Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1849-12-07

"The State of Iowa, whether viewed
in reference to the variety and excellence
of its agricultural productions, its vast
mineral wealth, its OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
cial facilities, the happy combination OF
prairie and woodland to the wants and
convenienccs Of the farmer, in a word
viewed in its whole physical aspect, il
combines as many requisites for human
enterprise as are developed in any region
of country of the same extent on the
face of the globe. The country ceded
to the U S. by the last treaty, known as the
aNew Purchase embraces some l5,-
| 600 900 of acres of land. 1t is proba.
lbly the most desirable region Of country
ever obtained by the nation, either by
treaty or conquest. Il is well watered
and timbered, possessing abundant mill
power, and is settling up with a rapidity
scarcely paraleIled in the annals of histo-
ry."
Congress has appropriated 81 500, 600
for the improvement of the Des MONIES
river. This improvement will consist In
the erection of twenty five cut stone dams
with locks, rendering this river navigable
for STEAMBOATS, as far up as Fort Des
Moines at all seasons, except when no.
zen. Each dam will support ii 4-l2
feet head Of water, thereby creating a
water power at each dam unsurpassed
by any in the u. S. II is 202 miles
| from the mouth TO Fort Des Moines.-
| The Des Moines river is as large as the
Connecticut. Anv one acquainted with
the Connecticut river will readily per-
ceive the very great advantage the south
ern part ofIowa possesses oyeralInostany
other portion of the United States. The
land on the Des Moines is heavily tim
bered with white and red oak, white and
black walnut, which grows to an i'm
mense size, some maple, wild cherry,
linn, elm, and cotton wood. The banks
of this river, and nearly all its tributaries,
abound in coal of good quality. There
are numerous large quarries of the best
kind OF stone for building purposes,
which is easily quarried with the crow
bar, requiring no blasting. The very
best clay in abundance, from which they
are already, and have been for some few
wears past, making brick of the best quail
| ity. The soil is rich ana from two TO
four feet deep; is capable of yielding from
so to 100 bushels Of corn, 80 TO 30
bushels Of wheat, so to 70 bushels OF
oats; and in fact all kinds of produce
raised in the northern states may be rails
ed here in greatest abundance, without
manure, and with half the labor it re-
quires in the New England States. 1t is
capital country for stock of all kinds.
In travelling through this country you
will see as good horses, oxen, cows,
sheep and hogs, as any of your New
England farmers can boast of.
There seems to be greater attention
paid here by the public to the subject OF
temperance and morality than in many
of the old States. saw but three per-
sons inebriated during my stay in Iowa,
being four weeks. There is but little
criminal business for the courts. The
good people of Iowa have reason to be
proud of the jealous efforts to establish
the best method of conducting their pub
lie schools, which they expect 10 accom-
plish in adopting the Union school system.
The State pays higher salary to the SUI
periniendent of Public Instruction than
to the Governor. Col. L. Ii. Benton
Jr., the Superintendent of Public In
s'ruction, is gentleman and scholar
well qualified for the discharge OF the
duties of his office. | went to Mount
Pleasant, the county seat of Henry coun-
ty, distan. So miles. 1t is new but
pleasant little village, where they have a
public ard private academy, brick
court house, two hotels, and several
stores.
Thence to Fairfield, the county seat
of Jefferson county, distant % miles,
Fairfield is decidedly a fair town, and
bids fair to keep fairly above medloc.
rity. II contains a population of 500
inhabitants. They have pualic square
in the centre of the town, decorated with
locust trees, enclosed by good fence,
with clean gravel walks running through
it, instead Of great court house awk-
wardly and ungraciously occupying it.
ucy dFC cIeCllLS d DiiSn Souit iouoC ~
the suburb of the towD. The place con-
tains eight sto res, two hotels. seven ply
sicians, and about as many lawyers. 1t
is situated in an extensive prairie, in
what is called the great divide, between
the Mississippi and Missouri rivers,
meaning by the divide succession OF
praries without being intercepted by
woodland.
From Fairfield wentto Oltumwa on
the Des Moines river, distant 81 miles.
Ottumwa is new and ffourishing town,
being only 5 to 2 years since 1t was an
Indian wigwam, now containing a popu-
lalion of to 600 inhabitants. Olldm-
wa, from It's being situated upon the Des
Moines river, the county seat of Wapel-
la county, and It's being in the centre OF
one of the best farming counties in the
State, | think it will become business
place of considerable notoriety. They
have already eight stores, saw and
grist mill, besides various other kinds OF
business are carried on there advantage
ously. The society is good. They