The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1847-10-07

or u may DC regarded as one vi the best IL
the State; aud although only ndvsr,ed 10
the settlements along the river, there are
still many other heavy settlements scat.
tered over tho country, particularly ia
the vicinity Of the main road leading from
Fairfield 10 Edd, vile.
Mahdska County, lying iunmcdiniel.
south al Wappell.', may he enumerated us
one ut the best Counties of the Purchase"
Il IN moderaily undulaiing. has u g,r'd soil,
hut prcpondcrance 81 prairie. ih''ugh "
sniiiciency 81 timber lor fencing purposes.
The timber CONSISTS of elm, hickory, Onk,
,nd black walnut. il is waiercd Us the
Dcs Monies, which runs through the south.
western part IL the county, aud on The.
northern by the Skunk and It's tributaries,
as alsoby several inicrior streams, amongst
which ma, be enumerated tho Cedar,
which cinpiies into the Skunk, aud Is u toll
rr.ll. g,psl mill stream, Much-c-ki e.nok
n g'od mill stream the greater pnrt of the
ear, aud Rice, Spring, aud Thunder
Creeks. There IRE several mills IN opera.
iion upon these streams nj the present
time, viz: Cnnsiock's IN Skunk, aud Ben.
edic,'s, u saw mill on Aluchekienok. Mr..
Duncan has an excellent carding n,nchine,
aud Mr.. Duscnbnry saw mill upon The
last mentioned stream. Good springs are
scnrce in this county, but excellent winter
may be obtained by digging Cor il. at IN
nvern 20 depth If 30 feet. A good idea ms
10 the value ofthis county may he inferred
from the fact, that a large portion Of j. WINS
"cl0imed up within "a hours alter permis-
sion was granted To occupy il.
OskGl00sG is the county scat, situated
near the geographical centre and upon
what is called The Narrows. II is So called
from the fact Of its being situated between
the Des Moines and Skunk rivers, md its
proximity to the timber oi these rivers an
either side, which gives il the appearance
IL being locntcd on narrow neck Of land.
Although il is only four yenrs since the
first house was bull, in Oskaioosa, il now
con,nins some GO Or 10 good buildings, u
court lrplss, two hotels, four s,urcs, two
groceries, md several n,echanicnl sh"ps.-
In the vicinity ii tho town, there nrc sumo
well cultivated farms, much better ihnn
me would suppose considering that MnI.
Tour wears have elapsed since The first set.
Elements were mndc. Il is called one hun.
bred miles from Madison To Oskalsm,s,, VII,
the "DIside,""r n"re propcrl, the "Divi
ding Ridge" lie, wccn the Dcs Moncs ANT
Skunk, which begins NJ Churchville, neni
The ,m",,l, 81 the Des Moines, aud continue.
4 Al.
MI, travelled by The Mnrin,ns on their
wa, 10 California, md j. s.non, inpIs IL,
,i,. purchase" with the Mr,nm trace
Oh these people nrre nupn.
Marion County, is situated Immediately
vest IT Maharks, mud i mixed upon ns in
icrinr 10 none IN the ..P.,rch,Se." Il wis
"rgauized on the Isl I'll September, 1915
since when, il has rapid, Increased il,
population. Il Is n wcl-w~.dcd count,
numerous groves of timber, occurring III
Convenient distances t"r agricultural pur.
poses. The soil for the most part j. g,.d
aud capable Of producing excellent craps III
wheat, corn, and aIl the productions ii n
Northern latitude. The lace ni the countr.
Is broken, mud in plnccs even hllIy, though
considerable tracts al level land in,crven.
upon what nrc called the divides" A
remarkable feature of this court. will h.
found in the banks IL all the streams thai
meander through il, they are general. 5.
steep mud abrupt tha. but lew paints can he
found that arc suitable t"r fords; aud hence
j, il M ensy matter NJ The present time 1.
travel through the COUNT. except upon ,hs
public r.mds. BHuininous coal IL excel
leM quality is found in almost all these
banks, rs also large quantities Of sulpi,er
and iron IRE. lnin unable iuiccidc wl,cih
er there nrc nm. either kinds III minerals
tnn tram the conformation 81 tho surface,
am inclined I" think there nre. II Is yer.
certain that me II our company found Il
email piece ~ floating mineral, though W.
could discover tut the nne piece. There nrt
n"n, excellent slime qunrrics 10 I've sneI
with, aud ~ SINE places u kind m nsl
stone, ndsnirabI. calculated tor Mjsct stones
~ accan,ni IL is Stiffness and fine grit.
Several g'sHl streams meandcr through
he c"nni.. rhe Des Aloincs river run,
through, the county in southeast direc
lion, nnd receives rs tributaries Cedar, En-
giish, White Breast, Honey, ind Walnut
Greeks. White Breast md Cedar hive mt
ny branches, aud some of considerable
size. The Nv" latter stre,ms afford MN.
valuable mill sites, though IT the present
time (Aag. I'd, Is17,) the water Is very
l'w. Like almost every either par. Of OUT
State, tho best timber will hc found along
the margin Of rivers. About eight miles
from Knoxville, and bordering upon White
Breast. il n very 6ne body Of iimIer, known
~ the Rich Woods; il is about IL miles II,
extent, mud three in breadth, mud consists,
of nak, white.oak, red-oak. burr onk, linn
black. walnut. buckeye, maple md sng..