The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1856-06-21
TIL E w E S T.
Correspondence e Tbr Californian.

II T. w = -
Correspondence & Chr Californian.
EVANSVILLE. Wis, June. 1856.
The recent passage of three or four bills
in Congress. granting alternate sections of
land to Railroad companies in Iowa, has CIV
en- new impulse to the excitement already
prevailing. As matter Of course all lands
subject to private entry within fifteen miles
of the proposed routes. will be closed from
sale until the different companies have made
their selections. This is a damper on war
rants They fell in Dubuque, on the recep
ton of the news, to 80 cents an acre for 100
acres. Persons holding preemptions are hur-
rying TO the different offices to prove up
their claims and receive a certificate. called
here duplicate, which entities them to
government patent Every man who enters
piece Of land will, if he waits long enough.
receive parchment deed to which the Pres
ident's name assigned as grantor,and the deed
is recorded in the General Land Office. For
some reason, few or none have been issued
during this administration. When they do
come, they will be in carloads.
People in a new country are ever fertilein
cxpedicnts. They are compelled to be. The
faculty Of invention is simulated to the ut
most and its results sometimes appear in
questionable shape. For instance, a man
wishing to obtain preempton. files with
TIE Register of the Office in which the land
lies. an affidavit stating in substance that he
is citizen of the United States, over TWEEN
tv-onc. or the head of family: that he is
not the owner Of halt section of land that
he desires prcemption for his own use. and
not for Spcculation it being, 10 use a Doug
laSiSm. the true intent and meaning Of the
act. to contine It's benefits to actual settlers.
and to those hut once If at the end of
year the prccmpfioncr can prove that he was
on the land within thirty davs from the date
of fling his affidavit. and that he has been
occupying AMI improving The land ever
since, he then gets title hv paving the mini
mum price. Last week saw the provin. Of
a prermp,on at Daror-ah. and as | knew
the circumstances. it afforded me some amu>c-
ment The witness zone is sufficient If he
Ill 81 -,
scribed thirty aavS The party had built and
occupied house. and that there had been a
continued occupancy ever since. To the va
riouS questions OF The REGISTER he replied
that ii was a substantial oG housc ut least
twelve feet square. that II was chinkei and
roofcd. that it had an upper and lower floor.
door and window as it a window. SAID
the Register 'or only hole in tho side :" 1T
is window " he repl ii. with sash and glass
in IT," "lIow mnch break Ing has he >" Wit
rrSs could not state the precise amount
was a rcsrectahl, field. however. enclosed
with stake. ard ridered fence. and with
wheat oats and corn growing therein. and \
GARDEN The land was obtained on this evi-
icnre Now the facts were these: The pre-
cnr.;or took a friend and his team and drew
upon III" spot few popiars. These were cut
ard laid M cob house fashion and the chink>
filed with hay. A few round poles were >ut'
tirient for ratters beams and slccrcr>. and
the roof was completed bv putting on a LAYER
of hav. The floors were finished bv lavinc
two or three shakes" on each. and the door
"a very small one-was of the same matcri
al. and hung with two bits of leather cut
from an old boot The window had strips
nailed across in imitation Of sash. in the cen
tire of which was suspended pint bottle
THIS was the window with sash and glass in
it. The breaking was a spot about four tcet
square. upon which handful Of grains and
grasses had been thrown indiScrimnatclv II
was an easy matter to surround such a field
with an excellent fence. The two men ac-
romrIi>hcd the whole business in half dav
and the only cash expenditure was for a
pound of nails. The preemptor slept in this
house but once during the year, and the only
furniture was an old hat hung in one corner
The witness who sworc to continued orcu-
pancy must have gone on the principle that a
mans home is where his hat is.
GAINESVILLE is a tlouriShing city, in the cen
ire of one OF the most fertile portions of the
West. They are buil,lin. or the west side
of the river, on the site of the old Steven,
House, hotel which is 1875 by 10 feet Ten
wears ago. walked across the prairie from
this place to Delavan, distance of twenty
miles. There is very little timber in the
whole distance About midway is a small
elevation called Mount Zion. | remember
stopping at that place. and resting on what
appeared like an immense green carpet
spangled with flowers. There was scarcely
a house visible in any direction. remember
asking myself If the person were then living
who would see that prairie brought under
cultivation Could it be that people would
he found who would settle from five to ten
miles from timber? Ten wears have solved
these questions, and this very land has nov
fences, buildings and orchards and is worth
from twenty-five to fifty dollars an acre
The Spring has been cold and back ward
with much rain, and from some cause thu
secd.corn has failed to come up. Through
out northern Iowa and southern Wisconsin
the farmers are now busily re2lanting The
grain market closc,: heavily last night Whea