Sioux City register. [volume] (Sioux City, Iowa) 1858-1871, 1859-05-19
Shall we Have . Railroad !

In former articles we have called the
fertility, resources and promise OF NORTH
Western Iowa, aud the necessity in new
prairie coun,rr like ours for the early con-
struction Of Railroads. Ready market for
surplus produce and access to the timoer
regions are our present great wants. With
these wants supplied no portion Of the
country can offer as great inducements to
the settler, and yield as large return for
labor as this. The climate is eminently
favorable to health and vigor, and much
milder than in this latitude on the Missis-
sippi or the Lakes; the atmosphere dry
and clear, and no.edly free from that ma
!aria so common to new countries, aud so
full of the seeds Of local disease. One
great cause Of our freedom in this respect
may be found in the rapid current Of the
Missouri and its tributaries. the former
varying from four to nine miles per hour
according to the stage Of the water. No
decaying vegetable matter is found poison
ing these streams. The soil is exceeding
ly porous, absorbs water rapidly, and 6nd:
abundant drainage in these streams.
Five years have scarcely elapsed since
the tread Of pioneers" first broke upon
the Missouri at this poiut-,he hunting
trails Of tie savage are no, yet erased
from our hills: still within that time, not.
wi,hstandipg the stringency Of the times
and the arrest Of emigration, improvements
Of the most substantial character have
steadily progressed. The primitive log
hut has given place to the more commo.
dious dwelling, and the weed patches Of
the natives multiplied into large and pro.
dnctiye farms.
As evidence Of progress we take the fol-
lowing figures from the assessment books
Of 1859. Tie whole number of acres as
sessed in Woodbury. county this year is
227,SiS acres, and valued at S64G,674 Is,
or nearly three dollars per acre. The to-
tai assessed value Of town lots is S643,.
$50 90, making the assessed value Of real
property in this county sl,290,l93 Is.
In addition to this We have for personal
property a valuation Of sll9,3ll 90.
Heretofore We have been dependent on
foreign supply for nearly every article Of
consumption. Last season when crops
we're failure throughout the West, We
had comparatively plentiful harvest, and
this spring for the frst time this county
shipped to st. Louis thousands Of bushels
Of surplus produce. Large quantities of
wheat have been sown here this season,
and Touring mill will be in successful
operation during the summer, so that We
shall no longer be bidding for -four in
Southern markets. Much greater atteL.
ton is given this than in any previous
year to agriculture. One advantage to be
derived from the increase of production
will be diminution Of freight between
here and St. Louis. While merchants at
Council Bluffs, less than two hundred miles
South Of here by the windings of the river,
pay from 80 to 10 cents per hundred for
freight, our merchants are paying Sl,5O
per hundred. The reason is, trade here
Las not been sufficient TO excite competi.
ton among the transportation lines, and
we having had no produce to ship down
the river, freight that came up was taxed
for the expenses Of the entire trip.
Our location is msnifes.ly one Of com.
nsrcisl importance. Situated on the Crest