The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1851-04-23
Leaf from the PraIries.
Correspondence Of the Marlboro (Ald.) Gaxstts.l
\


BusLSGToS, (IowA,) April 1, 1851.
Mn. Enron: III could say or do any thing that
would induce you TO make tour Of the great
West and Northwest, should have ample cause to
congratulate myself for having accomplished 20 de-
sirabe an object. In the first place, should have
the pleasure Of shaking once more the hand OF q
highly esteemed friend, and Of welcoming him TO
all the Inequalities OF our young and Beautiful
State. In the second place, you would doubtless
find your tour abundantly rich in incident, adven-
ture, both by land and by water, with which to
adorn the pages Of the already luminous Gaxstfs,
and render it attractive that hundreds Of new
subscribers would be added to your list. You might
spread out upon its pages the broad lakes with the
''hoating palaces" upon their bosom. You could
have the noble mississippi flowing down its col
umns, and your readers might at night hear the
pung OF the steam engines and at least the shril
whistle as the boats in sight Of our beautiful
CITY. You might present All the beauties of prai.
RE landscape 20 the delightful gaze Of thousands Of
admirers And then last, though not least. you
might give picture Of our youthful and beautiful
city, which is indeed the Queen City of the North
west.
We have had delightful winter, and the spring
thus far has rivaled the genial cline of the South
Already vegetables, such as lettuce and radishes.
spring trade has fully commenced, and the streets
and wharves Of the city present quite an anirna-
ted appearance. number Of steamboats, arrive
and depart daily, and yesterday morning noticed
Pittsburg Many new buildings have been con-
tracted for, and the town by next fall will present
vast improvement Real estate. both in town
value that lots are selling in the suburbs Of the
city from 800 TO s 800 each, and land In the
vicinity from $50 to 800 per aero. Our plank
road system is working most admirably, and ! had
fine opportunity of testing their advantage as
compared with the old mud-road system. There
had been some days rain, and was returning
home from attending courtin an adjoining county
axle in mud when we suddenly came upon the
plank and it seemed az if some instantaneous
revolution In nature had taken place. Farmers
can cam haul three times the amount upon them that
well dry weather; and the price Of land all along
their route has advanced one hundred per cent. in
twelve months NHle
Emigrants pouring into our State from all
quarters and it is thought our population will
ceive accession offrom so 900
alone Now is the accepted time for all those who
in the world, to come. They are yet plenty and
cheap-but every day are becoming scarcer and
dearer. But must stop, for fear il tell but half
the truth, and you should publish il. that your
would become of the Gazette? I'll tell you what
you could come out here. start new Marlboro,
and in twelve months the Gazette, which of course
would como along, would have 90 many subscri-
bers, that it would require of HoEs best steam-
presses to throw off sufficient number Of papers
to meet the demand Don't smile, my friend j am
not jestng but speak forth the words Of truth and
soberness. Why, you haven't got any Mississippi
river; you haven't got any grand prairies; you
haven't any plank-roads nor railroads; you amt
got no nothing but tobacco and niggers, and beau
tiful women, and fish and oysters. But we have
got millions of pork and beef, and turkeys and
geese, and deer, and every thing almost that the
heart can desire or the imagination conceive. In
deed, our land almost literally flows with milk and
honey. aNs
There has been considerable excitement here for
some time in the religious world, and the temper
ance cause has received new impulse this winter,
but at present there 10 a calm in that department.
however, after the first Of July, in pursuance Of the
new code, no more licenses will be granted in the
State for the sale Of intoxicating drinks. tell you
that we are pretty sober, moral, honest, indus
trious. intelligent, and religious people out here's
and il your citizens would come and see our hand
some churches, painted in fresco at that, and our
elegant brick school houses in almost every school
district, they would have q more exalted opinion
OF the western country than many Of them enter
tain. a9tEs
In few weeks the prairies will be covered with
millions of beautiful flowers, and then what lux
ury to get q fine horse and buggy and take drive
Of one or two hundred miles. w. s. G..