Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1857-08-21
IOWA oonnEspoNpENoE.


EDITOR JouRAL;-I propose to give you few lines in
regard to things in general in this fast State. Mount
Pleasant was the first town had the pleasure OF looking
upon by daylight 1t is thriving town Of 5000 nhat
ants the county seat Of Henry county and situate thirty
miles northwest of Burlington The Burlington and Mis-
souri, Railroad which is designed to intersect the Mssou
ri at the mouth Of Platte is completed to this point
runs through beautiful country, FERTILE well wAtered
and rolling, with suciency OF timber and dotted all
over with improved farms, substantial farm buildings and
hourshng towns The whole region of the valley of the
Des Mones including the triangle between that river and
the Mississippi is Of the garden spots of the West
smiling with plenty and full Of the indications of substan
tia progress Forexampe take Mount Pleasant Here
number ofbrick blocks the public square that remind
Of those in your town. The occupants appear to be
full ofbusness. Scattered wide area, embosomed
among trees and shrubbery, numbers tasteful dwell
ngs which show that the plans and pictures in Downngs
books have been studied west Of the Mississippi Half
dozen church SPIRES sumounting respectable and even
elegant edces give relief to the picture If you stroll
little out Of town will find large and handsome srct
ure of brick which, inquiry, you find TO be Unversi
ty This belongs to the Methodists who shrewd pi
oneers in education. In another direction may be seen
the foundation and first story Of massive Asylum for m
nacs, which, when completed will do honor to the State
And after the stroll which have suggested you feel in
cnod to take your case at inn you will find house
ofare for dinner nice airy chambers and good BEDS but
not drop ofthe creature to be had for love or
This ends our FIRST visit to Mount Pleasant
Seating ourselves in old fashioned stage coach we
started for Saem ten miles distant. 1t is situated
in the southwestern part of Henry county, contains
population f20O0 The rural beauty of this portion of
Iowa can hardly he surpassed Undulatng praies inter
spersed with Of timber and watered by pe
bly, or rocky bedded streams pure and transparent No
country can present to the farmer greater facilities for sub
DUNG, In short time, wild lands Its natural praries
are fields almost ready to his hands, Its rich soil
rewards him for his labor hundred fold For centuries
the successive natural crops of grass unsurbed by the
scythe and but partially kept down by the of
buffalo and other herbvorous animas have accumulated
organic matter the surface SOIL such extent that
long succession OF even exhaustng crops will not
teriay impoverish the land The farms Of Iowa. large
level and unbroken by stumps other obstruction afford
an excellent field for the of moving reaping ma
Chimes and other improved implements calculated to save
the labor of the husbandman which new countries
claimed from the forest scarcely be employed until
the first generation shall have passed away
In company with Esq. r., of Sandusky County and Dr.
Allen of Keokuk visited the Coal Banks which are
about being opened four miles west of Salem Bitumious
COAL in nexhaustable quantities. is found here The
coal is of good quality the vcines can be easily worked
and are but short distance from the Railroad
There Is alo at the place fine vein Of camel coal
some thirty-four inches thick which think exceeds in
thickness any vein yet discovered in the United States
capt those OF Western Pennsylvania 1t is said to be the
very best of oil coal The marvellous quantities of
mel coal, for the production OF oils naptha and candle
WAX or paraane truly astonishing One ton
coal produces about hundred forty gallons
oil, which, when distilled, will produce more than fort
gallons of pure oil for burning, ubricatng &C.; twenty
hVe gallons OF naptha, and twenty pounds candle wax
more beautiful than, and far superior to SPERM The
tina can be used for all purposes both mechanical and
medicinal to which spirits Of urpentne adapted and
can be manufactured at one-fourth the price.
Frequent and superabundan rains have been renchne
and hoodng nearly all parts of the Union east of the
sssspp while in this portion of Iowa. they are suffer
ing from drought unprecedented the time of the
year. lam told there has not been but two slight
since the twentieth Of March last period of four months
Take all kinds of grain and grass and there will not be
half crop in Henry countyithis year
In all Iowa fast State shall go to Keo-
kuk tomorrow and may drop you few lines in regard to
'hat Town. Yours &C., c. G.. E.