Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1853-11-17
CORRESPONDENCE E.


FRIEND WARDEN: Thinking that you
might feel some interest in Rail Road
travelling, as also their effect upon the
country through which they pass, have
concluded to give you short accoun,
of my trip eastward and the conclusions
have drawn from my limited observa.
| tions. .-.... ..r .....aa z
I started from Rock Island on the
morning Of the 9Th ult., in The stage
coach for Sheffield, the present terminus
Of the Chicago and Rock Island r. r.,
and after an ordinary days jol'ing and
humping in one of Frink e. Co.'S
model coaches, arrived at that point, q
distance Of fifty miles. al 5 o'clock, p.
NJ. This is small village containing
about fifty houses, all of which have
been erected during the past seasun.-
The number Of inhabitants have never
been enumerated believe, and like the
lrishman's odd pig, they keep such a
moving about il would be difficult to do
so. The principal Hotel in this place Is
not larger than The "Ouumwa House, y
and is compelled, through necessity, to
accommodate about $50 travellers daily 4.
The immense crowd, in comparison with
| The means Of accommodation, is very
surprising. Il takes from s o'clock, p.
NJ, until eleven to get supper over, and
unless you have lady along your
chances TO get anythingto eat are very
slim. All gentlemen who are not bless
ed with tair companion are compelled
to take lodgings on the floors of the
Halls.
On the next day after our arrival at
Sheffield we gladly bid farewell 10 that
bmstling, crowding, little. confused, min.
iature city, and after run of five hours
on the cars found ourselves snugly en-
a
Fremont House" 10 Chicago, the most
pros porous young city, perhaps, in A.
merica. The streets are wide and roomv
and are mostly paved with plank. The
immense growth Of this place within the
last three or four ears, and The immense
amount Of business done here is incred.
lble, and il is quite evident that she is
indebted to her numerous Rail Roads for
her extraordinary prosperity.
We left Chicago at o'clock, A. NJ.
on the Southern Michigan Rail ROAD
and arrived al Toledo at 3 o'clock, p.
! NJ, few minutes too late for the Gin.
cinna,i train, and consequently had to
remain there over Sunday. This muddy,
scattering. noisy, growing. busting place
is in my opinion, greatly overraled. The
citizens of the place claim for it pop
| ulation Of ten thousand, which am very
certain is greatly over estimating its true
numbers, as the appearance of Burling.
ton is far ahead of il. Yet this is a
place OF much business and a focus
where much of the travel concentrates.
Here, too, you are made acquainted with
the fact that every thing bears Rail Road
prices, whirh is quite different thing
from our 4ackwater prices. Our bill
al the Hotel from Saturday evening till
Monday morning was only the snug lit
lle sum of Sc, and was told that this
was only in accordance with the prices
of everything else. We left Toledo on
Monday morning at O'Clock and arr'v.
ed here at Z. p. NJ, afIer pleasant jour
ney through the great State of Ohio
This is truly great Stale. but not SUI
perior in natural re sources TO our own
noble young Iowa. Give Iowa the age
of Ohio, and let the same amount oil
money be judicious!y expended within
her borders for works of internal i'm.
provements that has been expended in
Ohio, and our State will surpass her in
greatness and wealth
Respectfully &C.. *******.