The miners' express. (Dubuque, Iowa) 1849-1854, 1849-12-12
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OUAuAhS'
We copy the following letter from The Chi
oago Dollar Newspaper. It is from o,,r fair con
tr'butor, ELLA; and, of course, will bs read with
interest
Dubuque, Iowa, Nov, Id. le4o.
DEAR DOLLAR: Yours of the 10Th Is lnv;no
before me on the desk. Its familiar face l. n
ways welcome. Since wrote you last. + have
been residing in this western paradise-bvmv
calling this place paradise, you probably think
have very elevated idea of that spot but
if it is not the exact location of that glorious
land it is the next thing to it. To be sure there
are spots which dim its brightness, but they are
few. In appearance il improves daily, buildings
are continually being erected which add beauty
and utility to its pleasant street. l saw by ons
of the papers Uollar) that Nj. Editor had
been in Dubuque. If you, Mr.. Editor, came
here and only remained two or three hours, you
know little about the beauty of this desirable
location If you did not climb every bluff with
IN three miles, down the river and two miles up,
and those bluffs in the rear of the town, you saw
but little of the place If YOU did not breathe
the fresh beeze from the summit Of the Hipt-
land you can hardly appreciate the purity of our
atmosphere, or do justice to our hcalthft,l eli
mate.
Our Indian summer is trying very hard to
usher in the new year, and there is fair pros
pact she may succeed if the weather does not
change, (of coursc). She has stolen many u
blush from the gay matron before her, and rob-
bed her brow of many wreath, and with ruth.
less hand scattered the faded Aowrcts to the Au-
tumn winds But with all her havoc she has
lett the messy carpet untouched upon our yer.
dent hillside, and kept her cooling fingers from
the lite OF streams, and on, our noble rveris still
pursuing her way unfettered by the icy bond.
| have endeavored to ascertain some facts rcl-A
atlve to the geological postson of the country.
IN relation to the rocks constituting the greater
part OF our bluffs l perceive, by close examina-
ton, they are utterly unfit for building, being
easily acted upon by the atmosphere. Also an.
other agent has had great effect upon the sur
race OF the rocks, 1t is the action of oxalic
acid disengaged from dccaying moses, which
pertorates the solid rock causing it to assume
the appearance of being worm-eaten. l am in
debted to Dr. A. Horr for this information. He
has paid great attention to the subject, and has
fine cabinet Of specimens.
The great staple article of this part of the
world seems to be lcad. Every few DAYS the
news is brought to town new lead has been
struck, and some poor laborer is hurried into the
possession of wealth beyond his most dazzling
dream.
Money is plenty, none of your rag currency,
but the simon pure silver and gold If they had
a museum here, probably paper money would
be exhibited as one Of the strangest specimens
1t contained. Such an article can hardly make
its appearance here without being suspected,
and examined, aud turned over, until it is almost
worn out.
In regard to political matters l can give you
but little information. know there are three
papers published here: The Miners Express
IS an ably edited Sheet by DR.. Holt, and is dem
ocratic. The Tribune, by Wood, is wing. The
Telegraph, by McCraney, is between the two
or else a little higher up Main street, hardly
know which.
pondents should be noticed. There are some
very good contributors for the press here, among
whom is Wafer and Muscatne for the Ex-
press; Hudson for the Telegraph and last,
not least, Hermit for both papers. Some time
l will send you some of his articles and you may
think it worth while to secure him as cores
pendent.
There are great many changes taking place
here now, in the shape of hands and hearts. A
wedding comes off almost every day. 1t seems
as though perfect mania had seized upon the
sons and daughters of the Emcruld Isle, for it
is mostly among them that these things occur.
Sometimes when the malady is raging most, it
carries a native off, but this is rare.
| Death sometimes bears one from our midst,
but his victims are generally among those ripe
for the Tomb and glad to 60 to place Of rest
or else ne comes with mercitul hand to the IN
FAINT idol of some mothers heart, taking it back
to its deserted band, round the throne Of match
less Deity. o! were it not better to be snatch
ed from earth before the dew of truth is dried
from off the beauteous petals of the unfolding
spirit--and its fair page is blottcd by lines Of
desecrating sin. WILD KATE has faded with
the Autumn leaf and stand as her representa-
tive and wishing you prosperity l am
Rcsp't your corres't, ELLA.
! Sylvan Dell.