Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1865-07-14
HTsrhbDsdt County.

Humboldt County.
Locotioa--Sise--F Fsat,res-.So Climate
--Nut,trdi advantages - FIRST Settle
nent-Spectldtioa = Population Or
SanizdtiOn--Pr Productions Public and
Internal in,}oropenaeyttS-F Fsnunco-Ag-
ricutturai Society. -
Lorr's CREEK HUMBOLDT Co.. IowA.p
a.. May 18th, 1865. !
4. d. BARSuM, ESQ.,, Cedar Fails Io,oa:
DEAR SIR-Your kind letter of the
lst of February last came duly to hand.
L chcerfully comply with your request
to give you brief history of Humboldt
county and its Agricultural Society. As
connected with it, directly or inirectly.
allow me, also, to notice some of our
county's inconveniences, advantages
and prospects, as they appear to me
from my home here as stand point, of
course, conceding to you the privilege
of allowing in your estimation whatev-
er OF favorable bias you may think my
location and interest may have insensi-
bly, produced. .-...
LEGATION.
Humboldt county is situated near
midway between the Mississippi and
Missouri rivers, in the Des Moines Val
ley, about forty miles north and thirty
west Of the geographical center of the
State Of Iowa, and is bounded on the
north by Kossuth, on the cast by
Wright, on the south by Webster and
on the west by Pocahontas county, and
lies in about 42o 40' north latitude and
about 17o west longitude reckoning from
Washington.
AS established by the national sur
vey. the boundary of our county COM
prised sixteen congressional townships.
or four townships long from east to
west, and four wide from north to south.
including townships No. 9O-ol-92 and
93 north Of ranges No. - -228 % and 80
west OF the 9th z. NJ Iowa. ..
BY an act of the State Legislature.
approved January 24th, 1855, it was par
tltioned bCtween " Wvhster county on the
south and kossuth on the north, the
two south tiers of townships being at-
t&ched to the former auJ the two north
tiers Incorporated with the latter. by
another Act, approved January 4>,n.
1857, entitled, AN Act to create the
county of humboldt and locate the
coGnty-seat thcreof,n said townships
were again constituted into the county
OF Humboldt, bat by mistake the
Act was printed i'll the public laws,
so that townships No. 80 of said ranges
were omitted therein, and by an ex-
pianatory Act approved March liih,
1858, it was declared to include them
also; but more recently judicial dcris-
ion gave them to Webster. SO il now
consists of only twelve congressional
townships, or four long from east to
west, and three wide from north to
south, being twenty FOUR miles long
and eighteen wide, containing four
hundred and thirty-two square miles,
or two hundred and scvcnty~six thoua.
and four hundred and eighty acres o.
surface.
FEATURES.
The surface is gently rolling prairie
dotted oc tasionaliy by a small lax c Wit
some timber, intersectcd from north tc
south by the east and west forks of the
Des Moines skirted with their belts O
timber, forming a junction near the 5
boundary, together with their creek
tributaries, each adding its mite here oil
there TO render its main perpetual nv.
er. These furnish ample, convenient
and constant stock water, running the
year round. Living springs of healthy
water are found, generally confined tc
the vicinity of the streams and partial
ly supplying them. Sloughs or pond.
are located in different parts, but mos
OF them can be easily drained, and viii
then be our most valuable farming
lands. The river and creek bluffs are
only moderately abrupt and are com
monty tillable to very near the verges
in fact, there is but little waste or un.
cultivable land. There are no noun.
tains and but few high hills.
SOIL
The soil Is sandy loam, of dark
color, aud in depth and richness will
compare iavOrably with, and in uni
fOrmity, perhaps, is not surpassed in,
the Great Valley. Here and there q
grayeily hill is found not well adapted
10 tiilage, and the surface presents only
a few hard-heads and boulders TO OBJ
sfruct agricultural machinery, and fre-
quentiy IN piowing for rods u rock is
not struck, Some gravel is found on
the bill tops, Good tiliage secures abun-
dant crops, and indifferent cultivation
better than it deserves. There has been
but little careful farming done, and gen
orally, the least labor compatible with
the appearance of farming has seemed
TO be the practical motto. Bad farming
may be recorded as the rule and good
farming the exception, yet good crops
are being raised; but we are looking
hopefully forward TO the time, and the
indications are favorable, when system
and good farm management shall de-
Yelop the natural productions of, and
poor cultivation not abound To screen
from, slc soil the credit so richly It's due.
hold that the capacity OF a s0iI il we'll
tSSt't w ~ tjR&HFEAN@ = GiIiAulA8.tF. y
succession OF iGpFs FOR tbs p4.s eiQLC
years, without rgaausa, has proved 10
make no apparent difference In BE fer
tiiity of tile cultivated ic'd5. Wa con
clude from analogy that they are poorer
and Tor future proit should have had
rest Or manure. That such drainage,
in the course OF years, would NOT i'm
poyerisil and ultimately exhaust the
soil, ain not prepared to believe, but
settlement is not old enough here to
prove it yet stilj, have | not as much
evidence as any opposition can raise p
On account OF the present richness, the
value OF fertilizers is not appreciated.
CLIMATE. raaas.ar
The climate is cold. inclined 10 the
dry, and that it Is healthy | have not
heard disputed and not for folks more
ly, but for ali kinds of stock also. The
weather in winter is almost steadily
cold, " break up" IS quite rare, and
commonly there is snow enough for
good sleighilIg. The prevalence of
wind makes II laore teiious ard severe
III ~ ,.y,t,fI .,a .,,l -. ~;