The Ohio star. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1830-1854, 1854-03-15
Tnseresilng Letter from iowa.


DEWEY, our cd and highly esteemed fellow
townsman, has been handed to as by the gentle
man to whom it is addressed. for pub.icntion. 1t
will be read with interest by the old friends of the
writer. aud by MI who think of seeking homes 10
the fertile west.
MT. PLEasAsT, Iowa. Feb. 11:h, 1854.
o, P. BRowN. Esq,
Dear .Sir.-Yours of the 2lst plt. has been
duly received and ia reply allow me TO say. that
your inierrogataries moi regarded by me as
troublesome But fear. tlet, in consequence of
my short residence in Iowa, sh4il noi ba able to
answer them satisfactorily. | trus,, however.
that in SO much as shall fall short, you will take
the .ri1 for the deed.
The impression made on my mind of Iowa,
must, necessarily. be imperfect; but may say.
generally, that spat pleased ,rth the country
-thet my expectations have been fully realized.
You will perceive by glaneing at the map of
this State, that its eastern and western borders
are bounded by the Mississippi and Missouri
rivers. The eastern slope is drained by the Des
Mones, the Skunk. the Iowa aud Cedar. the Wap-
sepncons. the Makequeta. and the Turkey rivers,
and their almost inaumerable eontributaries-pre-
sentng fine body Of agricultural lands as can be
found in the world. The surface in general, after
leaving the vicinity of the Mississippi river, is
neither flat nor billy. but gently undunting. dry.
and TO all appearance of almost exhaustless fert-
ity. The country is very well supplied with tim
ber. the prairie predominating. But marked
characteristic is. that the soil is all good. There
are no waste lands, almost every acre is suscep-
tihla nj prof ahfa cnItryre.s hs1ssiase
| The rivers above named affurd an almost incal-
| culable amount of water power. The Des Moines
| river is now in process of being slack -watered by
means of locks and dame. from its mouth to the
| Raccoon forks. distance should judge of about
two hundred miles. For this purpose, Congress
| has appropriated about 250,000 acres of public
lands. This will, at least. furnish an immense
! amount of water power. All the other rivers
named, and many others of smaller volume, are
/ equally valuable for this purpose Besides this,
the waters of the Mississippi itself, we conf
IDENTIFY told by competent engineers. may at COM
paratvely triHing cost, be brought to hear ma
chinery, at no less Than two points the eastern
border of Iowa, viz Keokuk and Davenport.
/ The minerals of Iowa consist chiefly of lead
iron and coal. Lead is lifted IN large quantities in
the northern counties. Iron ore is said to be
abundant; and her coal fields are computed te
cover an urea of $4,000 square miles-alm
doubling that Of Pennsylvania.
! Hence you viii perceive that nature has furnish
ed Iowa with the elements of exhausiless agricul
tural. mineral and manufacturing wealtb. W.
need men and means TO develope these native re-
sources, and they are croRdng in through every
j avenue by the thousand. II is believed that botl
in population and wealth the State has full,
doubled during the past three years.
/ We have direct communication with tn
South by the Mississippi and Missouri rivers, AM
will be connected with the East in few month
at farthest by means Of continuous railroads. tap
ping the State at Burlington. Davenport. Lyon
and Du Buque. The Burlington Railroad is roy
being permanently located, by way of Noun
Pleasant and Fairfeld.to the Mississippi river-tb
Davenport and Lyons roads, by way Of Iowa Cit
and Fort Des Monies, to the western side of tn
State. Besides these, numerous other roads ar
projected, some of which will doubtless be built
Among the most important river towns of Iow'
| we might name keokuk, Fort Madison, Barlins
fon,z Musoafine,@ Dsveuport and Daz zBuqne.-
Those ofihe interior. Iowa City, Cedar Rapid
!, Mr.. Pleasant, FAN field aud Fort Dss Monte
, with populations varying from one to FIVE or s.
thousand.
The people of Iowa. as far as my Observable
extends, are, at least. on an average with I'll
: population of the older States in point of INTEL
# gence and morality, and perhaps also in weals
j. There is rarely village or populous countl
b place, without its school houses and churche
: furnishing the ordinary educational and reIigo,
o advantages. And we have very few really POT
i men here, There are not many wealthy. b.
! nearly every family has enough of the substantial
: of life and something to spare.
3, Improvements. here cost much less Than
q Ohio. To illustrate, let Us make an estimat
n Suppose man 10 push little out of the setll
o ments, and with 5000, TO enter 160 acres
l. prairie lands. The breaking up tf this he hi
g at from $3.50 to $500 per acre. To take Il
d highest figures this would cost $500. Now su
pose the rails in the fence to cost 800 per hn
g dred, to enclose this land with fence nine raj
i high, staked and ridered would cost say S32
e Then 10 all. the 16o acres of land would cost hi
$3.50, every acre reduced TO better condition f
culture than could be obtained in any timber cou
is try in less than eight or ten years. Besides,
e this land should be sowed down in wheat twhie
lie the first year after breaking produces almo
b certain crop,) and should it yield but ten twel
bushels per acre, this crop alone would pay Il
Il entire outlay of capital. While the outlay OF ca
g for breaking the sod and enclosing can be dimns
e ed indefinitely by the laborer who is willing
y perform this labor for himself. From this smp
| io.pt - No L.
al laboring man, with few hundred dollars at cor
in mand. can acquire competency in Iowa. and wi
ID SO very few are dependent the charity of the
!; neighbors for support.
!, The school system of Iowa is, ] believe, som
!. thing similar to that of Ohio. The permane
school fund will consist of the proceeds of the 16
. section in each township. 100000 acres of la
J j Cnnnrara cant .,r...a..