The Buchanan County guardian. (Independence, Buchanan County, Iowa) 1858-1864, 1859-07-28
HoeaI2 Mattfrs..
The Condition Of our County.

and fairness which so eminently charac
terixes him, thus speaks of the state of
our County finances. paying Judge IA
poR ell-deserved tribute. We do not
believe that the affairs Of any county in
the state present healthier condition
than those Of our own, nor do we believe
that the taxes Of the coming year will be
lighter in any county than they will be
in Buchanan The fact that our county
is entirely free from debt, with public
buildings sufficient for our wants for a
number Of years to come, cannot fail to
influence in our favor those DESTROYS of
making a location, or investing their
money, anywhere in this region. In
view of this, and Of the fact that we
must necessarily soon be in communica.
ton with markets, by railroad, and also
in consideration of the location and ag
ricultural resources Of our county, we
certainly think no locality in Iowa offers
greater inducements to the emigrant than
this. We have in the county sixteen
townships, or 36s,64O acres, of as
good land, taken collectively, as can be
found in northern Iowa. 1t is generally
rich, black loan, and will produce as
much per acre as can be raised anywhere
in. the state 1t is we'll -watered, excel
lent springs Astounding, while the Wap-
sipinicon and its tributaries, ramify in
all directions, giving water power and
mill seats to almost every neighborhood.
There are some sixteen or eighteen saw
and Touring mills now in the county,
and the capacities Of our water power
are by no means exhausted The tim
Der amounts, in the aggregate, to some
fifty lone or fiftytwo thousand acres,
and. following the course of the streams.
is so interspersed that we believe there
is no township that does not have more
or less within its limits 1t is of good
quality. generally, consisting of oak.
Eastwood. black walnut, DC. Stone for
building purposes. and limestone for
burning, is easily procureable in every
section of the county. Water is obtain
ed by digging, anywhere, at depth of
from 10 to 81 feet. Lumber for build :
ing and fencing can be had at reasona-
bic rates, oak and Eastwood being worth
from $40 to SIS per thousand. Land is
cheap, unimproyed prairie being worth
from 50 10 s6 per acre. according to To-
cality-improved farms from eight to
fifteen dollars per acre. Labor is plenty,
and of course not dear. Most of our
streams are bridged. and many churches
and school houses erected. thereby saw
ing large expense that falls upon the
settler in a newer country. For year
or two. the evidences now are, that pro-
duce and stock will be at a low figure.
We can therefore offer every induce ment
TO the emigrant. He can get his land at
low price, and his lumber for building
much cheaper than he can get it in a
newer country. Labor being cheap, and
cattle and produce at low figures. the
cost of opening and stocking farm must
be comparatively small. requiring but
little outlay of ready means, while the
probabilities almost amount to certain
ty. that by the time farmer, coming
among us now, would be able to raise
anything to sell, we shall be put in pos
session of market by the construction
of the Dubuque and Pacific Railroad
We think, therefore, that no locality Of:
fers greater inducements to those emf
grating west, than this and certainly
there has seldom been time in the his
tory of the county when the actual set
tier could establish himself here at less
cost. and with better prospect in fu-
turity, than now. He gets his land
almost as cheap as he could at any time
subsequent to its entry; finds school
houses and churches and bridges ready
provided. which are always a heavy tax
upon the resources Of early settlers will
not be taxed for rt-house, Jail, DC,
for years, at least, and finds no county
Indebtedness to run up. his taxes to an
oppressive height finds the cost Of liv-
ing while preparing his farm for the first
crop but inconsiderable. and has every
prospect of communication with markets
as soon as he may need them. We think
these are no small advantages, and we
therefore say that there never was, and
probably never again will be. better
time for emigrants to settle in Buchanan
County, than the present. ~
But we have wandered away from the
FIRST intent Of this article, which was
simply to introduce the following from
the Cisilion !: 'sF 7ad lef
The CoUxrY Juscs's REroRr.-We