Daily Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1854-1855, 1855-03-19
luTExX YEA1s Aaol


rdtesa years ago VIE passed up the Mis-
sissipPi river, after experiencing great delay
aud difficulty in chartering boat for that
purpose as 81. Louis. A few log houses on
. rugged, uneosth hillside. then marked
the ate Of Keokuk. A gold mine in the
rear Of il woald have been little temptation
'for y 10 hare located in 80 unpromising
village. Fort Madison was clean looking
toswa with . few good houses. Burlington
the late Capital, was the most hourish'ng
a the largest town in the State, and pre-
scented several One buildings. Musca,ine
was small place and very unpreposessng
A few houses in the rear of a clump Of cot
ton wood trees, with the unfinished and gi-
ganiic lie Claire House towering above
them, constituted Davenport, then, as now
the most beautiful town on the Upper Ais
sissippi. Galena was hou.Ish'ng lead
shipping poin, and presented business
like appearance. though occupying an awful
site 10 contemplate. Dubuque the most
northern town, except the ancient French
settlement of Prairie du CHEN, was small
though thriving place with basis OF lead
for its prosperity. st. Paul was nowhere
Not mark to distinguish it. nor to attract
attention to spot upon which young city
has since sprung ue, supporting four daily
papers and upon whose levee upwards OF
forty-three thousand passengers have been
landed within the year.
These are few Of the changes that pass
before the kaleidoscope Of the mind at SIN
gle view mp and down the great Mississippi
river. When we cast our mental vision
over the interior, in the towns that have
sprung up and the thickly settled praTies, the
change is equally apparent. We see pro-
eress written upon every thing around us
and while we look upon the prosperity
which marks our beautiful Iowa, we
wonder that 80 many are contented to toll
among the rocks and stumps of the exhaust
ed coil Of Eastern States, to worry the earth
into the production of sufficient breadstuffs
70 furnish them scanty subsistence. Or
why men at the East give their time and
means to employments, by the steady pros
eeueion of which they exc out bare liveli.
hood, when SO broad theatre presents itsel
., the West for the almost unlimited extern
sion their avocations.
The channels of communication beini
opened we may this season anticipate I
heavy accession TO our population. Thou
sands visited our State last year who vii
return this year to make it their abode, ant
other thousands are coming to secure home
steads before bringing their families to the
West. We are in the receipt of letters tina
tell Us to prepare for this accession to ou
population. One received ard this momen
perused, says, "You may look for large ad
ditions to your State population from tn
New England States this season. Th'
fame of Davenport has reached US from aia
and the eyes Of many are turned ththerwar'
with eager anticipation" One hundre,
and fifty persons have already been lande
here BY single train, all bound for the broa
and now snow-covered prairies of Iowa.
person who looks upon them now will Sc
our prairies much as they appeared fftee
years ago, but come few weeks later in th
season and you will see rich, dark loar
turned up to the warm rays Of the sun, tina
will make you long to become the cultivate
OF such soil.
New Land Offices.