The Cecil Whig., 1855-12-15
Cetter from tbe ll)est.
Correspondence of The Cecil WhigI
IOWA.
DuBroUE, Iowa, Dec. 4th, 1855

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Sergeant BingI-Countym around Des ltoms
that 10 be the Capital Of he State-1he Ais
sour BotiomN-1he Garden Spot Of The
SiHe-Corn Crop wi'hom ItHaae-Ihe Big
Sioar-L Laads in tie Muket M the Spr,ne
--Gren CropS--Premtnms --Pricss Of
Grdin &c. o
Mr.. EDITOR Having within the last few
moaths been across the State Of Iowa and
thinking, perhaps, something in relation
thereto might be interesting to your readers,
| drop you few lines in regard to what
passed under my notice during my journey.
There is very little swamp land in this
large State; nearly the whole oft is susccpti-
bic Of cultivation. In going from Dubuque
to Council Bluls was surprised to find the
State 50 we'll settled as it IS. | pass ed thro'
| i number of towns all Of which are growing
very rapidly. Cedar Rapids, on Cedar river,
is beautifully located and will be a large town
in few years. 1t possesses great natural
advantages. The fall in the river at the town
affords sufficient power for almost any guam
tity Of machinery, and there is timber enough
to build IA large city; but best of all there is
good farming land around the town. Fort
Des Moins con the Dcs Moins rivcr) through
which | also passed, is destined to be the
largest city in the centre Of the State. There
is Il railroad running westward, from the
Mississippi, which is under contract as far as
this town, and which will soon DC completed.
Coal abounds for milcsaround the town, and
in the neighborhood are some of the finest
stone quarrcs.I have ever seen. The Ca pi-
tai Of the State will soon be removed to Des
Moins from Iowa City, the former place be-
ing near the geogr aphicai centre of the State.
After leaving Dcs MONS the country is not
very thiciily settled and therc.is no town Of
any size until we arrived at Council b luns
on the Missouri river. Council Bluffs was
built by the Mormons after they were drv en-
from Nauvoo. 1t is laid out very irregula.ly,
the streets being both narrow and crooked
All the houses built by the Mormons are
small, one story high, and either log Or frame,
but now as those people have nearly all gone
to Salt Lake AMI Il different sort Of settlers
are coming after them, the town is fast i'm
proving, and some fine brick ami stone build
ngs have been erected during the last year.
The country. for several miles around
Council Bluffs, is broken, but covered with
timber, principally oak, back Of which there
is a fine prairie, well watered and very little
broken. There is some fine land between
Dcs Moins aud Council Bluffs, and every
stream is skirtcd with timber, in quaint ties
entirely sufficient for all farming purposes.
But the garden spot Of Iowa, and | believe
Of the world, is the Missouri bottom from
Council Bluffs up to Sergeant Bluffs. This
bottom is in some places twenty miles wide;
on the bank Of the river there is heavy
growth of timber Of superior quality, joining
which, bnhnd, is prairie land which cannot be
cxcelled in the world for the richness Of its
soil. 1t is usual for 80 to 60 bushels of corn
TO grow oman acre, without any cultivation.
Indeed, but few persons there think of cul-
tivating 1t any at all after planting, being GER
tain Of a good crop with ut. All kinds Of
vegetables grow to.a large size.
The town at Scrgeants Bluffs is just begin
ming to increase, for it is only within the last
year that any Americ ans have settled there.
The old settl crs are French Canadians, with
Indian squaws for wives. They have hiher-
to turned their attention but little to farm
ing, but now as the Yankees are settling
among them, they will be obliged to Wort, or
be left in the rear.
The Big Sioux river enters the Missouri
near Sergcant's Bluffs, 100 miles above Coun-
Gil Bluffs, and forms the North Western
boundary Iowa. 1t is beautiful river.
clear and deep, navigable 60 miles for steam
boats. 1t has on its banks a heavy skirt Of
timber, oak, walnut, maple and cottonwood,
while the country for 100 miles towards the
interior of the State is beautiful, well water
cd and slightly. rolling; the soil is several
feet deep and it will make the prcttcst farm
ing land in the world. There are no settle
mcnts north Of Scrgcants Bluns-thc, land
will not be in the market until Spring; when
there will be an immense amount OF the finest
quality for farming, to be sold, SO that there
can be no better time for persons from the
East to come out than next Spring; at which
time they will be able to choose tracts con.
venicnt for farming purposes. Although the
Northwestern part of the State is not settled
yet, it will soon be thickiy populated.
To showtlat Iowa is to be one of the best
farming States in the Union, it is only ncces-
sary to mention the amount that an acre Of
the land produces. There was State Agri-
cultural Fair held at Fairfield and premiums
were awarded to farmers who raised the
greatest crops. In Clayton county l40 BUSH
els of corn were rails ed to the acre and from
800 to 400 bushels Of potatoes, and all kinds
Of grain and vegetables in proportion. And
men were not the only persons who obtained
premiums. The daughters of Iowa, altho'
they may not excel Eastern ladies in the re-
iincmcnts Of the age, certainly surpass them
in some things in which it should be the
pride Of all American women to excel. l
will copy from the lists some of the premiums
awarded to ladies. Unfortunately our cor
respondent reelected to send the premium
list as he intendcd.-Ed. Cecil Htig.]
Wheat has been selling here this Fall at
| Sl.15 to 81 .25. Fall wheat is not so well
81 tied here as Spring wheat, as it is liable to
freeze out during the winter. Corn has been
selling at 40 to so cents; oats 45 ork $3.50
to SO 90; potatoes go cents.
| PRIV