Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1860-08-17
Correspondents Of the Dubuque Herald.
Letter from Mulso4time.

Letter from MSaseatime.
MusoATrNE, Aug. 8, 1907
DEAR HERALD :-About one year ago your
correspondent visited this Aourishing town,
and gave you Q sketch of his observati ons
here at that time, all Of which, it 10 needless
to say, were favorable.
On looking around now, find that during
the past year, . steady progress in prosper
ity, in improvement and in material wealth
has been kept up. Speculation never pre-
vailed in Muscstine to anything like the
same extent as in most Of the other leading
towns Of the West, and the consequence 10,
that this city passed through the financial
disasters Of 1867 almost unscathed. Hard
times have been comparatively but little
felt, and the CITY has gone on its quiet,
steady path Of substantial improvement.
A very heavy grain business 10 being done
here Just now, and has been done here every
fall for several years past. This 10 also one
of the most noted pork packing points on
the Mississippi, Is the pork statistics of tho
country show. These two facts speak we'll
for the place, and the revenue derived from
these important branches Of business is
better than that from mines Of gold and
silver.
But do not mean to attempt an account
Of the business, the resources, or the manu-
features of the place. It must suffice to say,
that they are all on highly respectable
scale.
There is one thing, however, in which,
think, tho city 10 little behind, and that is
in the newspaper line. This place is sbund-
antly able to sustain two good daily papers,
and yet it has but one-the JeurnaI-which
is Republican in politics. The Enquirer is
the Democratic paper, and is published
weekly.
four modesty forbids US inserting what
sMo." says of US personally. We can
assure him that we have no reason to com.
plain of any want of appreciation of our
labors on the part of the citizens of Musca-
tine or the Republican party.-I. Joalr]
The bluffs along tho river here are not
more than half % nigh as at Dubuque, and
the broken country extends only about four
miles back from the river. Emerging from
the timber which mostly covers this belt of
broken land, you come upon prairie region
unrivaled for beauty and fertility. Most of
this region is we'll improved, and covered
with splendid farms. Here the eye can take
in at one view SCORES of comfortable and
elegant fsrm.houses, whose inmates live
upon the fat of the land, and are, or ought
to be, among the happiest people living. In
this favored section your correspondent has
the good fortune Of spending most of his
time.
On political topics there is but little
interesting among tho farmers at present.
They consider the securing of their rich
harvests Of far more importance to them
than are the interests of any Presidential
candidate. In this the farmers are correct.
The nomination Of Mr.. Samuels for Con-
gress appears to take we'll here. find some
Of the prominent men of Muscatine city
quite enthusiastic for him, and determined
to give him good reception when he visits
this place. But must add in this connec
ton that some good Democrats have got il
into their heads that Che has been, is, and
would be friend Of State aid to railroads,
and declare that they would not vote TO,
the angel Gabriel if he favored such q
scheme of public swindling.' 1t is due to
Mr.. Samuels that he should be informed oil
this impression concerning his position or
the question referred to, so that he may be
aware of what is attributed to him, and
meet it accordingly.
The crops in this section are excellent
The wheat turns out we'll, and the corn wal
never before so large and heavy. 1t is nearly
4 month earlier than usual, and will be ripe
long before the occurrence of the fall frosts
Crops Of all kinds are unusually good.
Ny present visit to the country still fur.
Their convinces me that the 'hsrd tines are
over, and that of all the Western States
Iowa is the most desirable for settlement
whether we consider the fertility of its soil
the eligibility of its position, the salubrity
of its climate, or the variety and extent Of
its resources. Mac.