Iowa territorial gazette and advertiser. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa Territory [Iowa]) 1840-1846, 1845-10-11
..ss'' For che Gazette.
Sketches about the New Purchase
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Sketches about the new Purchase
No. L.
a night at M. Pleasant 7sfaanv ,s-Iu;r
| fed Hermitage G,,ors-.4n istcideat q
a Cabin Beautiful country-O skaiooso
rapid gro,cih- Detructiue fire there
! WonderfM log cabia.--ns observation Sc
I. OskALoosA Sept. %, 1916.
| .M. Editor:--Inasmuch as have aban
doned the London correspondence out Thu
year, to Willis, (althongh, by the BY,
think him poor substitute for Che-mo-ko
mon. i may as well give you few
sketches Of men and things in the New
Purchase. On the 9Th OF Sept, l left tn,
busting scenes Of Jefferson street, and pas.
sed the stately walls of the Barrett House,
'snot knowing the things that would befal
me-" Night however came, and found
myself safely domiciled at Tiifany's, lit.
tie after sunset; whatsoever hath not enjoy.
ed the many good things prepared for the
way-iarer, by mine host of the Henry
| House, at Mt. Pleasant, knoweth little
aye very little, of the Injuries that abound
in High Henry that's all. A word more
friend 1. deserves TO be glorified from
the Wabash to the Neutral grounds, for
furnishing his table and his guests with
decent spoons, the real stuff and. no mis-
take; none of your vile German silver
trash, which, when little worn looks as
brassy and green as verdigrees, and about
as poison; | wish there was a statute to
Danish every spurious article of the kind
from Iowa. Give us plain unpretending
Iron spoons farmers and landlords? If YOU
cant afford silver! Then the traveller
knows what he puts in. his mouth; Ger
man silver always reminds me of dem
agogue in politics and canting hypocrite
in religion. The similitude might be ex-
tended ad infaHun. There; Tiffany
have given you a notice unsolicited be-
cause | think you are justly entitled to it.
On the morning Of the 18th, journeyed
on TO Fairfield, nothing of note occurred 10
form an episode into-days ride. j. 80.
Fairfield the l9th.-This morning i
looked about the public square for a few
moments; Fairfield is point of much and
increasing trade, | observe The merchants
here, as in many ether towns in the inte-
rior, have fashion Of christening their
stores with the high sounding names of the
New York, Philadelphia stores, SC. Prob
ably this christening process, m kes their
goods a leetts better. Among others no.
tieed the Burlington store kept by our
former well known fellow townsmen, 1.
Cooper, Esq. was pleased to observe
hn Rnr Ivrrfnv frra - y
reputation among its high sounding cotem-
poraries. ] also took peep into the Land
Office, it reminded me of old times in Bur-
lington to see, again, the same familiar
faces presiding, as they were wont, at the
desks Of. both departments.
Soon after breakfast | took my departure
for the New Purchase, i. e. Oskalcosa,
followed the dividing ridge, between the
Des MoInes and Skunk river timber, and
a finer region of country never beheld,
after leaving Locust Grove in the western
part Of Jefferson Co., the traveller will take
the Prairie, the timber on either hand be-
ing generally IN, sight and varying in dis
lance from 2 to 3 and 5 miles. The road
is excellent and ccntinres SO to the Rae
coon Forks; as good, even for light vehi-
Gle, as the one over which travelled within
the past year, between Liverpool and Lon
don! furthermore had expected to find,
in country SO recently settled, scarcity
of provisions, horse feed, &c., which was
not the fact in single instance. The set
tiers of the New Purchase, as general
thing, have no idea Of frontier life; Of the
sacrifices made, and the hardships endured
by those Of us who were at Burlington 10
years ago and better.
Oskaoosa is called about AZ miles from
Fairfield, but they have tremendous long
miles in the New Purchase. To-day /
met with one of those pleasant little incl
dents that sometimes serve to break in upon
the monotony of long days ride, and
which, if the reader will pardon my d.
gression, will relate, Feeling somewhat
interested, to view the country near the
timber, and little hungry withall struck
in for the edge of the wood directing my
course to cabin / saw in the distance,
after approaching and driving nearly all
around an so acre corn field, / at last dis
covered the lane,, ! drove up and alighted
much to the confusion of rosy checked,
good natured looking lass, who was busily
engaged in the piazza, making pumkin
butter. The old man soon came out and
reckoned had better stop awhile and let
the scritter' eat a, bundle Of sheaf oats as
dinner was about ready { Just in time
thought L. and awaited myself of his
kindness without further ceremony. The
first thing ! observed on entering the house
was ssNewhall's Map Of Iowa" suspended
over the fire place. The old lady was
seated in low rush bottom chair cutting
up pumpkins with her specks half v az
down the bridge Of her nose, tie daughter
was busily engaged preparing dinner, and
big black dog lay under the table giving
divers surIy growls as the flies buzzed
about his ears, after the usual topics Of
conversation entered into by Strangers,
such as the growth 81 the country, health,
SIC. discovered the old man had won
derful curiosity to learn my name, my
whereabouts, &c. Maybe your stranger
in these parts jist looking .'sorter,'' | re-
piled that was aresident Of the Territory,
and had been for many years. Prehaps
you nsought be doctorf No sir, I SIM
ply replied, declining (purposeiy J to help
him long in the matter. He presently
put the direct interrogatory to me, sswall
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