very orderly people
felt myself more safe and secure from PERSONAL arm
here, Than any place ever IN, because they
have tUrued their attention 10 whipping editors
was told that there had been three democrats anr
M III fyvI w Nh ~
nobody tor this, and suppose there is no, an editor
in the nation, except ct the New York Herald, who
does not occasionally itch on the back and head
This is pretty well Tor new town Of four years'
growth 1t is cultivatng editors to edrairaron, and
think II they do not produce good fruit after this,
it is no fault OF the ople.
| have too long omitted the all important subecl
OF the health OF the country. 1t is often The first
inquiry ut the Edst-and true, ii is far from being
one OF the least importance We are subject to
ague here, but II does not continue as long and se.
we're as II does in Indiana, Ohio, or Western New
York The most fatal and prevalent disease is the
bilious 1ever. When town is new, for three or
four OF the first seasons, il is very severe, and most
Of the settlers, both in town and country, have an
attack but after the brush and grass and WEE DIS are
removed, and the streets made. or the fields are
cultivated the country becomes quite as healthy as
the average OF the United States. Here are no
local causes OF dsess" but little svampy or wet land
The bilious fever is easily controlled BY medical aid
Pulmonary affections seldom known and it is
ed to health. The greatest fatality which have
known in one year. OF adults, is seven out of one
hundred. The past year, at Bloomington, it has not
been one in one hundred. Ii is much more fatal
with small children.
The stone of which the State House at Iowa CITY
is built, 10 almost entirely composed of marine
shells; some OF them in perfect shape but the most
90. il is a mass OF shells ds fine as if pounded cem.n.
ted into rock as solid and permanent as the noun
tsins In the Mississippi Bluffs OF sand stone near
Bloomington, have aeen many fossil productions;
one which particularly struck my notice was that of
tree Oi very peculiar appe arapce, and which il
,ow extinct from the earth. The outside OF the
ree was entirely covered with spots in dagoua
rows, similar to that OF a pineapple. To fad tn.
products OF the ocean IN the interior OF this vasi
continent leads the mind 10 sublime r. A. ctions -
rhe great variety of these productlons the peculiar
'venness OF the face OF The country, the very sigh,
valleys which these st rivers have made, are the
true evidences that this great plain was once CO
verei with ocean. But what great cause ha.
made his dry land to appear" will not attempt
10 conjecture. IL has been attempted TO show by
some writers, that his section was once a grea
lake, the southern bound OF which was at Grand
Tour, few miles below st. LOUIS, which barrier
mas been broken through where this majestic river
flows. But the altitude oi this country increa
ses from the Gull ot Mexico TO the Falls OF st An.
lhony. The river descends from three to six inches
per mile a d The bluffs near the falls much high
than at Grand Tour. Again IL IS said that thes.
,ains Of grass evidences that this country was
cove red with water at no very remote period Else
Why not a growth of timber, since the soil and IN,
climate are go well adapted TO III would answer
this question by asking anoter-Dii the AlmIsht,
first plant this country with a forest, ar fl Id o
grass, a single seed OF each II snsi- plant Of
each were upon his continent. how much more I'd
Did would lhe grass spread than the tree The
burning of The prarics Is all that prevents growth
OF tim er from sprnging up every twenty years. Il
is PLAN TO me that this whole continent was frsl
covered with erase but the side bills the hill ops
and the mountains of the east, did not produce
nouch TO raise fire OF sufficient heat to xii the
shrubs aud bushes, which are everywhere spring
ing up here when the fire is kept out. la couciu-
sion, can only say, that the appearance Of this
country indicates, that since the foundation OF This
world the ocean was over the face of this land, and
that in day OF Natures greatest quistude and
unity, the waters retired and LETT the dry land IN lie
present perfect uuiformity-the fountains have
formed their issues and the brooks and streams as
semblr aud march off in direct and uniform pace
TO their mother ocean. Respectfully your,
Iowa