New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1856-01-10
NORTHERN IOWA AND SOUTHERN
MIME sofa.
zee Of The y. 7. Tribune.


Having recently made a tour of observation through
parts OF Northern Iowa and Southern Minnesota,
serd You some comments on the general sppearanc,
\ OF The country and few Of It's towns.
| left Duuleith and arrived at Lansing, Aramake-
County, Iowa, distance OF only 10 mihss, after
ride of eighteen mortal hours in frst-class steam
| er" Lansing is situated between almost perpen
deulaT buE:, some 300 feet in hight said to contain
800 inhabitants, and celebrated, among other things
for It's iver and sgue," and its miserable hotels.
Notwithstanding, ii il smart businers place, and
although has bet little room TO expand, appears to
be growing somewhat.
From Lansing we came west by stage to Decorah,
Winneshek County, Iowa, a distance Of thirty-hve
mics. Here we found thriving pl1c- with two very
far hotes, several fine stores, and population OF
about four hundred. Qusrter-acre b0ts, situated
three-fourth of mile from the business part of the
village, are here selling for from SIS to sl25 each
Tie hrst fifteen miles of the road from Lansing TO
DEBORAH hes between high and abrupt bluffs, very
little of which Is suitable for cultivation. The BAL
anee Of the distance is nearly all high, rolling prairie
and should judge was the best OF grain land.
Leaving DEBORAH travelled in north-westeriy
direction distance Of forty miles to Canmona the
county seat of Fillmore County, Minnesota. This
place is a "yearling" situated the south fork of
Root or HOkah River; has u fine water-power, on
which there is already sawmil in operation and q
Touring mill nearly finished, two stores, large new
hotel, well kept by Mr.. Strong, and population OF
about 100. The material for a printng-ofice is al
ready on the ground and The Fillmore C9aaty
PionoT edited by H. c. Butler, late of BeEoit, Wis,
will soon make its appearance. Carimona is APP
preached from the north and south by roads leading
down high and difficult hills, which must always be
exceedingly hard for loaded teams. The approaches
from the east and west through the rver valley are
all that could be desired. The village site IL broken
and uneven, ard not at all to my liking; yet they
have room and will make here q thriving and nfu-
entail town.
All along the route lsther we observed a vast NUM-
Der of what are hereabOut termed " snk-holes,
which are shaped ike tunnel with very steep sides,
and commonly have timber growing in them. A few
Of them are filed with water, being fed by springs,
with which this country abounds. Their depth wares
from FIVE to fifty feet, and those that are dry are
literally bottOmless pits, al surface water running
into them Is Immediately lost to view. am told that
deer commonly resort to these sink bOes for shelter
fIom the peting storms OF Winter, and here iaI an
easy prey to spOrmen There are various coaectures
a. The of these depressions, some thinking
thew Genre from aperures in the rock, into which the
soil has fallen and Others that they proceed from the
action of springs among the sands Inc face OF the
country where these depressions abound 40 closely re-
ssmbles that about Galena, thet many suppose II Will
prove to be a mining region
Leaving CarimOna we kept on IN north-westeriy
direction over the territorial road leading from Du-
buoue To St. Paul distance of 80 miles, and stopped
At a place called Rochester the county seat OF Ohm
stead County This place is situated on the south fork
of the Zumbro, Ia corruption OF the French name
Des Embarr0ss, in the bosom Of great PLAIN, sur
rounded by high and pleasant hills which overlook the
views in tie Territory Rochester i 80 miles west oil
Winona 35 miles southwest of Wabashaw, on the
Mississippi and possesses the best natural advantages
for becoming city Of any place for which nature has
done 80 much as for this Beside the Zumbro, there
are three creeks putting into 1t at this point which,
with the river, afford ample power for manufacturing
purposes for all time to come Two or three OF tne
mill have natural tail-races, which will require
little or no excavation All these streams are as clear a.
crystal abound with speckled trout, and run rapidly
over rock and pebble bottoms. The well and nver
water there il nearly sot rain water. There are
sx easy approaches to the village, through many val
leys and in directions. These are all fine prairie
roads leading eastcryto Wnona south east 10 Deco
rah and Dubuque southwest to High Forest west TO
Mankato the Great Bend of the NJ. Peters, north
west to Faribaut north st. Paul, and northeast TO
Red Wing and Wabashaw The famands OF Ohm
stead County and indeed of Southern Minnesota gem
eray are acknowledged on all hands to be a. good
as any in the Northwest. While at Rochester we
beard Of yield of fifty bushels of wheat to the acre
the pas. eeason. The settlement has just fairly com
menced there and, being on the great thoroughiare
from Dubuque to st. Paul, IL Il very I'M
portant point. The population OF the village
and immediate vicinity Is now two hundred,
and immigrants constantly, pouring in. -Four
Of their water-powers changed hands during the
month of November and two of the parties purchas-
ing lone Boston manufacturing company are bound
by contract to complete q hourng-mil each within
one year from date of purchase We were told while
Spring and SIS 600 to 500 600 expended there during
the next season in building mills, stores, hotels dwell
ings, Sc.
The land in this part of the Territory Is NOT yet in
market but will probably be offered at public sale in
June next. Meantime it is being rapidly taken up by
actual settler, principally from New-York and New
England, who enterprising and intelligent people,
southern Minnesota is exceedingly well watered, and
much better tmbered than Iowa Although we passed
over wide-spreadng praes all along the route from
Lansing to Rochester at no time out OF sight
of timber. We plenty of oak, bass, elm, ASH,
black walnut butternut hickory, poplar, and cotton
wood Pine lumber has Ia be hauled from the Mlssia-
sippi. We also saw an abundance OF sand and lime
stone suitable for building purposes the sandstone -
veIy easily faced, aud makes fno-looking building
have lived during the past ak years IN nat pral-
ne country where there is nothing in the distance but
the horizon for the eye to rest upon The face oil the
country in Minnesota is very different, and, TO my
mind, far mvN pleasing Fine, high, rolling prairie
relieves the eye in every direction, and being sut-
cientlv removed from the great Northern lakes, the
atmosphere il dry, and bracng Besides, the Gil
mate of the Territory recommended TO cOnsumptlVcS
by the first physicians III the country.
Immigrants going West cannot do better than 10
settle in Minnesota the best of the land is not yet
10 market and is consequently out of the reach OF
speculators None but actual settlers can purchase
these lands of Government and they can now select
timber water and prairie to their liking. Actual set
ter by simply filing in the Land Office declaration
Of their intention to claim "A certain quarter section
each can bold the same without paying for II until the
land comes into market, which may be one or Two
years hence GIBs.