Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1862-05-30
The West,

Iowa occupies an important position in the
Mississippi Valley. With an area of 4O,9l4
square miles, she contains population of
about CSC, 900 or about 10 inhabitants to the
square mile. There is room for one humid
red and fifty or two hundred more 70 the
square mile. Iowa can give good support
to at least two hundred to the square mile
OF her surface, which will give her popula-
ton OF over 100000. Emigration will
soon bring in the requisite number. She
will fill up the faster in view of the unfortu-
nate condition in which the drought has
placed some of the otherwise favorable re-
glons, where emigration has to great cx
tent, hitherto tended Kansas has for some
time been the guiding star of the emigrant.
But now that star is dimmed. It's light for
awhile, at least, is obscured and the chi.
grant determined to "go west'' must cast
about for some more inviting location. Men
generally make up their mind to 60 " west"
but not to any particular part of it. Having
thus determined in their minds they look
about to ascertain what particular part of the
west they had better settle IN. Consequent.
y the want and destitution in portions of the
south and west of us will not delay emiera.
ton. They will only turn it into another
channel and direct it into different field
Emigration may be varied somewhat in its
course, but it cannot be stopped. Westward
it must go. If one section becomes barren
and uninhabitablc it turns its steps toward
another. While Kansas, Missouri and Tex.
as invite to such inhospitable homes. Iowa
presents smiling surface. She invites to
abundance. Her OVERLOOKING granaries arc
an earnest that the labor of the husbandman
will hn lIVy Id =
salubriouS climate promises an absence of
sickness, and vigorous bodies to the inhabi-
tants Of her broad prairies and waving groves.
The unequalled quantity Of raw material of
almost every description Embedded in he 7
bosom ensures wealth to the manufacturer ;,
while her overflowing rivers and surrounding
railroads, infusc life and prosperity into com.
merce. These advantages which Iowa DOS.
sesses at this time, must draw a large share
Of the " Westward tide" within her borders.
Her expanded praries must fiji up, and when
they do, who can estimate the influence which
she will exert in that Government which
must have its seat in the Mississippi Valley.
When the power of the government ceEtered
in New England, Massachusetts exercised al.
most as much real power as all the Western
States put together, and now with her bleak
hills, stony surface AMI forbidding soil, she
sustans population Of over 1870 to the
square mile. a. - ~ #
Iowa is her superior in every particular,
and will ultimately occupy the same relation
to the others of the valley, that the little "Bay
State" did to the other Eastern States. She.
as the census shows, is gaining rapidly on
Michigan, Illinois and Wisconsin the leading
States Of the Valley, and must soon take her
place at the head Of the column. Another
decade of years and Iowa will lead the States
between the Allegheny and Rocky Noun
talns, IN agriculture, manufactures, commerce
and political power. Her extent, resources,
position, and natural advantages will ensure
commanding influence - Mitchell Gazette.