Iowa capitol reporter. [volume] (Iowa City, Iowa) 1841-1855, 1854-12-20
Sketches Of Iowa, No. II.
THE STATE AT LARGE.


Before speaking of individual counties it
would perhaps be well to make ssome general
remarks, relative to the State at large. The
present article then, shall be devoted TO these
,cneralities. Iowa contains an area of 5000
square miles. aud is bounded on the North by
the line OF 43 deg. 30 min.. and on the South by
the line Of 40 deg. 80 min being over 200 miles
from It's northern to its southern limits. lts
Eastern shore, for distance Of six hundred
miles.is is washed by the great Father Of Waters,
on whose bosom rs borne on its way to Ais.
tan, lands. the rich productions of our fertile
aoiL Along our Western border, rushes the
wild Missouri.6l emblem of the impetuous and
determined character Of the pc puIations who
have made their homes upon its banks The
big Sioux or Calumet river forms our North
Western boundary, for Il e distance of about
eighty miles The State is divided into one
hundred counties. eighty five Of which, haze
been surveyed, ard seventy regularly organ
ized 800 @}DfGi hiios @@6 u ass fas
ALI Of those count es are nhabited A pof
ti0n of them il is true, contain but q few har.
,ly pioneers, ,w:,ose cabins are often separated by
many miles. and who have exiled themselves
tom society in order TO join. she excitements Of
hunting, with the labors Of the field But gen.
eraily they contain flourshing settlements
closely connected. and the great majority Of
them are;peopled oy thousands of busy ttr wing
citizens. all struggling and eager to secure a
competence, aud have a home when old age is
come upon them. Already oar population
numbers near halfa million and for wears past
the stream of humanity which is pouring into
our forests and upon our rrlans has been swol-
en-, and will continue TO swell ftom year 10 year
Virtue. intelligence, refinement and wealth
characterize the late emigralions. They have
already had their effect upon our society. The
vices incident to new country have left US
higher standard of morals has been adopted
and rigidly respected. and to-day, Iowa can
boasl a morality which wi not suffer in com /.
parason with that Of older States, and her citi.
zens have an energy and independence Of char
acter which is only the offspring Of western
culture and western scenery.
| The interior of our State is traverscd in eve.
| ~ direction by noble streams, whose banks are
studded with every variety Of trees aud shrub
berry. The Desmoines. the Checa uque, (yul.
carly called Skunk. , the Iowa. the Wapslpini.
con. the 4akoqueta. the Turkey aLd Yellow
rivers, after flowing through our State, dispen.
sii.g health and fe, tilty, and adding beauty to
every scene wherein they form a part. flow
away: some 10 the Mississippi and others 10
swell the current Gf The mad Missouri. Some
Of these streams are navigable for great dis
lance, and the time Is coming soon, when the
shrl, whistle of the steamer will be q common
and familiar sound upon their waters whe n
they will be used as thoroughfares for tht
transportation Of our rich productions. The
untold power Of some Of these waters will so~a
be utilized for mechanical purposes, and bu
short time will elapse ere the thuader and
claiter Of the en-thOusand wheels Of machine
~ will break upon the solitude which echoe.
now, only to the "haYvess song" or to th,
notes of the sweet warhlers OF the forest. Th,
great works are already commenced upon NOR,
Than one of these rivers which will stamp on
greatness and convince The world that sspyo