The Portland daily press., 1865-11-29
Letter from the Fsr West.


z, CEDAR Rapids, Iowa, Nov. 10, 1865.
| TO the Editor Of the Press
| About month ago the writer found niinSeii'
with his friend Smith, on the BANK oi tne
Mississippi, at Clinton, Iowa.
| CLINTON,
like nearly all the towns this side of Chicago,
possesses great wealth in expectation. Who
| has not heard of Clinton and the bridge over
the Mississippi at that point? And who has
not been led to suppose that, when he ar
rived at Clinton, he would find himself in the
most wonderful place this side of the sun p
The houses are scattered, stores Oh every
street in the city (?) and. few streets possess
more than two stores each. They are, rich in
public squares and in broad streets, but upon
visiting the localities oftheir parks and streets
they are found unenelosed half a mile from
the river, reposing in wonderful 'lonesomen ess
out on the prairie. l had the good ortune TO
meet here Ex-Governor Baker, formerly of
N. H., but now OF Clinton He is the Adj
Gen. of the State, and considered the most
popular man with the people, west of the
Great River. ,.,;sa
As soon as possible we left Clinton. and in
four hours we arrived at, 'o' = ~ ~" j 'l'1' d
anu cEpAR RAprns r.a7l
sweet. Auburn, loyeliest village of the
plain," (have quoted correctly?) 1t was
about Z IL o'clock 2. M, when Smith and
found ourselves in the city of Cedar Rapids =
Having heard that hotel accommodations were
not AMONG tho cunorA,,;t;oc "a, rodo, pon;l,1
we watched from the cars and were greeted
with the salute-"American House, Free Bus
and Free Baggage" We hurried to the ''bus'
soon the driver was upon the box and in a
twinkling we were at the American House.
"Only cot lin the parlor" was the response of
the clerk to our inquiry in regard to room
That night each of us thanked God that 1
am not as other men are" at least we ought
to, If we didn't) without any scot in the par
lor." The next morning upon examination
we found our pocket books safe, our watches
ditto, so we concluded we would stroll out and
see Eff,L. -t.. 81.
.... THE TOWN.
Cedar Rapids is upon the Cedar River, a clear
rapidly running stream which makes fall at
this place of about ten feet, afording the best
and most extensive water power in the State
of Iowa. There is dam across the river
about eight feet high and eight hundred fe ct
long. The 3power' is only partially improved.
1t is said by W. W. Walker Esq, the Chief
Engineer of the Cedar Rapids and Missouri
Railroad, that only one thirteenth of the pow
ic now aponlnvaI Thara apa ho1vava.
three mills, one wooden factory, two saw mills
and paper factory run by water. There are
also, other manufactures run by steam, a
WOODEN mill, machine shop, cooper shop &c. y
The town is well laid out and the best built
place in the interior of Iowa-a majority Of
the houses and nearly all Of the stores being
constructed of brick. The residences of the
city are mostly on hill, whereon grows the ma
tive white oak, and the houses are located
among the trees. The hill rises about, forty
or fifty feet above the level OF the river, afford
| ing fine view of the surrounding country and
| furnishing the best possible mode of drainage.
The. soil in the city is sdnay, but two miles
back from the town comes the rich sand loan
and clay loan for which the State is celebrat-
ed. The Cedar valley is the great wheat grow
ing section of the State, the soil furnishing
sufficient lime for the grain and silica for the
stock sl-A''e
There are two Railroads connecting the city
with the Mississippi, the one to Clinton, and
the other to Dubuque. The Cedar Rapids and
Missouri River Road extends west 125 miles
to Boone. A Railroad is in process of con-
struction up the Cedar Valley toward ST. Paul,
Mimi, and another is now being located from
this place to the Southern Boundary of the
State, to connect with the North Missouri
Railroad, which is finished from ST. Louis to
within twenty miles of the northern bounda-
ry of Missouri, and 100000 are already rails
ed to push it forward to Cedar Rapids
The country about Cedar Rapids is heavily
wooded for two miles or more from the river
when we reach the open prairie, Fuel is con-
sequently cheaper than in the prairie country.
The society of Cedar Rapids is mostly that of
| New York and New England, and every day
ones heart is gladdened by hearing a man an
nounce that he was born among the hills of
the good old State of Maine.
From Cedar Rapids We took our. departure
tor Des MONIES, which will endeavor to en-
large upon in NJ my next. ~ ~ Ives.
L N u -