St. Charles City Republican intelligencer. [volume] (St. Charles City [Charles City], Iowa) 1857-1861, 1858-10-21
Mistellanp.
From the Dubuque Herald.
IOWA-.-ITs SYSTEM OF RIVERS.

The Mississippi river borders the
eastern limits of Iowa, and many 9th
cr rivers, with numerous branches,
run nearly the whole length of the
State, while the Missouri river
borders threc-fourths of the whole
western limits. Numerous streams
flow south and southwestern y into the
Missouri, and all the larger rivers of
the interior flow southeasterly into
the Mississippi The largest of those,
the Demoine, rises in the western part
of Minnesota, runs diagonally across
the State to its southeast corner,
flowing through fifteen counties,
distance, by the course of the river,
of over three hundred miles. Skunk
river also empties into the Mississippi
thirty-six miles above the mouth of
the Demoine, and waters with its
branches the principal part of ten
counties.
The next river of Importance pro-
cceding northward, is the Iowa, two
hundred miles long, flowing through
or near thirteen counties, and empties
into the Mississippi about midway
between Burlington and Muscatinc.
The Red Cedar river, with it's sew
eral long branches, for a long dis
tance nearl y parallel to the Iowa and
Wapsipinicon, running twenty to thir
ty miles from it, flows from the line
of Minnesota nearly two hundred and
fifty miles, principally watering four.
teen counties, empties into the Iowa
about fifteen miles in direct line
from the Mississippi.
The Wapsipinicon rises in Minneso-
ia, is over two hundred miles long,
partly waters ten counties, and reaches
the Mississippi about thirty miles
above Davenport.
The Maquoketa is about hundred
miles long, runs through five or six
counties, and empties into the Missis-
sippi ten miles below Bellevue
Turkey river, with its numerous
tributaries, is about ninety miles long,
flows through five counties, and
reaches the Mississippi thirty miles
above Dubuque. The Upper Iowa
river partially waters two counties,
and cmpties into the Mississippi at
the northeast corner of the State.
Five of the above rivers and many
of their branches will be crossed in
going from Dubuque to Fort Dodge,
less than two hundred miles west of
Dubuque.
A large portion of the southern
part of the State is well watered by
branches of the Fox, Grand Nodaway
and Nishnabotauy rivers flowing into
the State of Missouri Little Sioux,
Floyd and Big Sioux rivers reach the
Missouri within the limits of Iowa
Many streams not enumerated, from
twenty to fifty miles long, reach the
great rivers that border the State on
the east and west, and many Of the
branches of the rivers named are
more than fifty miles long.
Nearly all the rivers Of Iowa have
a rapid current, atfording numerous
mill sites, especially those in the north
half of the State. Many of them
have a rocky or a pebbly bottom
throughout their whole extent, and
are we'll supplied with excellent fish.
In many Of the northern counties
large springs occur Of sufficient size
to form mill stream, and upon other
streams mills are built within five
miles of their farthest supply of wa
ter. The strong current of the Upper
Mississippi from st. Paul to St. Louis, }
is well known, and the fact that three
tourths of Iowa is drained by that
part of it's river system tributary to
the Father of Waters" proves such
a descent towards the south as would
prevent occurrence of any sluggish
streams. The Missouri is not less
i rapid in its course. and the western