The Iowa transcript. (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1858-1866, 1859-11-24
For "lhe Iowa Transcript.

Mr.. EnIToR--Many persons in this
vicinity knowing thatl have been en-
gagged ia the late survey Of a line for the
st. Louis, Iowa & ST. Paul Railroad Co.,
passing through or near this place, wish
to know the particulars thereof. and sum
dry queries being propuundcd to me in
regard to the general appearance Of the
country and towns passed through and
lying cont uous to SAID survey, take
the liberty Of answering through the
columns OF your valuable paper.
The line commences at Cedar Falls,in
Blackhawk County, and thence pursues
4 Southerly conrsc to the Village Of
Buckingham in this County, thence it
bears little more Southwesterly, until
it leaves the valley of Salt Creek at a
point nearly due North Of Toledo, and
from thence it takes nearly due South
course to North Skunk River passing
the towns of Toledo, Gassport (alias
Powesheik Montezuma and Brown.
town, from North Skunk the line bears
Il little more Soutawesterly to Eddyyillc
at which po;n, it crosses the Des Nome
River, and pursues about Southwest
course crossing Gray's and Miiler's
Creeks and at about the distance Of 6
miles from Eddyville takes the divide
between Millars Creek on the right aid
Avery On the left, which divide it keeps
with little variation to its intersection
with the main divide between the Mis-
sissippi and Missouri rivers. At the
distance Of about twelve miles from EI
! dYvilc the line passes threu ugh the town
Of 4 lhia, after gaining the main divide
the line again take a Southcriy course
as far as the town of Moraya in Apra
moose county thence it runs a little
east Of South, near IS may be upon the
summit Of the divide, until it intersccts
the South line Of the State Of Iowa, d
few rods cast Of the Southwest corner Of
Davis county. At the same point it al
80 intcrsccts the line Of the North Mis-,
souri, Railroad. The distance from &c
dar Falls being Isl miles and : feet.
We also traced side line from O.ka
loosa to Grinncil thence to intersect the
main line three or foar miles south Of
O. ro.clo. As to thcroutc it undoubtedly
Is good one requiring but light grades
ard light cuttin. and filing. The bad
points if reminder are at the crossing
between the Iowa river and R;ch,and
crack, aud the divide between tie FORKS
Of Bear Creek 1t will be seen by ref
erence TO d map Of tie localities that the
route from Dskaloosa by the way Of
Gglnneli, has not to conteud with the
allows mentioned difficulties.
The greatest extent Of unsettled coun
try through which We passed. was tn,
South part Of Iana and the North par,
Of Poweshiek counties. The balance OF
the way, is we'll settled ~ we'll to do
farming community, judging from their
neat farm houses and large barns coup
led with lin the coal district) the large
bins Of coal stored up for winter use
After We passed the south line Of Ma
hasl.a County We found that the farmers
have had rather bad luck the past year
or Two in raising wheat, and in fact
oil kinds of small grain. was told by
several in Appanoose county that thi,
years wheat crop was ALREADY eaten
up, however the corn crop was cx
ccllent. We found that the country
was suffering from protracted drouth
and water was very scarce. In fact af
ter we left the tributaries Of the Iowa
river we found no running streams ex-
ccpt the two Skunks and the Des Moline
Rivers, all others being Cry we'll water
scarce also. | should judge that we
found twice the quantity Of water in the
Iowa that We did in the Dcs Moines. 1t
takes but very little practice to see the
difference between the soil Of coal dis
trict and the soil lying upon the carlo
niferous limestone which is the soil in
this county. When you have fairly en-
tered the coal district the country be-