Weekly miners' express. (DuBuque, Iowa) 184?-1849, 1848-11-07
From the Jackson County Democrat.
JACKSON COUNTY. III y


nent position in an agricultural and manu-
featuring point Of view. The soil is Of
the first quality, with as good, or better,
proportion Of timber than any county in
the State. 1t has over one hundred and
fifty good mill sites on the various streams
which pass through it. On these streams
there are now in operation, or being con-
structed, mills Of every description need
ed by farming or commercial commune
,y. Mill Creek, that empties into the
Mississippi at the county seat, Bellevue,
has one merchant mill, built at cost Of
some sixteen thousand dollars. There is
a good grist mill on Stukey's Creek, a
saw and grist mill on Farmers; Creek,
two saw mills on the north fork Of the
Maquokela river, and two more will be
completed this fall two saw mills and
one grist mill on Brush Creek, and one
other now being built ;-Henry Creek
has one grist mill and one saw mill; the
South Fork. at Lowell, has a saw mill,
woollen factory, and grist mill nearly
completed. This is fine water power,
owned by cnterprising men, and now pre-
sents more Of the appearance Of manu-
featuring city than did Lowell, in Massa-
chusetts, a few yearssince. Three miles
above, on the same stream. is another saw
mill doing good business, having on one
side body of fine timber, from three 70
ten miles wide, and twenty miles long
on the other, as handsome and fertile a
prairie as the state can boast Of, settled
by men who work-consequenlly, our
readers know :hey are virtuous.s and in
telligent, and have good farms and all the
comforts o:~tife, which any honest man
may have if he will improve the fine
prairies Of Iowa. On this stream is the
town Of Canton. Here the first mill erect
ed in the county was built. 1t is good
water power. There is now in operation
there saw mill, grist mill, carding ma
chine, and we believe some other machi-
merry. This place, too, is contiguous to a
good body of timber, and quite large a.
noun. of lumber is yearly run TO the
Mississippi.
Taking passage on raft, we seat our
selves quietly on walnut plank, with
our feet on bunch ofoak shingles, bound
for Sabula. After run ola few miles
we land at the mouth Of Mineral Creek.
To enjoy The Inequalities of our RATS
crew, fire is struck; Jim sets about ba-
king bread, and making coffee by the fire,
at huge oak log, while Joe, with his ri
fie, starts up the bottom for venison or
turkey, or some other fine game which
this county affords. The rest remain a.
round enjoying the quick repartees and
keen sallles Of wit for which Maquoketa
raltsmen are celebrated. Great times
these. Just at this moment -Jim's rifle
cracked. There's deer, for he's CEN
tire shot, said one; but our conversation
was interrupted by Jim, putting and blow
ing, covered with sweat, clothes torn, and
countenance the perfect picture of ankle
ty and exhaustion. 4 killed-a--buck-
Neutrality-suspicious. locked-kiled one
tried to cut the throat Of the other, but
he would not hold still--scuffled with him
he was too much Of a man for me--had
to quit--left them both up the bottom,
near mineral hole.' Gen. Tavlor's e.
lection will not more surprise and delight
the wings, than we were with Jim's story.
| thought it hoax; but off we started
some with rifles, others with axes, spikes,
knives, &C.; our cook declared he would
not 60 till his coffee was ready. A few
hundred yards travel brought US to the
spot described. Sure enough, there we're
two fine bucks, their horns completely
locked, to use hunters phrase; one with
a ball hole in his head, lifeless, and hold
ing the others head down to the ground
! tried to have some Of the men cut his
throat, but they we're too well acquainted
with the strength Of full-grown buck,
and shot him through the heart. Jim
wanted to keep the heads in as good order
as they could be-, to send 10 museum.
We took them of, put them on tho front
Of the raft, as afgure-head. This roast
ing. yenison by campfire, surrounded
by such fine set Of fellows as our RATS
crew, Is q very pleasant and amusing bu-
siness. No wonder that frontier men
prefer the free and easy mode Of life they
live to the more restrained society Of the
older States, called good and polite com
pany. lam beginning to think that hap.
piness can be found as we'll on the broad
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