Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1856-11-19
LETTER ERoMIoMA.
The following letter should have appeared
last week, but was delayed on the route until
too late.

EDITOR RAFTsMAN's JOURNAL Thinking
your readers might be interested in sketch
of the progress made by one of the Western
towns, will give you brief history OF this
place for the last three years.
My first visit to this country was in October
1858. At that time, this town contained
population of about $50, all told. The city
was laid out some Is years ago, on beautiful
fat of ground at the narrowest place on the
Mississippi River for $50 miles, up or down,
which gives this point an advantage over any
other town in Iowa, it being some 30 miles
nearer Chicago. The city of Fulton, Illinois,
is Immediately opposite Lyons. The Chicago
and Dixon Air Line Railroad is now finished to
Fulton so the town enjoys the advantages OF
railroad. There is also road making from
Lyons to the Missouri river, across the State
of Iowa, which is in healthy condition, 90 |
miles being under contract, and it viii GER
tainly be made, as they have some Of the most |
enterprising and influential men in the coun- |
| try engaged in it, and large grant of public
| lands to aid in its construction. am told
it costs bat sc, 600 per mile to grade the road
and lay the ties ready for the iron, cheap, in
| deed to what it costs in Pennsylvania to make
rail roads.
The town of Lyons contained in June 1854,
600 inhabitants; in June 1855, 1900; June
1856, 2iO0, and in Oct. 1856, about 300o.-
This will sound large to our Clearfeld friends,
but such is the fact. Town lots are selling at
very high rates-from $500 to 81, 500. l no.
ticed one lot, % by &C feet, that was sold two
years ago for $500, now selling for ST ,450.-
Farming lands in the vicinity of the city, (you
will bear in mind, this is now city, regularly
incorporated,) are selling at from fifteen to six
ty dollars per acrc-that is, from to miles
out Lands adjoining the city limits are worth
much more-say 500 to $500 per acre.
The city is laid out extensively, and there
the river. The population is intelligent. in in
dustrious and enterprising, and the buildings
going up are OF good and substantial charac-
ter. The private residences are very tasteful
ly built, the grounds of many of them are
large, and those building seem determined to
make their Western homes pleasant and CON-
Portable. Just imagine yourself living in
snug cottage one of those Bluffs, with q
view of the Father Of Waters, for many miles
beautiful country, the shrill whistle of the
| locomotive or of the Missouri steamboats,
sounding in your ears-is it not enough to
wake man up and make him think he was
made for something. 1 find a great many
Pcnnsylvanians settled here, both in town and
| country. Judge Cotton, the worthy Mayor of
the city, is Pennsylvania.
The county of Clinton contains population
of some $4,000. Dewitt, the county seat, is
20 miles distant from Lyons. This county is
no doubt one of the best in the State for farm
| ing, as there is but little Of the land that can
not be cultivated. Taking all things into con-
| sideration, l think there is but little doubt
that Lyons City will become, and is now
! place of some Importance, and will continue
! to grow. The property owners in this CITY are
men of liberal views, are willing to sell at fair
rates, and when they get your money, do not
send it off, but go right to work and help to !
improve the place. There has been built here |
within two years, 2 large steam Touring mills
| constructed of stone of yellowsh cast, of |
which there is an abundance, one of them !
with saw-mill attached, having cost $50 900. |
There are also four steam saw-mils, one pla-
ming mill, shingle machine, two large foun-
dries, steam-engine mandatory, some 10 |
or IL dry goods stores, also hardware and Grug
stores-the number / have not ascertained.
When it is taken into consideration that this
all, or nearly all is the work of three years, it
is wonderful.
Farming, L would say, pays very well at
present prices, with the exception of wheat,
which is low at this time, 65 cents corn 3Oc
oats 3O beef, to 10c; mutton, &c; pork,
&c; eggs, Zoe; butter, 25c; chickens 25c, and
everything else eatable, in proportion; wood,
5000 per cord. You will perceive, man
with family should have good deal of the
needfef to live in this city. Houses rent at an
enormous price. A house that would rent for
$50 or $50 in Clearfield, would rent here for
from 5000 to $500.
Mechanics are well paid. Carpenters, black
smiths, &C., get from S1,75 to so per day,
cash. The members of the different churches,
and the church-going people, (and 1 am glad
to say, large majority of the citizens of this
city are such,) are erecting, and have already
erected, ,some very good churches. The Meth
odists, with membership of some 75, have
built church this year, costing about $4,000,
and when finished, with parsonage, &C., $4,000, !
very neat and commodious, of brick. The E. ,
piscopalians are building very fine stone
church, Gothic style. The Catholics have
good plain frame church, but are about to
erect large and more costly one. and as they
have very good site for it, and large grounds,