The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1854-05-19
"THE WEST"
BlpprroRp, 18th May, 1854

!, my recen, two months journeying in the
az Great West" my promise to write you
an occasional letter. But really, my time
was all taken up with seeing tina, wri-
ting was entirely on, Of Question. Once
more in quie, New England, for month,
I will improve the opportunity to chat with
your readers about such Western matters,
us shall guess, may be Of special in'ercs,
10 them.
One, whose eyes have alone rested upon
the narrow meadows and rugged uplands Of
Of Yankee-land, can have but faint notion
Of the greatness and beauty OF the Prairies
of The West. The man mus, have lively
Imagination, joined with an intense love Of
nature, whose fancy may make any ap'
proaches toward the realities Of that glorious
landscape which the Almighty has spread
throughout the whole Northwest.
The traveller westward, meets with indi.
cations OF "the Wes,n when he reaches
the valley of the Mohawk; central and
western New York are pleasant and fruit
rul regions = and Utica and Syracuse and
Buffalo, and Rochester especially, are splen-
did ci,ies-but one must reach the Queen
State of Ohio, and travel up and down The
fat valleys Of its Little and Great Miamis,
the Muskingum and the Scio,o; must visit
the beautiful city Of Cleveland, Toledo,
crowded with merchandise and travellers,
the fine capital town of Columbus, the rap
idly increasing cities OF Springfield and
/ DAYTON, rich with all manner of resources,
its grea, city of Cincinnati, with its broad
river, its innumerable steamers and ihronsed
Leyee, to know much Of The West, -
and one mus, extend his travels at least
finy miles west Of Chicago, 10 find the
West" in all lis richness aud beauty.
Indiana is a great corn-growing State
no richer land may be found on the con'l-
nen,-Richmond and Lafayette are rapid.
ly growing cities, Indianapolis is a beautiful
town, with fine country about emf.
grafton hurries through Indiana for more in
wiling lands beyond. Her lands are loo low
and heavy - aud she has not "hedhhy"
reputation. Eastern Illinois is much like
Indiana rich land, bnt TOO much Prairie,
and great lack Of health and timber, and
water, save when found in swamps. But
as one comes upon The Illinois River al
Joliet, or approaches it farther south nj,
Bloomington, a region displays itself fit TO
be- the home Of Kings. And it is a rich,
beautiful and healthy country, that sweeps
off westward 10 the Mississippi, and north
ward 10 Wisconsin. Take The Railroad from
Chicago, through the northern counties OF
the Stale 10 Galena and Dubuque, COM
mencing with the second county from the
Lake, aud il is an exceedingly fertile and
pleasant country, and its numerous thrifty
villages and cities will compare favorably
with the best towns Of Massachusetts.
know of bu, one objection that may be
brough, against Northern Illinois in some
localities they are obliged 10 sink their wells
10 great depth aud draw water for their
cattle, which in winter is certainly serious
Inconvenience.
Michigan Is prosperous, growing State,
unexceled by any State in Wheat and Fruit
growing, bu, much of her soil is too light
and sandy for general farming purposes
There is grea, rush Of emigration 10 Min
neso,a - the Boats upon the upper Missis.
sippi are scarcely able 10 take up The pas.
sengers and freight that are pressing for
this northern region. ST. Paul is already
a city Of ten or twelve thousand inhabitants.
Minnesota has wealth Of Pine forest but
her high latitude aud sandy soil will never
enable her successfully 10 compete in Asri-
cultural operations with her southern sisters.
Iowa has a charming climate - and her sur.
face is generally Prairie Of the riches,
quality - her Northeastern counties have a
plenty of wafer and timber - bu, generally
through the State water and wood are very
scarce land wherever these abound, Fever
and Ague abound much more abundanlly.
But time will cure this latter evil = and al.
so bring in wood, the settlement Of the
country checking the vas, Prairie fires and
permitting the growth Of groves. Iowa will
be the second, il no, the first, Agricultural
Stale Of the Union.
Wisconsin, the New England Of the
West, is the State for New England emf
grants. Her climate, her soil, her people,
are congenial 10 the constitutions and habits
Of the East, and in addition TO this, which
is of no small consequence, she is the State
OF the whole West. In heal,hfulness OF
climate, extent Of resources, beauty Of as.
pect, intelligence and enterprise Of popula-
ton, she is not cxcelled. But The story Of
Wisconsin will be too long for Introduction
a, the close Of a Letter, and will make il
the subject Of communication mex, week.
With fra,ernal regards for you and your
readers,
Your friend, john r. FRENCH.
THE Row IN The HOUSE. A corespon.
dent Of the New York Tribune gives the
following in relation to the row in the House