Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1851-08-15

III al c6Tnaf'anu OllsSlui OnlOn.
- Some Questions Answered.
PownATAN PolNT. Belmont CO., o.
July 2s,h, 1851.
Dear Sir FL Take the liberty Of wri-
ting you The following as inquiry. which
| hope you will do me the kindness to
answer Immediately. wish to remove
TO the West this Fall, and wish to hear
some correct account of your country,
which trust you will give me. How
does the land lay! What kind of tim
Der have you! kinds Of stone, and, if
any stone coal! Have You good water,
if any by springs! Have you much
prairie! What are voGr staple trade?-
What is the health, and how society,"
The price of lands. il you have any
Government lands! As | wish TO set
tie in or near some thriving village
please give me general information Of
the country, and best outlet, and my best
route to get to your place.
Yours truly, L. ELKINS.
SstuOsW AOWus =
The above letter can be better ans wer-
ed by publication in the Courier, than
any other way. In answer TO his first
question we would inform the gentleman,
tina. it lies sufficiently rolling to perfect
Iy drain off all The wafer, but not SO as
to be unff. for tillage, in short it lies bet
ter than any land we have seen in Ohio
or Indiana, take il as whole. We have
Oak, Black Walnut, White Walnut Cot
tonwood, Linn, Elm, Ash, Hickory,
blackberry, Birch, Cherry, and Maple
timber. @
Of stone, we have Blue and Grey
Lime stone, Free stone, Grey marble,
Sand stone, Stone Coal in any quantity,
and good article Of Plaster Paris, and
Hydraulic Lime.
The water is first rate, both soft and
hard; though, springs are moi as plenti-
ful as they are in more mountainous
countries.
The Prairics are not large, averaging
from one TO five miles in width, and we
have an abundance OF timber TO fence
them all, and keep them fenced unlil
more timber can be raised or hedges
made. The proportion Of Prairie to
timber is the best Of any Of the western
States.
The staple articles Of trade are Beef,
Pork, Wheat, Corn, Oats, Wool, &c.
The health Of this section is as good
as il is in most of the older States, if not
better, and Physicians think il most dis
tressingly healthy. Society is as good
as any where else. The population be-
ing made up of industrious tradesmen
and Farmers, who were TOO intelligent 10
stay in older States where farms were
worn out and competition rendered their
business Improbable. 80.
Lands range in prices from 90 to $40
per acre, according to quality and situa-
ton. Government land is scarce in this
county. all the best land being taken up.
Ottumwa is the county sea. Of Wap-
clio county, has been laid on. some sew
en- yeirs and has between 700 and 800
inhabitants. Two churches. two school
houses, court house, one steam saw mill,
and one steam saw and griss mill. dry
goods stores, two drug stores, two pro-
vision and grocery stores, and mechan-
les Of all kinds; professional men large
stock.
The town il on The northeast bank oil
the Des MONIES River, IS miles from
Keokuk, and the same distance from
Darlington, both Of which places are on
the NJ ississippi.
There is no better country than This
Cor farming, every kind Of crops doing
well.exceps wheat. which is > somewhat
doubtful crop. Although as much per
acre is averaged here as in Ohio.
Flour is worth $500 and $3.50 per
barrel here. wheat 80 TO rs cents, corn
Is, oats IS.
Your best route III you come by wa
teri is from Cincinnati 10 Keokuk, Iowa,
by way Of the Ohio and Mississippi,
and from thence up the Des Moines sal-
ley. II BY land, BY the way Of Rich
mond, Terre Haute. Is., Springfield. (llD
and Burlington, Iowa.
This county j. IN what Is called the
NeU Purehdse and was 6rst open 10
settlement. in 1919. The county has a
population Of about ten thousand.