The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1867-01-29
special Correspondence.

AH OAAAj "<Ai osAA' -
Mn EDIToR Having been requested
by i anumber Of citizens Of your county
to give them description of Northwest
ern Iowa, and deeming it quite task
to address them individually, I have
adopted this method to give publicity to
few important facts in that direction.
In the first place, will state that.this
country consists ofsextensive prairie5, In
terspersed with numerous groves of tim
Der, generally confined to the margin Of
streams; and as the country is very well
watered, having many tributaries to the
Coon River, Des Moines and Boyer Riy-
ers, and in consequence of SO many
streams existing a great amount of tim
Der has been saved from the ravages of
prairie fires. The timber is not as good
as in Eastern Ohio, taking about two
trees to make a rail cut; however great
amount of good timber is obtained from
the forests. Much of this wood is better
calculated for fire wood than nice cabinet
work. The surface is slightly undula-
ting; not quite so much on the trolling
order" as many parts of the New England
States, but is sufficiently rolling to cause
it to be one of the healthiest districts [
have ever visited.
Ague, the common disease of the West,
is almost stranger to US. I travelled
over the greater portion of this (Cal-
houn) county last summer and fall and
cannot call to mind a single place where
stagnaut water had any appearance of
bringing about disease. l feel myself
perfectly inadequate to describe the soil,
both in fertility and durability. The
Oldest settlers az or Is years. say there
is no wear out to it; fields they have plant
ed iu corn, year after year, show no signs
of poverty, and still yield from so to 100
bushels per acre. They raise spring
wheat; the average last year was from 20
to 80 bushels, Most of the farmers SOW
their corn stubble in wheat without
breaking it up-a simple process for the
amount; they harvest. A little more la
Dor would greatly increase the yield; but
land is DO object here. Wild prairie can
be had at from So to $5 per acre, owing
to It's locality.
A railroad within IL or Is miles Of
this place is in full operation, and another
surveyed ten miles North of us. The
Des N Moines Valley road and the North
and South road, crossing the three or four
East and West lines. through the center
of the State, is bound to cross not far
from this place, As few thousand OF
the ready" has great influence over
these railroad companies, particularly in
this level country, where grading few
miles is small consideration, it is pre-.
sumed the inhabitants Of this villa and
surrounding country will venture few
dollars as an incentive to induce Its loca
tion here.
The public improvements Of this coun.
ty cannot be excelled in many older ela.
ces. The roads are in a splendid condi.
ton, and all the streams have suitable
bridges. The county isfree of debt, with
a surplus on hand for the future. lows
has splendid school system-second tc
no State in the Union; and our county il
enjoying the full benefit of it, t,haying am
| pie means on hand for erecting schoo
houses and furnishing apparatus.
The climate is delightful in summer
and autumn, but in winter we are subjec
to some storms; they are not violent, bu
at times make it hazardous to cross fifty
miles of prairie.
Lake City is pleasantly situated on al
elevated prairie, and has numerous grove
of timber near it, on the North ant
West. 1t IS three miles from tn,
noble Coon River. which has very goot
Touring mill on its margin, supplying u
''natiyes with excellent qualit,
of meal, and has a good saw mill at
tached. I have digressed; l will return
to the CITY,. It is in the midst of yer.
fertile region, and bids fair to be goot
county seat. 1t has excelled Chicago il
one respect within the last year, it ha
increased one-half in size; the population
does not amount to thousands yet, bu
has the situation, on good ground, 70
more population than London, New York
or any other sea port. Yours, &C.,
S. 7. HUTCHINSON.