New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1850-09-09
Fndiana--The Wabash Valley.
fnrrennnndence Of The Tribune


la FAyETTE, Ind Friday, Aug-Sc.
FRIEND GREELEY 1 propose, with your per
mission, to make some statements to your hume
rous re aders respecting abe Valley Of the Waba,h
generally and this town in particular. II there be
one spot upon the face Of the earth more than an
other which may Ecballengs competition ia fertility
and productiyeness Of soil-in the ease with which
all the neoessares and comforts Of life and most
of its luzuries may be oommanded-that spot is
the valley OF the river upon which this town is 10
Gated and more particularly that portion lying
north OF Terre Haute, and embracing range of
country say of width of 80 miles by $50 miles
long The soil is easily cultivated, aud fot the
amount of labor bestowed produces abundRntly
The leading staples wheat and corn, have never
been 80 good as the present year, while other
kinds Of grain and fruits Of all the varieties cult
waited Eere promise abundant returns The
crop s Just beginning TO harden, and never, pro
baby was a richer return promised TIE dcy
weather of June enabled our farmers to cultivate
the crop thoroughly and uoceaBfully-leaving thu
fields clean of weeds-whie ,he timely rains since
have caused the ear to iiIl well, Snd brought tho
crop TO maturity. Our farmers are genarally Il
might amost say entirely out OF debs, and aeon
mulating money and properly probably aa fast az
any other portions of the country. Land here,
Notwithstanding. 10 yet parstively low, good
improved farms rating at from SIC TO S25 PER acre,
while abundance Of government prairie lands may
yet be had within 5 TO 90 miles from here.
This is good country for poor man. aud no
doubt many thousands from your over peoped city
might make good exchange OF brick walls pow
erty, want and despair, for tho free, beautiful open
God-mRde country. We have the broad fertile
acr es spread out iuvitingly aud Offering TO all the
rchlrewards of their culture. One great drawback
to the full development OF the agricultural re-
OF this country has been the Wretohed state
of the common roads, but this is now being fast
overcome by the rapid construction of plank roads
on all the principal thoroughfares. These ros3a are
now being laid in almost every Coonty in tho
State, and will render aocehs TO the market towns
at all times easy TO the farmer, and while he s re-
lieved of vast burden and expense in the market
ing of hia produce, will double the value of hia land,
and considerably more than double HE net pro-
ceeds For an inatance, a farmer at Is miles dis
taDce from this market, over the common mud
roads, delivers biz here mt coat Of cents per
bushe, while upon the plank the coat, inclusive of
tolls, cannot exceed cents. Here there is net
gansof cents per bUghel, or, allowing so 1skels
to the acre. 81 SO upon each acre. But 81 SO is
the interest at 10 per cent. upon &25-ergo, the
actual value added to each Of ccrn land is SIS
What 10 true of corn will be found to hold equally
true OF other products These roads here Tor want
ofhemock or pinel are laid Of oak-mostly white
oak-planh feet long by p inches thick, on
Btripgers by inches. They will never wear
out the only question ia aB DO the rotting The
bost estimate we can now make their durability
ID that they viii last 10 years. The three prjnc
pal roads leading into town a'e now being panked
Twenty five miles OF plank are now laid, and we
hope within IL months that the quantity will at
leaat be doubled. There are two tunfnshed Rail
rosds terminating here, one from Crawfordsville
South % miles, and the other from indianapolis
South east 60 miles. This latter road when doas
will form the outlet for ali the Upper Wabssh
travel via the B efontaipe Road and Sandusky. lts
construction is rapidly progressing under the super.
attendance of ex q. s. Senator White President
of the Company The Crawfordsville Road it il
supposed, will be finished snd in operation by the
frat Of July next. We shall then have n series Of
Plank Roads, two Railroads beside the Canal aud
Riyer-lhe latter of which is navigabe generally
from February to June with often good water in
December gheEpopulation of La Fayette ia now
about 3 goo, having doubled within the past five
Years, and with the proNpect OF doubling again be-
Tore 1850 We have the usual amount of mer-
ohshts, meahanlcs brokers, bank churches Y
ara Rchooif,' snd an unusual and quito unnecessary
number o. sroggerles. This latter branch how.
ever, has greatly decreased within the Las. wear
and u ttnl fufther decrease is confidently expected
atd hoped her NV, should any of your numerous
fesdeis &nong the working classes wisht t. leave
Tire struggle for mere Subsistence, and place
themselves and families IN circumstances of indie
pendence, Let them come to the Wabash country
call here On Mr, Ellsworth, lex Com missioner Of
( Patents and he Will ft them cat with farms Of
aimest Any quality and at almost any price Y
GB whita boy was stolen recently by some
lndians In Florida The boy hal baen aena for