The north Iowa times. [volume] (M'Gregor [i.e. McGregor], Iowa) 1856-1857, 1856-11-07
CorreslOndence Of tie Times.

!
Ion, ALAMAKEE Co. Iowa.
Oct. %, 1856. /
En-. NORTH Iowa TINES. i
Dear Sir:
Having 80 earnestly extended
10 all your friends in Northern Iowa sn
invitation to furnish you with descrip-
ton of their respective localities, l have
ventured upon a rough sketch, Of the viii
lage of Ion, sometimes called Bunker Hill
from the fact that the Post Office here
was once so named, but for what reason
scarce Yankee could guess"
Ion is situated on Yellow River about
miles from the mouth on high bottom
surrounded by the best timbered country
in the State, on the road leading from
Monona to Lansing, about 81 miles from
Monona and 10 miles from Rossville. Its
location is one of the most healthy in
Northern Iowa not excepting the high
prairies, and it possesses one of the best
water powers on the river; for the latter
reason the first improvement made was in
mill building, to which the entire attention
of its proprietors was directed. Since
the completion of an excellent Saw Mill
and very SUPERIOR FIGURING Mill, both
of which are now in successful operation,
the latter running day and night with two
run of Burrs, turning out flour Of quail
ity equal to any made in the State. the
village has been laid out in lots of acre
each and sold ct moderate prices, and now
numbers about l2O inhabitants. 1t has
one store well stocked, one blacksmith
shop and another store is about being cree
ted. A company from the east have re-
Gently purchased lots here and bound
themselves to erect large building for
the mandatory of Cabinet furniture.
chairs, &C.. intending to employ from 20
to IS hands in the business. This point,
they say, has better facilities both for wa
ter power and timber than any other in
this section of country. ...
There have been large preparations
made for the erection of suitable buildings
for Tavern and Boarding houses which
are now in progress. The want of such
accommodations has retarded the growth
and prosperity of the place heretofore
During the past and present seasons much
attention has been paid to the opening and
improvement of roads, and we now have
the river well bridged at thi. point, with
an excellent road leading out to the high
prairie in Clayton Co., with much easier
grade than from any other point on this
river. presenting no steeperascent than is
to be found on the high rolling prairies,
after they are reached. ........
There is also good road leading north
wardly by which Lansing, Rossville,
Waukon and the north and northwestern
country can be reached with heavy loads
without "let or hindrsnce and, al
though not yet completed, one leading to
the mouth of Yellow River, there to be
met by Steam Ferry from Prairie du
Chen much labor has been and is still
being expended on this road and it is in
tended to be when made, an excellent one
if not completed this season (which will
be the case if labor sufficient can be obtain
ed) it will be done early in the spring.
This point has never been pulled in
the newspapers nor by hand bills and ad
advertisements posted up at every corner,
nor has any effort been made to induce
persons from abroad seeking locations. to
visit it, and heretofore having been little
off the main travelled thoroughfares, it has
escaped the attention Of the public had
it been otherwise it might and probably
would have been one of the largest towns
in the County.
AS yet I have said nothing of its pros
poets for the Rail Road because do no
believe its growth or prosperity depends
upon it, yet the Yellow River bottom has
ever since r. r. was contemplated OF
this side Of the Mississippi River to con
meet with that terminating at Prairie d.
Chen, been regarded as one of the mos
feasible routes and the mouth of Yellow
River prominent candidate for starting
point; and it's prospects are now fully
equal if not superior to any other.
! In conclusion permit me to give it as
my opinion, humble as it is, that Ion sur
: rounded as it is by an already large and
rapidly increasing population of enter
prising farmers, offers the best induce.
ments for the enterprise of the merchant
the manufacturer, and mechanic of almost
every description, and as there is to be il