Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1861-08-19
Letter from Dal,o,a.

We are permitted TO publish the sub
Joined later from Hon Philemon W. Bliss,
formerly Of Lorain county, Ohio, now a
pioneer in the far West;
YANKroN, DAKOTA TERRITORY
August 6, 1861. ' !
w. T. GDDNOs, ESQ
DEAR Sal hasten 10 reply 10 your en-
ouiries in relation to our Territory. -
You have probably heard of the Missouri
Bottoms know Of no river upon the con-
tinent where they are as extensive or of
superior fertility. From Sioux City to this
place the road runs through broad high
prairie bottom. At one point, Vermillion,
the bluffs approach the "Big Muddy so
near that the town site is principally upon
the table land above them, but usually they
are from FIVE to fifteen miles from the river.
From the time We cross the Big Sioux until
We reach this beautiful site, distance of
sixty miles, We are constantly encompsssed
by the richest meadows, with the bluffs
stretching off TO the right, and the timber
skirting the river upon the left So far as
| can learn, nearly the whole Of This almost
boundless bottom will produce corn equal
10 the best of the SoiOta valley, r 41e
| have not yet been above Yankton, but
learn that the bluffs approach the river so
near that there is bnt here and there any
considerable bottom land, though there are
several Hourishihg settlements.
The upland is all rolling praire, and
extends indefinitely northwsrd, how far
above Lake Winnipeg do not yet know !
The bluffs are usually quite abrupt but
most Of the land beyond is gently rolling,
with no more hill than you find in passing
from the ridge upon your father old Rock
port farm to the plain upon the north
There is no land, except upon the edge Of
the bluffs. that would Be called poor in
Ohio, and the bluffs themselves would make
your best Ohio cattle laugh TO get bite at
the fine grass that crowns them. Some
settlers prefer the upland to the bottom
There are considerations in favor Of each,
and | should hardly know myself which to
choose, if equally convenient to timber.
You enquire in relation to fruits. In the
Ohio sense Of the termJ there are none.
have sent TO ST. Louis for dried apples and
peaches, Just to keep Us reminded Of the
products of other lands but it viii be 8
long time ere the boys here will rob or
chards OF pelt one another with apples; but
that apples, pears, cherries, plums and the
smaller fruits will grow well here, have
no manner Of doubt. But they do not grow
spontaneously, and therefore the first set
tiers do without them.
In wild fruits we greatly excel you. Bet
ter gooseberries than you raise in your
gardens, as fine raspberries as a man has
onv r;zbt - cot rinnno fbaF bova 1ava-
beard of the ourculio-cousins of their poor
Ohio kinsmen-greet you in every rsmble
and seem disappointed if you forget your
basket The sptightly old fashioned frost
grape hangs in profusion within reach, and
even now their green clusters promise q
fine substitute for your cider and eatsWbs.
But what Of the timber7 Alas there is
the reverse picture! The Vermillion and
Dakota or James are fine streams but not
a tree skirts their banks. Upon the Mis-
| souri, there is an abundance for the pres
eut, but after leaving it, the country is one
WOodless meadow For our pine We must
look to the Mississippi and towards the
mountsins-for the more common timber
to the Missouri, and to the rapid growth
when a start is had. Railroads will surely
| End this rich valley. One from here by
| Sioux Falls to the Minnesota river must
ultimstely be built The Dubuque Railroad
will some time reach Sioux City, when
nothing can prevent its running up the
river. are On-the east and west line of
the South Pass and 1.-The Lakes, and the fu-
ture roads to the Pacific will naturally CEN
tire in this valley, and pass TO the noun
tains upon the fine plateau north of the Nj
! CO Nhak zho
and impOrtstions, with the large stock now
on hand, there will be no serious lack of
! timber. We need less than we imagine,
and any one of you who has seen the econ
Omy in fuel of the people on our sea coasts
and prairies must wonder at the wasteful-
ness of your Northern Ohio tree killers.
The easiest and most profitable business
| now must be stock growing. 1 have never
seen cattle in any country so fine. They
look as though they were stuffed with corn
meal and cloVera do not see how the
raising Of fat cattle can cost more than five
| dollars year here. But you can make the
estimate. Start with an abundance Of the
best pasture for nothing, hay for cutting it,
aud $50 acres Of the best Of corn land for
the price of land warrant. ..-
The wolves are being rapidly killed for
their skins, and they are the only draw
back to keeping sheep. suppose they will
be substituted by more worthless and
equally dangerous dogs, but there are
plenty of crows, and the herdsmen should
see that they are well supplied with dog
carcasses.
But do not imagine new country to be
q paradise. on know enough Of life not
to be 50 deceived. But yod know new coun-
tries afford the cEief fields for creating So
ciety, civilization, wealth; not for snatch.
ing the earnings Of others, which is the
chief game Of money getters in the old
States, but in building up all that is desir.
able for our external life from the mate
rialnature holds out in Lsr lavish lap.
We are watching the war news with in
tease anxiety All our able bodied mer
are organized into home guard, more tC
be ready for anything than for any definite
purpose believe every man would leav,
if needed. You may always look to the
frontier for earnest patriotism. re- 'a s
Geo vra Very truly yours,
P. ". BLISS.
GarfbaIdI ana the VVor