The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1852-01-10
Correspondence of The Cecil Whig.]
Letter from the Far West.


Mechanics Mineral Producis-Inmi granis--
Ueather--Currency, &c.
FoRT DEs MONIES, Iowa,
December goth, 1851.
THE following extracts from letter from
Mr.. VIM. McCellanl, who went from this
neighborhood to Iowa, will give useful infor-
nation to persons intending TO remove West
ward.]
"Winter has set in and there is little business
doing here now; money is scarce and times are
rather dull-much as il is with you at this sea-
son Of the year, but rather worse as our winter
is longer and collier.
| have been sent for thirty miles TO repair
mills at 80 per day, but have not gone so far:
for milwright work near home | get 50 day.
There is good appearance Of work for next
spring. Two chuichrs, baptist and Prcsbytc-
RAM and ~ or II dwellings are TO be put up.
Property is changing hantis rapidly, and that
will help business, besides the River Improve
ment is under contract to be finished in Fcbru-
airy next, and that will make some stir in things
about here, and all kinds of work will look up.
Winter set in sooner this y,ar than common,
and the store keepers will not get all their goods
up before spring. There is a good supply Of
flour already here and more coming. Flour all
has TO come from below, as we lave no mills 10
grind wheat. There is only enc on North Riv-
er 10 miles from Fort Des Mon,s, and in q
wheat country. The stcam.nll on Dies MONIES
River is now ready TO grind wheat, but not a
great deal raised there is now for sale People
come 60 miles to mill with their grinding and
wait 4 or days; and sometimes il is like camp
meeting on both sides Of the river. One store
keeper has 10 wagons and another 81, all haul
ing, and on the road nj once.
I,,, ba.. H.. e., l,,.l
els of corn per acre, and of cats and huckwheat
about the same quantity, and OF wheat from 10
to % bushels, but that depends on the winter.
lfthcre is no snow the wheat dies and does not
make more than half a crop. This season ihe
corn crop was short on account oil so much wei
last sprlng-there was great deal planted the
first of July and made half a crop.
There is no public land within forty miles OF
Fort Des Moincs. except prairie; there is some
of tina, hind, but no timber. The wood sc wol |;
is mostly black and white walnut-it doors and
sash, white-and for weather boards, black wal.
nut; for flooring hack berry, inapl" and white
oak-all hard wood, but we have hard ricc.-
1913 per square for flooring, square joint
Sl.30 for rough weather boarding 81 80 for
iour-panneied doors. cannot say whether
cooperng would be good business here or not.
Mason-work is good; 81 per perch and plenty OF
|
wheelwrighting is the best business here.
There are Coal, hon, Lime. and mountain
of Plaster paris, 40 or fifty miles up the Dcs
Moines. The land produces lhc best Of any
land have ever seen. They use no manure
potatoes grow without it. A man, for whom
built 2aw-mill last fall, sowcd two acres in
his corn field with turnip seed, and he pulled
600 bushels, and lett fully one-third in the field
and in another field there must have been loo
wagon loads ofpumpkns left after the owner
had taken what he wanted. Some men here
have as nan! as 600 hogs piece.
There is government land here but il is held
by claim-ri@hr but the claims can be bought for
tric and then you can enter with warrant OF
money.
We are 26l miles up the river Dcs MoincS, >
400 from St. Lonis, and 40 from Cnuncil Bluffs
This State is filling up very fast. Ten TO TWEEN
ty teams arrive here in day--somclmes 80 OF
60 with crowds of cmicrants. old and young
There were Gone counties laid out last sum
n1cr, north and west olthis place.
| The fall and winter so far have bcen very
dry--therc laving been little or no rain. Tn,
money in circulation here is hard money. The
! notes of other States that are brought here by
emi"ranls are bought up by the store-keepcrs
who give or per cen, premium. W. McC.