Worcester daily spy., 1859-02-02
Correspondence of the Spy.l
LETTER FROM THE WEST.
DAVENPORT. Iowa. Jan.

! as nSariy as prdcucaDle, along Ine 4Zu parallel
North latitude, and terminating at the Mis-
souri, River, in Monona County, had a favor
able opportunity to see the country, learn its
resources and become acquainted with its in
habitants. These represent every State in the
Union, having left their native States to seek
their fortunes in new country, and obtain
homes for themselves and families, or to ac-
| quire competency by a few years labor, to
support themselves wherever they may choose
to locate their future homes. A majority of
those who emigrate to new countries, expect
to spend few years there, and then return to
civilization, but, when they have invested their
proverty, and there is prospectof its increas-
ing very rapidly in value, and when their po-
sition in society becomes more prominent, they
become more strongly attached to their new
homes. the country, and its Institutions, while
many Of their former friends are no longer
living, and, if they were to return to the homes
of their childhood, few of their old friends
would be there to welcome them back
Many persons go West with the idea firmly
established in their minds, that they have left
Tile Only ulbelIlSeul ttllu
ing class of society behind them, and that they
are going among an awkward portion Of the hui
man family, whose principal employment is
taking quinine, and their exercise the result of
an ague chill but a little experience unde-
celves them In this respect. 1t is the enter
prising people, those who have the moral cour-
age to leave the homes where their juvenile
days were passed, and the friends who were
near and dear as the blood that courses in their
veins, that come to seek their fortunes among
entire strangers, in an unsettled country. 1t
is they only, who are willing to make such a
sacrifice, however beautiful the natural scenery
may be- however prolific the soil, or however
combined with them may be the other induce
ments that the new country may possess.
The profile of Iowa exhibits a rolling prairie
which, to a native of New England, greatly
enhances its beauty, giving great variety to
the scenery, and obviating the monotony which
prevails on level prairie. Besides, that is
one very essential requisite to healthy eli
mate because, in a rolling country, like Iowa,
there are great many running streams of
water, and few stagnant ponds.
In most parts of the State, the water is very
agreeable to drink, and desirable to use in
cooking, not being so highly impregnated with
lime as to render it disagreeable. Most of the
timber in the State grows near the rivers and
creeks. Nearly every variety of timber that
is found in New England, is found in Iowa,
with the exception of pine, hemlock, chestnut,
and few other species.
The coal formation extends through the
larger portion of the State, and comes to the
surface at many of the rivers. AT the
Des Moines and Iowa rivers, in particular,
have noticed the coal beds, which extend to
the surface. The Des Moines valley, at the
point crossed by the Iowa Central Airline
Do;1 IL, lD.l
of the river two hundred and fifty feet lower
than the prairies on either side. At this place,
| ascertained the difference in elevation of two
coal beds which came to the surface in two ra-
vines one mile apart was seventy-fve feet.
The substance beneath these beds in many
places was sort of fire-cay.
The highest point, on the great divide be-
tween the Mississippi and Missouri is two hun
dred and seventy two miles from the Mssissip-
pi at Lyons, and its elevation seven hundred
and ninety three feet above the Mississippi at
Lyons, and thirteen hundred and ninety-two
feet above tide-water. The difference in eleva-
ton between the Mississippi and Missouri riv-
ers, near the AID parallel North longitude, is
about four hundred and thirty one feet, ascer-
tanned by line of levels run across the State.
This difference in elevation will account for
the greater velocity of the current in the Mis-
souri,
There have been four land-grant railroads.&c.
Gated across this State, from the Mississippi to
the Missouri rivers, which would, undoubted-
ly, have been more than half completed before
this time, had not the last financial crisis i'm
peded their progress, and paralyzed every en-
terprize of the kind in the West The prospect
of the companies going on with the construc-
tion of the roads in the Spring, appears very
favorable. Messrs. Farnum & Co., the enter
prising contractors of the Mississippi and Mis-
souri, Railroad, are progressing rapidly with
their work, at both ends of their road. This
road extends from Davenport on the Mississip-
pi river, to Council Bluffs, on the Missouri riv-
er, passing through Iowa City, the former cap
ital Of the State, and Fort Des Moines, the
present capital, and is connected by the rail
road bridges, crossing the Mississippi at Dav-
enport, with the Rock Island and Chicago Rail
road. The cars are already running over fifty
miles of this road to Iowa City, and about the
same distance on a branch road.
Between 1850 and 1856, great many towns
were located in Iowa, which flourished admir-
ably, and increased rapidly in population, until
the financial crisis came on, but since then,
there has been less surplus money to continue
the improvements with The fertile soil and
healthy climate will long attract great amount
of emigration to the State, for the soil yields
so large a produce, for a comparatively small
amount of labor. The wild prairies are not
swarded over like the pastures and meadows of
New England, but are covered with wild
grass that grows in lunches. The average
height of the grass is about one foot on the
high prairies, but much taller than that on the
bottom lands. The teams used for breaking
the prairies usually consist of two or three
yokes of oxen attached to a large plow, having
on it very short cutter. This work is usual
y done soon after the grass starts in the Spring,
for the sod turned over at that season will rot
sooner than if broken at any other time. Most
of the farm work is accomplished by horse pow
er. 1t would be curiosity to see man at
work in his corn-field with a hoe, or cutting
his wheat with a sickle.
Wild plums grow in greater abundance than
Bny other wild fruit. Fruit is not cultivated in
great abundance in the State, but believe the
reason of it may be attributed to the neglect of
the farmers and not to tine incapacity of the
soil to produce fruit for l have seen as good
orchards and eaten as delicious fruit in Iowa
as in any other State.
Branches of the State Bank, which went into
operation the first of this month, established
in several of the largest cities of the State.
Some of their bills are already in circulation,
the design of which is very elegant and well
executed.
Chinese sugar cane has be9n very success
lully cultivated III iowa, anu Will receive more
attention in future. 1t has been ascertained by
several who have raised it, that two gallons of
molasses made from this sugar can be produced
for the same price as one bushel of corn.
should like to give you a description of
some of the flourshing institutions in the State,
their locations, &C., but will not attempt it in
this letter. Yours, &C., CHM.
CoUNTERFEITs.-On dollar bills of the