The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1858-03-20
Letter from Iowa


March g. 1858.
FRESD CALIFORNIAN As many of Your
readers are more or less interested IN Iowa
matters, have thought that few jouings
from one on the ground might not be unae-
eeptahlei and Ia the first place the weather
this winter seems % be the most prominent
subject that presents itself Por Iowa, like
the other Western States, has suffered great
Is In her reputation tho two winters previous
10 this. But this winter has been all that
any one could reasonably have asked as We
probably have not yet had over four inches
Of snow, and probably not over Two or three
weeks Of that, with a very small amount Of
wind The mercury, since November, has not
fallen below zero but seven times, and lhe
lowest was 10 below, A. % tho money nan
ic, We pity any who arc any worse of than
we. Though the medicine 10 ,er, hard 10
take, aud its Effects very Frustrating, yet, the
paticni viii come oct Of the siokHtss soundrr
and more vigorous thIn before. In fact h
was just the thing needed, for now We would
say 20 our Eastern friends that they can buy
real estate IN town or county, at least %
per Gent cheaper than last year, Hut you
may rely upon iE this viii not always last.
but after this year property will besure again
10 come up. One Of the benefits of this pan
IL IL In driving out from our villages thousands
Of six-hy-eight spectators who have been
trying to live by their wits, but who nov are
obliged 10 resort 10 the tilling Of tho so,
My opinion i that at present iowa pre-
sents more advantages TO the emigrant than
any other pointI though last year we were
very willing, for certain reasons, 20 500 our
sister Kansas receiving the most attention.
Minnesota il too far north, and the best Of
Wisconsin i taken up, Our Vermont friend,
have nothing 10 fear from this climate IN
hetit II the very latitude that will secure
the very best portion Of emigrants, being
about on line with New York and New
England, The most prominent objections
that present themselves to Iowa, are want Of
timber aud distance from market. But the
speedy construction OF our railroads and the
planting Of groves will remove both Of these.
II is said that freight from Dubuque To New
York by the Mississippi River, il not more
than from one 10 two dollars per hundred.
There ia still large amount Of government
land in the State subject to entry at one dol
lar and quarter per acre. Improved farms
In the vicinity Of towns from ten to twenty
dollars. Good raw prairie perhaps halfthat,
Now 70 any one Who thinks Of coming west.
We would say, don't think to come out here
as thousands have to be disappointed hylook.
ing flr what used 10 be said Of Ohio that
pigs we're found Wild, ready cooked with
kui,fs and forks sticking in their backs Tn
less a man has plenty Of cash he may expect
TO find hardsmps and many disagrccablc
things, hut in the end he may secure a farm
that he can feel is worth the name Of farm,
ought not to omit mentioning the fact that
pulmonary difficulties are almost unknown
here, unless brought here. We are confident
that, unless in some Of the worst localities,
It is quite as healthy here as in Vermont and
what may seem rather strange, the fact seems
to be that persons Of middle age and older,
are more sure Of health. than younger ones.
Yours truiy, q. W.