The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1857-06-25

follow each other, in endless succession, over
the same great high roads. One Of these pop
ular roads lies through the second tier Of coun-
ties, and the lands contiguous to it are selling
at prices varying from Is to $50 per acre.
The southern tier, as yet, has no direct road
through it, and its lands command tardy sales
at from to So per acre. The local advanta-
ges--except in roads--are all in favor of the
lower counties. They are better watered. bet
ter timbercd, have more coal, and are, in eve-
ry respect, better adapted to the wants of an
agricultural and manufacturing population than
their road be-blessed neighbors. Take Tay-
loi county as specimen; (though acknowl-
edge it to be. in my estimation, the best in the
tier or the S.ate.) The newly opened State
road, which passes through its centre, from
east TO west, a distance of "a miles, crosses
Platte creek, Honey creek, four branches of
the 102, and two branches of the Nodaway,
upon each and all of which are heavy bodies OF
timber. But one town has as yet been laid out
Oh this new road, and, as could gain no in
telligence Of the local advantages of the coun-
ty. beyond my own observation, except as |
got it mixed up with the claims Of Lexington,
Bedford and Platteville 10 notoriety, l will
here copy my memorandum Of the city Of Lex
ington: Lexington is situate l, some Lalf mile
distant, east and west, between branches Of
the lo2; it is within some half mile of the geo.
graphical centre of the county, and within Is
miles of the nearest depot on the b. g. M. r.
r. R.; coal banks of excellent quality have
been opened north and west of it; brick-clay
is abundant, and three yards will be worked
this season; lime stone and sand for building
purposes can be had for the hauling; hard wood
lumber is worth from 1,50 to So per hundred
feet at the mills; age of the town about one
year; number of buildings IL or more, one Of
which IS large new school-house, not quite
finished" Bedford is now the county seat;
but, being some FIVE miles south of the centre
of the county, and by that much farther re-
moved from the railroad through the second
tier, cannot hope to hold its advantage long
The proprietors of Lexington are men of good
judgement and heavy purses; they desire to
make it necessary that the people of the coun-
ty should come to their place 20 get their inn
plements, furniture, &C., and to trade, satisfied
that this accomplished, the county seat will
quietly transfer itself, without occasioning ex-
cltement or hard feelings; and, to accomplish
this end, they pursue most liberal course to-
ward such manufacturers aud srtizans as visit
them. Bat enough Of the town; the sketch is
simply introduced to show that the country
is not deficient in the requisites from which
must grow future wealth and prosperity.
A town is very good institution, in its way,
but town people produce no -four or bacon; aud
so long as the best farm lands Of Iowa contin-
ue to be seized upon for town sites, and hun
dreds Of unproductive spectators, lawyers,
doctors and petty dealers in peanuts and can
DIV, continue 10 exc out a precarious existence
4 In them,-whilst vast tracts Of unoc cupied
farm lands stretch away from their doors as
far as the eye can reach,-we must look for
nothing else than high prices for the products
OF the soil. Iregret that the unexpected Ieng h
to which have extended this article admon-
ishes me TO omit the castigation contempla-
TED giving the superabundant town population
If Iowa. can only point then to the unques-
tloi,able fac: that they are very great nuisance
-makipg the honest laborer pay double pTi-
cesfor the necessaries OF life-and exhort them
to scatter out make farms aud obey tue scrip
tural Injunction 20 earn their bread by the
sweat of their broxs.
F. A. c. FOREMAN.