The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1867-10-31

locating lands" entering lands," and
such like expressions. All classes of
society seem affected by this mania.
In the bar-room, at one time, saw
the parson, the barrister, the farmer, the
merchant, the schoolmaster, the humble
citizen, the emigrant, the Chicago spec
ulator, the politician and the doctor, all
talking land, dreaming land, wanting
laud. One would never think that
few feet Of dust, symbolizing so forcibly
mans mortality, should be SO eagerly
sought after. Yet such Is life. know
ut this writing doctor who has staged
nearly two hundred miles, rode in the
cars almost the same distance, been alb
sent from his wife and babies, 10! these
many days and nights, and is now q
stranger among strangeis, In = county
where there are only thirty-one Repub-
licans and one Democrat, and all for
land! Few have endured more for love!
want to say here for the benefit of
those interested, that those Who ,Dant to
enter idnd at Government prices or on
agricultural scrip, need not 90 to Fl.
Dodge. They hare not a quarter section
Of such land IN the Fl. Dodge District.
There are alternate quarter sections
lying with the Railroad and River Nav
igation Lands at $50 per acre. There
are no Homestead lands in quantities
larger than 80 acres to each settler. I
n, g. al,s. :.~c
it can be relied on as Official AS l
have reason to know from personal ex-
perience. There are excellent lands
that eau he bought here with cash for
80 to $500 per acre, and there are rare
chances for men of limited means to get
good homes for themselves. have new
er seen better land nor prettier country
than can be seen out here. Here are
almost limitless prairies In all their ma
tive grandeur.
left Ft. Dodge for Sioux City at IA.
NJ, on Monday. The distance across the
country is almost 40 miles, due west.
There are five of us, including the dri-
yer, and we are travelling in a common
springless wagon, without any covering,
The first place we came to was Yates
vile in Calhoun county. This is set
tlement with about twenty or thirty
houses within sight, where eighteen
months ago there was not single house.
signs of habitation until we arrived at
Twin Lakes where will probably be the
county seat of Calhoun county. There
is here one house. There Is no other
house for the distance of twenty-five
miles! The nearest house east Is ten
miles west of Sac City, in Sac county,
| twenty-five miles! Before arriving at
Twin Lakes we crossed the famous
"Purgatory" slough, and about fifteen
miles beyond, Hell" slough. These
are suggestive titles, and, it is said, the
terms are appropriate. We had nc
trouble as they have been fixed up some
In crossing through "Purgatory' WI
had some fears as it was thickly covered
with mown slough grass, and when the
horses were passing over Is had that os-
cilating gyrating motion a suspension
bridge has while a wagon is crossing it,
suggesting all the while the proba
bility of the top breaking through and
no bottom near. These lakes possess q
good deal of interest-the road passing
| right between them on little ridge
about one hundred yards wide. They
were covered with ducks. There were
thousands and tens of thousands, anC
what was most agravating to Il sports
man without a gun, their tameness /:
shocking to me-" They swan alon.
the shore close by the road. Amons
them rode majestically large white pei
lean. This would be u rare chance for o
sportsman.
There is beautiful sight here for q
city, it being nearly the center of Cal
houn county, with some of the fines
prairie you could see anywhere. The
lakes have splendid fish; would be ex
ceilent for pleasure sailing, and skating
parks could be established here tha
would equal Chicago. The bottom il
clean white sand and gravel, and henc'
would be nice for bathing. The wate
possesses mineral property and horse
will not drink it though it is clear AM
pretty in appearance. There is good wa
ter in the well at the house here. Tn
Dubuque * Sioux City Railroad is sur
veyed between these two lakes. | for
got to state that the lakes are four o
five miles long, and from one to one AM
half miles wide. They are not mor
duck ponds. We arrived at Sac City
fifty miles from TT. Dodge, at 7p. NJ
stopped at Judge Chris.
More anon, NIATOR.