The north Iowa times. [volume] (M'Gregor [i.e. McGregor], Iowa) 1856-1857, 1857-01-30
CORRESPONDENCE.
Ed. NoRrn Iowa TINES:

CORRESPONDENCE.
Ed. Norm Iowa TINES:
Thinking it might be interesting to
your readers to give sketch of tour in
your State on the line of the Nc Gregor,
St. Peters 4 Missouri r. R., have made
a few notes, which. if you think proper,
you may publish.
On the evening of the first day of the
present year. / left the beautiful town Of
Prairie du Chen for the busy and thirty
ing town Of McGregor, where was to
join two worthy friends preparatory to an
early start on the following morning.
But meeting with some detention, ]. was
occupied during the early partof the next
day, in viewing the late valuable improve
ments in your growing place, and contem-
plating its future prospects, inconncction
with the completion Of your Rail Road.
In my opinion it would be difficult for
any person who has anything like an ade-
quate idea of that portion Of Iowa through
which the road will pass, to place too
high an estimate on the future of your
town, and Of your neighbor on the oppo-
site side of the river. gs& .Iaa h.
At one O'Clock in the afternoon of the
I'd JAM, we "set sail" as the sailor says,
which proved literally true when we
reached the edge of the prairie at Farm
ersberg. A terrific gale seasoned plenti-
fully with snow, rendered our ride on
that afternoon far from agreeable, and
knowing that the entire year was before
us, and that business abounded through
out the expanse of county through which
we were passing, we concluded to furl
sail, and ''heaye to" at friend Sackrider's
lwho then kepta Hotel four miles beyond
Monona, but has since taken the Egbert
Hotel at Monona. He gave us the best
accommodations his house afforded, and
attended to us and our horses as the Yam
kee says, fright up to the handle" On
the morning of the Sd, though the wealth
er was very cold, and the roads were
much drif,ed, on we went at Railroad
speed, with buoyant spirits, riding over
and through fearful drifts of snow, as
they then appeared, but which were only
mole hills to mountains, compared with
those which we encountered after riding
eight or ten miles further, My compan-
ions being better acquainted with the
country than l, and having two horses to
my one, of course took tho lead, and on
we went at our usual velocity, until we
came in contact with a snow-mountain,
and from necessity made slight halt, and
then tremendous effort, which was un-
successful for the same reason as was that
Of the Irish sailor to manage the farmers
team in blowing, Though the teams diff
fered slightly.) The paddy having been
sent to pillow field, soon returned to the
farmers house complaining that "the lar
board OK had got on the starboard side,
and the starboard OK had got on the lar
board side, and the mare was all tangled
in the rigging" My friends therefore
concluded that the snow blowing must be
abandoned for that day. and so we took a
tack and spent the next day, it being Sun.
day, at Springville with our mutual friend
Reed who gave us very satisfactory
accommodations. We attended Church
on Sabbath morning a. Postville, ana lis
tened to a very interesting discourse by
the Rev. Mr.. Dawson, and in the afternoon
heard a sermon by the same gentleman a,
Springville. We were much pleased with
the social aspects of the place.
Monday Jan. 9Th, II A. NJ. we pro-
ceeded on our journey at our usual rate Of
about 10 miles an hour. The first point
we made of much note was Clermont, on
the Turkey River, about 80 miles West Of
McGregor. This town has three or four
hundred inhabitants and is located in q
cozy, comfortable place in the Valley oil
the Turkey, surrounded by picturesque
bluffs and lofty oaks. The buildings are
mostly of brick, neat and substantial in
appearance. A lerge Touring Mill con
tanning three run of stone. owned by the
Hon. J. Thompson, the proprietor Of the
village, particularly attracted my attention.
Here we found an attentive Landlord, who
had our horses well cared for, and we were
early invited into pleasant dining room
where we partook of the bounties Of
Clermont. Refreshed, rested. and warm
ed. after our good dinner. we proceeded on
our journey toward West Union, 10 miles
farther West. After passing through a
belt of heavy timber one and a half ortwo
miles wide, we came upoc fine prairie
bordered with timber. and apparently
nearly all under cultivation, and as wai