Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1860-07-19
LETTER FROM ILLINOIS.

bEMENT (I!HnOls) July H. IoGV.
L. Q. GooDEIcu, Edtior II have thought
that perhaps word fom Illinois might be cf
s1tne Interest to your readers especially te
my friends and acquaintances in Bradford coun-
ty aud vicinity, and the Republicans generally
throughout the old Keystone State.
started from Overton, Bradford county,
Pa, on the 27th day of September 1858, and
after passing some two weeks on the road and
in visits by the way. | landed at Moamcqua,
Illinois, at which place l resided till last Feb,
ruary, where | removed to this village, and
expect to remain here, at least several years
Rement is situated On the Great Western
Railroad, and boasts of about 500 inhabitants,
six stores, an excellent school house, q griSt
mill (recently burned DOWN and some two or
three churches are being built the present
ycar Our peighbors are composed of people
from every part of the Union. But tae pco-
ple here are mostly from Pennsylvania, New
York and Ohio, aud are pretty geaeray we'll
suckerized The soil is very productive and
Yields abundant crops of grain and all sorts Of
produce the farner sees Gt to cultivate. Fruit
is not MUCH cultivated here yet list notwith-
standing this deficiency, We have fruit IN great
abundance, and at very reasonable prices
through the Railroad facilities which are SO
complete, that within few hours time these
luxnries are brought in from the south, east
and West iH large quantities. BemCnt is ioca
ted in about the geographical centre OF the
state.
We have many transient people among US,
who are continually removing from one locali-
ty to another and are always discontented,-
They are generally eastern people, who imbibe
these rowing and unsteady habits after they
immigrate to this country, which is caused by
an entire misunderstanding of the general con-
diton Of the west, with regard to the manner
aud custom of the people, the expense Of
horse hire, cost of provision and fuel.
You are undoubtedly aware that many per-
sons iu the eastern states seem to think that
people in the west can live in luxury aud idle
ness, whether they have any money or not
hence they give their little all to defray the un-
avoidable expense incurred in removing to this
country Now let me say to those persons
who entertain these opinions, that they are
sadly mistaken. If they have not money
enough to purchase team of horses and the
necessary farming utensils, they had better
stay where they are A common laborer can
do better there thar here, because in the east
he can get employment the whole year, where
as in the west be can get employment about
nine months only in each year. Now let me
just kindly say to those of your readers who
contemplate immigrnting west if you are not
wealthy, do by all means come out and see the
country first, take a peep at the facilities and
the general modns operandI by which the COM
munity here are governed, and then you can
take due notice and govern yourself accord
ingly. If you do not take these preliminary
steps, you will perhaps, like some Others who
l have known, "eat the bread of sorrow
for many years ~ l do not here wish to
be understood to reflect unfayorably on the
productiveness of the soil, not at all, but to
the contrary. 1t may we'll be said " that this
is the Eden of America" The soil is i'm
mensely rich, and yields abundant crops, if,
yes i tho weeds are kept down, and this re-
1uires labor. Speculation runs altogether too