Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1863-11-06

more abundant springs near the banks, ant
hencs the country is better drained. Tn,
prairie is more gently and almost uniformly
rolling, with but very few quarter sections il
any township Of exclusively grass land
This remark applies also to all the counties
examined in this District. The growth o.
blue joint and other nutritious grasses, is lar
ger than Of the same species in Eastern coun
ties, indicating an equal adoption to stock
raising and to grain culture. About 2,OOC
acres were selected near Storm Lake in the
Southern part Of the county, part of which
is in quarter sections near the line Of the
Railroad. This lake is a beautiful sheet Of
clear water of considerable depth, and owe,
three miles long, with perpendicular earth
banks surrounding a part of it and also a line
Of large boulders, forming in some places low
natural wall piled up by the action of the
ice, as is the case with many other lakes oI
this kind. The outlet, it is said, in high wa
ter to be towards the Boyer river a tributary
OF the Missouri, though at the time Of my
visit the channel was dry and appeared only
like strip of good grass land. It is there.
fore near the highest land, in direct line from
Fort Dodge to the Missouri River. At this
point, the characteristics Of the Missouri
slope also appear, as they do also on tho di.
vide further Southwark in Sac County. One
Of these is the appearance of small concre.
tions Of lime in the soil, which are turned
up by the plow and thrown UP by the bur
rowing animals. They appear to dissolve
on the surface and to be forming in the soil,
and consider that an indication Of good
wheat land. There is small grove Of in.
ferior timber near the lake, but no other
within ton miles, and North and West II Is
still further to that on Little Sioux River.
The value of these lands will depend on the
construction Of the Railroad There are no
inhabitants within about fifteen miles of these
lands. ! think the lake has an unfortunate
name, and that it is misnomer to have a
/" Stormy Lake " appear on the published
maps Of country with such fine climate
as Western Iowa. I would ,suggest that by
common consent the name be changed to Haly-
con Lake, name that would eventually be
applicable to q settlement, its post Office and
Railroad station. ..''... .... q. 4
..1-E.1 . SAC COUNTY. NJ ----sst
The selections in this county arc mostly ia
the Western part on Boyer riter and on
branches Of Maple river. Like the neiehbor.
ing counties it has considerable vacant land
Of good quality. ..ra. t:E ~ .s.er'sg
The northern tier of townships is upon au
average only eight miles from the Dubuque
and Sioux City Railroad, and the Cedar Rap
ids and Missouri Railroad will pass through
the South Eastern townships. The Western
half of the county is well watered district
OF the first quality of land, like the neigh
boring portions Of Ida and Cheroke counties.
The county seat is Sac City, situated on
Coon River. sai f.,m ts-
This county, like the majority Of counties
in Iowa, consists of Is townships, including
576 square miles, or about 37O, 900 acres. ~. II
is traversed by tho little Sioux river, and
well watered by its numerous branches; and,
like the whole valley of this river, the soil 10
of a superior quality. Two reasons have
principally prevented the settlement of this
county, as also the neghboring ones Of Dick
inson, O'Brien, Cherokee and Busna Vista
scarcity Of timber, except along the river,
and tho distance from market The con.
struction Of the Railroad through the two
latter will open new field for immigration.
make demand foi the College lands, as we'll
rs the vacant government lands OF as good
as quality as the selections that have already
been made. The county seat is Peters.
son, about two miles from the Southwest
corner of the county, and about fifteen miles
from the Railroad line. Theselo c,ions amount
TO about 5000 acres mostly near the Little
Sioux.
DICKINSON COUNTY.
.
This county has been settled some wears,
the beautiful lands and some bodies OF tim.
Der near Spirit lake having attracted pio.
neers there in 1866. This lake covers about
third OF township, and is, I believe, the
argest in the Stste Spirit Lake CITY. the
county seat, is South Of Spirit Lake, and
It the head Of Okoboji Lake, or rather
two lakes of irregular form or twelve miles
ong and about mile wide. About six
thousand acres were selected near these lakes
ike those in the neighboring counties Of Elm.
net and Osceola, mostly surrounded by good
and. . .gI -
o'BRIEN COUNTY
This county has but few inhabitants,
hotgh It will be attractive to farmer-immi.
grants as soon as the railroad is built, which
will pass eight miles from its Southern line.
The county seat Of the same name, is in
he Southeast township. There is but little
imber in this county. A few selections were
made in the Southeast part near the Little
Sioux. a4a.t rsalE Eas-ia .e -
Md ss cHERoKEE COUNTY. ,,qa. ..
The Little Sioux passes diagonally and
near the the center of this
ounty. Maple river flows through the
Eastern townships, and branches Of the
Vest fork Of the Little Sioux flow from the
Western townships. Cherokee. the county
eat, Is on the Little Sioux and the line Of
he railroad near the centre of the COUNTY
nd from its position will probaly become
ne principal point between Fort Dodge
nd Sioux City. About 5000 acres were
elected, mostly within few miles of Cher
kee. n ssH mo
arE IDA COUNTY. a8a
This 10 one of the smaller counties. cntv
wslvs townships, but is good county II,
oil, water, and railroad prospects. Ida, the
ounty seat, is near the centre of the coun.
7. The line Of the Cedar Rapids and Mis-.
ouri River Railroad approaches the town
rom the Southeast, and follows the valley
I the Maple Northwesterly. The line Of
ne Dubuque and Sioux City Railroad il
fteen miles North Of this county. The se.
.ctions Of land are all within q few miles OF
ne Maple, or Of some Of the fine bottom
.nds and adjacent prairie on its branches
he wide and beautiful bottom lands Of the
,ain river have all been entered or pre- emp
ed. Nearly all the selections are within !
w miles OF the county seat or the river and
abroad.
WOODBURY. COUNTY.
This is one of the largest counties in the |
tate, being twenty four miles wide and
early forty miles long. The Little Sioux
asses through the Eastern part, its West
ork through the central portion, FLOYD
ver flows through the Northwestern town. |
hip, the Maple river through the Southeast
,wnship, and the Missouri and Big Sioux
yara form the West hnundaru Tle -. |