The Council Bluffs nonpareil. [volume] (Council Bluffs [Iowa]) 1857-1867, 1859-04-16
FRoMAN ocCAsloSALcoRRE

FROM AN OCCASIONAL CGRRESPONDENT.
Iowa err, ArRn 2, 1859.
| FRIEND MAYNARD:
A FIVE days jolt over Iowa
roads, in their present muddy condition,
places one in no very enviable humor. How
ever, there is one consolation, after this ride,
can say that no county have passed
through has roads or bridges, that will COM
pare with those of Pottawatiamie. Polk,
that refuses to keep an adequate ferry over
! Coon, or even bridge it. Jasper, that can
not exr end one cent in ditching or grading
the notorious Skunk bottom, thus compel
ing the travelling public to traverse miles
on foot, through .interminable mud, or gets
itself id daily, by the passing em'gra-
ton, are disgrace to the State. These
large, wealthy counties: with full treasures,
forced the Western Stage Co., for Its own
convenience, to build bridge over Four
Mile Greek, and no doubt will force it to
make passablo the Skunk. Your readers
no doubt, would like to hear from the COM
! ing emigration. The different stories afoat
at the Bluffs, in regard to the amount Of
emigration, induced me to pay particular
attention to that point, and think speak
within bounds when | say, as large an emf
grafton never crossed the plains in one sea-
son. They are docking to the mines from
| all quarters, and the gold stories atoat, In
crease as you travel Eastward. found
that there had crossed the Court Avenue
Bridge at Des Moincs, up to March %, $50
Teams. That there had crossed one bridge
over Skunk River up to March 30ih, ALB
! Teams, and East Of the Skunk, met in
twelve hours travel, 3o3 Teams. | converscd
with several parties aad they were invarla-
| bly, bound for the BluFs-and | am told by
those along the road, that the entire emigra-
! ton on this thoroughfare makes the Bluffs
point on their route. found large
number with full Outfts-mostly procured
in lllinois--thus hauling 1900 lbs. to the
team, with the idea OF avoiding the reputed
exorbitant prices along the Missouri River.
Their ideas Of prices at Council Bluffs
were elegated-for instance, corn, from
81 to 2 per bushel, -four, $6 per hun
dred, and every thing in proportion. As
they travel West they are getting the veil
drawn from their eyes, and find that they
have boon dupcd, hwnejugJed and cheated
and some Of them were rather severe on our
mere ants, because they had not used som2
+ means to inform the emigration Of prices at
! the Bluffs. believe that it would be great
" to their benefit If they would each one
f send along the road and to the different
crossing points on the Mississippi, circulars
or posters, stating the prices at which they
will furnish staple Quitting Goods. No
! doubt if this had been done before this en-
igration started, not one in ten CT them
would have bought their goods East Of the
Bluffs, for ia y are heartily sick Of drag
cling ton or more across Iowa, in two feet
Of mud. They are trading of their corn,
flour, bacon, etc. heard Of large numbers
+ from every county that came through, who
intend starting as soon as grass grows: and
also found the mos. Of those now waiting
for good roads and grass, are getting letters
from friends who have already preceded
them to yonT city, with the invnriabIe advice
! to buy on the Missouri; also giving our mer-
. - hoy to of
! feet. and those Of our II lrchants who have
sent out circulars with prices, will reap
much benefit from their foresight; every en-
migrant who gets one, pockets it for future
rcfercnce-I find that Iowa City does YOU
Justice and lends her aid in representing
things at the Bluffs as they are*; but q great
portion of the Emigration reaches the main
road west of here, many come here by rail
road, viii, full outfits bought i'll Illinois and
Ohio, while others generally buy enough
here to last them across the STATE. | be-
lieye Your merchants would DO well to heed
the above and act accordingly.
found the work in progress Of construc-
r Il, : |.
places in powesheik county, md in RS many
more in Iowa. At Brooklyn, Marenso, and
one or two other places, they have done 8
LARGE amount of work, and the road is lined
through the groves with ties sot out the past
winter. The prospects are certainly goot
for road to Grnfrcll the coming year, aul
the people along the line are saDguinc o.
soon doing away with the WuI rngonS. \
this place matters look brisk, and the i'm
provement in the town since last visited i
speaks well for its prosperity. They hay,
built FIRE Coart lIousn, Churches, and |
beautiful building for the accommodation
Of the Univ, rsity Scholars. G.. B
sIf oar Correspondent is correct in this statement
chow the world is given to lying!" We have con
vcrscd with many emgrants during tile past two weeks
ard We have been invariably Informed that the bust
ness men OF Iowa Cay were first and foremost il
the work Of disappearing the Missouri Slope. From
. What we have learned fI"m sources which deem
perfectly reliable forced 10 Ii CONVECTION tina
uur correspondent i'll writing thus, has placed mon
dependence upon the assevecatlon Of interested part!c
at Iowa City than upon his Oh Of the dciaa
.ysem Misrepresentation ntainer by The Lus mes
men of that City We hope are w, ny IN thus con
jecturnr, but think we have cogen rcasy!s th
faith that is in us.''--Ed. NOnp.
! Changed AIS Tune.
Ex-Navor BR0oXriELD, Of Nebraska City
who wrote home such discouraging report:
from the mines, short tune since, has ex.
perienccd a change Of some sort, and he
now writes in the best possible spirits, say.
ing that the prospects Of miners are daily
Drightning, and that he is now making >:
per day. Wonder if those journals, which
seized with such avIdity upon his forme,