The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1865-06-29
The Citv of 0ttum-rn---Tts Situation
And Business Prospects, &c.

anu Dun lubSo LIUsDCCtS, NC,
Wn have rarnntlv been rc0rostod to FUR
n'sh ininrmotion about orr city, bvpersons
who would Tito 70 como here to live. pro
r'rled the reports they hear ave verified Nv
facts, hrlt find il impossible 10 rcnly to cn"h
ono rs fully as we should like to do. We
submit the following statement. in lieu 0f
individual answers to several letters now
before ltI.
Ottumwa the county scat OF WaDcl.o
Cnuntv, isizituated on the Dcs Moine- river.
20 nr'-e from KpnkuN. - miles from Bur-
ltnEton and 81 mi,os from Dos Moinns. the
capital of the state. The distance to Mus
catina on the Mississippi is about the same
ne to tho other points named. The region
surrounding il on every side is very fertile,
and produces large crops Of wheat corn
rye outs n"tatoes &C.. is admirably adapt
cd to grazing. and already turns out rs
insnv hogs. Cattle. horses. mules and Sc.
as any other section Of our country. There
IL IN abundance Of timber Of the best VA
r'etos, srrch "a oak, black walnut. hickory
Hn. There is any quantity of limestone
easily arrassth'c and "a much not more
coal than can he found i'm any other equal
extent oftcrritorv. Tho population Of the
city is not far from $500 and increasing
very rapidly.
RAILROADS AND STAGE LINES.
The Burlington and Missouri River. md
the Dos Moines Valley Railroads intersnct
Mt this place. The former road will cross
tho Dos Moines here and il is expected will
bo put under contract to Charlton, so
miles west this season. The Valley road
Is completed to Pella, 40 miles north west
10 miles more are under contract. TO be
completed early this season. 1t will be
finished To Des Nome, without doubt i'm
1863. Thence il will without doubt be push
OIL rapidly up the Valley of the Des Moincs.
to Minnesota, its ultimate destination. In
addition to the above roads, railroad con-
nection with st. Louis by way ofthe North
Missouri railroad is expected Mt an carly
day. The distance from the point on tho
State line to which that road will be finish
cd the present, or early the coming season,
Is less than 80 miles, and the route passes
through the heart of Davis, one Of the best
counties in the State, and Bloomfield. its
thriving county seat. When the n. NJ. is
completed to Ottumwa, there will be but
10 miles to connect in north easterlv di-
rection with the NJ. & NJ. at Washington.
thus forming n through line from st. Louis
to Chicago, with the advantages of the
bridge Mt Rock Island, and passing through
the richest country in the world. II will
thus be seen that Ottumwa is destined to
be one of the most important railroad GEN.
tiers in the West, and n most important and
commanding point for concentrating and
operating in all the varied and valuable
productions of the immense and fertile re-
gions into which these lines of road pene-
trate, inasmuch as here a choice of mar
kets can be had, either East or South. In
confirmation of this assumption, the place
is already the headquarters of numerous
wealthy operators in cattle, hogs and
produce. ...
of Stages there are two daily lines of
coaches, leaving, one through the southern
tier of counties to Nebraska City, and
another via Bloomfield to Macon City. Mo.
PURLIo BUILDINGS, CHURCHES, SCHOOLS.
We have a very good two-story brick
Court House, and brick Jail, one of the
best in the State. The Methodists, Con-
gregationalists, Catholics, Baptists, Pres
hyterians, Episcopalians and Christians
nave places OF worship. The Episcopalians
ana rresoyterians are building, this sea-
son, large md costly church edifions. OF
Schools, there is one Seminar n Catholic
Academy, and several excellent private
schools. A large and costly edifcs for
public graded schools, So by IS feet, and