The Tiffin weekly tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1859-1868, 1861-08-09
Jdfiu aFrrklp TribRut.
FROM THE FAR WEST.
Sioux CITY, Iowa, !
July ~. 1861.

In my last letter I referred briefly to
the situation Of Council Bluffs only, aud
I will now only add that its distance from
the river would seem to prevent its ever
becoming large and prominent town.
II would appear to me that Omaha has
decidedly the advantage over it, but as
that city did not come within the regular
line of my trip, | will forbear all COM
mont upon its situation, progress and
prospect. And now l beg ofmy readers
once for all, not to pronounce the little
word, SiouE, as if written Se-oz, with
two syllables and the latter articuloted as
If oosinq out ones last breath in despair,
nor give to Il the harsh pronunciation Of
Sioux, in two syllubles with a full croak-
ing articulation Of the latter as If anx-
ious to make a public exhibition Of the
lower incisors and to convert the
the neither jaw and organs Of articulation
generally into a treudmill, but give the
lips the graceful position Of a ludy-likc
kiss and the bland correct pronunciation,
500, in one syllable is readily attained,
ending fully and softly with jerk and a
will. As to the former modes Of pro-
nunciation, they are not only contrary to
the rules of good orthoepy, but pOrticu-
larly offensive to the delicate ears
and refined taste Of western pioneers,
while as TO the latter, the more emphatic
the articulation, the more impressive will
be its pleasing associations. But enough
on this subject, for a word to the wise is
sufficient.
All kinds Of grain sustain a better
price in the west than in the east part Of
the State. / found corn after leaving
Des Moines, TO be worth twenty cents
per bushel. The difference in other grain
was less, but quite visible. / must con-
fess this Is a mystery TO me, for there
does not appear to be n deficiency Of old
grain for home consumption, and the
growing crops are enormous. / never
saw such fields Of corn, and the growing
wheat, rye and oats are certainly super
abundant. The harves. is now nearly
completed in the southern parts Of the
State which removes all danger from in
sects and rust. Twas in Mills county on
the 9th inst. and wheat was then ripe and
the farmers were commencing 70 cut il.
Corn was above the fences and began to
ton out, but on my arrival here a few
DAYS a(terward, wheat was heading out
and was perfectly green without any ap-
pearance of ripening, corn was thrifty
and of a highly colored green, but scarce
" as hiph as the fences and presenting no
indication Of heading out. From all these
appearances VIC inferred that the differ.
ence in the seasons OF the two localities
(Which are two degrees in distance, mus
be about two weeks.
Now resume your map-l mean a mod
ern map, for il will be impossible to un
derstand clearly the topography of the
country and the comparative localities tC
which / may refer and attempt to define.
ate without II.
On leaving Council Bluffs city the road
runs, for about thirty miles, through and
along the edge Of the Bluffs and then
through the froad prairie, near its centre
about sevelty miles to Sergeants Bluff,
The prairie at Council Bluffs city is about
three miles wide and averages from four
TO sixteen miles in width. This bottom
is generally high and dry and in good con
dition for cultivation and use, There are
now aud then, more especially in the
southern portious Of il, some swales
which will require drainage, but it is un.
Irivalled for its fertility and adaptation to
agricultural purposes. The timber skirts
the river from one to six miles wide, ant
is sufficient for the settlers on and along
the bottom, but the land east of the ridge
of bluffs is reported to be quite destitute
of that essential or rather indispensable
article. The population is sparce ant
confined principally to the road and yicin'
ity Of the timber.
The houses for public entertainment
were better than anticipated aud alto
gether highly satisfactory. The Bluffs
extend from Council Bluffs city along
the.eastern border of the bottom 10
point between Sergeants Bluff anC
FlOyd's Bluff, where they terminate alb
ruptly by intersection with the Missou-
river. These Bluffs are from twenty h
sixty and eighty feet high, above the lev
el prairie below, and are very steep apt
rugged with innumerable interstlces anI
sharp angles. They are generally GOV
cred with short grass, but where mos
PERCEPTIONS only partially so, presenting
at distance, rugged appearance on the
surface, checkered over with small greer
and eapth-eolored spots. An avalanche
Of earth occasionally takes place which
presents a limited exposure Of the grOunt
and mars the picturesque and beautifu
secenery Of the surrounding landscape
These Blufs run nearly parallel with the
lriver-are destitute Of rock and stone
quite barren IN comparison with th'
adjacent country and really as chill
ling and repulsive as a miser's face.
Magnolia is the county seat Of Harri
son county, adjoining PottOwotamie OF
the north, but the road runs several miles
lwest from It. The county is we'll water
ed by the Boyer river, about the size oi
Honey Creek, the Soldier a little larger
and the Little Sioux river nearly as wide
as the Sandusky, but deeper and contain
ing more water. Little Siouz city, con,
tanning ten or fifteen dwellings, is located
on the east bank Of this river near the
north line Of Harrison county and fifty
miles from Council Bluffs city. This little
town became hallowed to us from the cir.
cumstRnce that we took dinner here in
our upward trip having come fifty milei
that forenoon from Council Bluffs city
and, among other mementoes Of a superb
dinner which we little anticipated, was .
big bowl of raspberies nicely prepared
in cream, some red, some black, all ripe
luscious and indeed such as can only
grow ioest Of the Mississippi Our appe-
tites were voracious and, In closing W.
ate Of this desert with hearty goo'
will.