Daily Democrat and news. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1859-1864, 1862-03-15
RRESPONDtNCE FROM THE
INTERIOR.

Davenport, have just arrived at this
place, and propose to fulfill my promise,
to give your numerous readers the ben
eft Of my '.jottiDgs by the way As
you sit by your warm fre-s'de, with the
very latest news before You, you cannot
be expected to realize the realty Of
trip across the snow-clad prairies, at
this season Of the year, when
"The bleak wad whs,les,-sn showers far and
near
DRIFT without echo to the whitened groondj
Painfully cherries, cold dim asd dear,
All nature seems 10 fro zen mantle b und.
The frequent ihawng and freeing
has rendered the pralrics Tor miles, one
vast sheet Of ice, rendering travel very
hard on teams, and at times, even dan
serous. Having Travelled over the same
route several times, at about the same
season Of the year, | am capable OF
ia lying Of the condition and prospects
Of the people, one year compared with
ano her. The farmers have generally
had good crops, but still persist IN ra's-
nc crops that will not pay to transport
10 market. They raise corn, and wheat,
and pork, which are so low priced and
heavy for transportation, that the freight
eats them up. For instance, for the
same distance that it costs to haul CT
s lip hy Railroad one bushel OF wheat,
500 it would cost but two cents TO
take a pound Of wool, which is worth
about half bushel of wheat. You
can see the argument, and enlarge upon
It, as YOU please. The facts arc that il
half the hogs 10 Iowa had wool on them,
Or were Sheep, the farmers would
aow be an hundred fold better of.
Wherever sheep growing has been tried
that wool is worth about 40 cents, and
that tie people have determined 10
make the North more independent and
sci-sustaining, there viii hereafter be a
regular and steady demand Tor WOOL,
anl tic faimels viii consult their own
and the count'ys good, by enterln-
latgely into wool growing. The same
nay be sad Of sorghum. The people,
every where, mast have "swcetening' OF
somc sort, aud by the last seasons ex
| perlmetls, The result II sorghum cui
lurc III Central aud Southern Iowa, i
no 10, gcr any qucstlonel Ie matter. Ii
: a Hre,i fuct, that Iowa can not onl
,urpN h,r own home demand, but ca
| M k Thousands of dollars worth o.
| ug,r aud nolasses TO export, tor sup
u, lnr those more Northern Stat, :,
.he,c it " II not grow successfully, ann
| think am safe IN saving that f equ.l
" distribute Il c home demand is more
than supplied by tie home produce
nor. In some counties, a most excel
lent article Of both sugar and syrup i
prodactd, and a great surplus made +;
While in others, where less atter ton
has been pad to II, the amount is les,
aud tn gu lity IN some cases quite ini,>
rior. But tie general opltlon is that
our Iowa farmers Will 81 lar-e!y mo
,bis business tn year, AMI plant thor>
ANS of acres o. sorghum, and FAR less
.ran than last ear. Ii those who have
t sorghum seed to Sell which they
vi ardrraut 1ure-would advertise tn
,me n Tie losa papers, it would
secGrc them large sales.
Farmers compaln that produce is low
.r now tban ever bctUr.-this NAV be
rue OF Iowa, because it IS con psratve-
: new STATE. But in Central Illinois,
ia 1924 wheat was only 81 cents per
oushel, " ereas row commands fully
vice that polk was then*l 50, now it
$ 81 90 better, and Sd with all other
articles Il farm produce. Coffee was
then - cents per pound, nov only 20
to Is cents; tea 81 so to So 90, now
IS 10 81 % sugar 81 10, now u 2
cents, anG shrungs and notions O. G
third higher than at present. Money is
scarce, aud owing to the low prices OF
| produce, farmers must take a big load
o. produce to Jay for a very small guam
uly OF groceries or dry goods. But
his state OF things will not last long.
and they all look hopefully forw ard to
the anticipated revival OF good times.
The pfiici al currency in southern Iowa
IS the United States scrip which is con.
side'cd good enough for ~, lody. Grea,
interest Is manifested that It nav be
made a leg Al tender. If possible this is
Il more Importance to the people Of tie
interior Of the State. than to any other
class OF people, where gold and silver
are SO hard to procure Bis of the
State Bank of Iowa are very s,arce-I
may say almost out cf general circula
ton, compared with United States de
mand totes aud the bills of eastern
Wild cat banks : Of The latter let the pco-
pc stand aloot or they'll get bitten!
he people ale somewhat dependent
IN view OF the incviaI lie high taxes that
itave teen sa d. ed upon them l., thi.
war OF the r'b,llion. But they say
They "onld"t min / it so much Il those
Who hold the rcin> OF g ve,nm, n, =, Il
have command Of Ike army would re-
! oronsiy pus The war forward, En,
thcs dislike t. see scores of ,anpy al
DIES IN every town md n.iyf,lorhooa ),
ho'con a .urlnuaa " .itin, TIN, file, i
anu >westi cart. head H., al ,ouuo
iad tell one - these frllo.s he had
'"'i'er tial-h h'r Fl .ht'' and do is vs.
t NJ aitrr~ard wncn ttere were no
noe traitof"n> foes u conqu.r. The