The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1867-09-12
Correspondence Ottumwa Courier.1


lup our line OF march, and from Lam
easter 90 northward to Iowa. and
pay a flying to the city of OLtumwa,
the most real hoe business town we
have seen anywhere in our travels,
and such we find it's character to be
wherever we 60, and we don't say
this because we live there, but be-
cause it is an undeniable fact. From
Ottumwa, We retrace our steps ard
return togBloomficld. We found the
corn crop in Davis and Wapcllo
counties in much better condition
than we anticipated, after hearing 50
many unfavorable reports in regard
to the drouth. Although there will
mot be a heavy crop of corn in those
counties, we see no cause torso much
complaint in that; direction. From
Bloomfield we go southwest % miles
to Memphis, county seat of Scotland
county. Almost the entire distance
we pass through beautiful prairie,
and much Of it well improved, altho'
we think it not as rich and produc-
| tive as lii the countless further west.
The southern portion of this county
has suffered severely on account OF
severe drouths, and the cora sin
many instances: almost dried up.---
Memphis, is a very handsome to yn,
containing q population of about
1000. h They have quite good
Court House, built in good style and
occupied by fgentlemanly officers
There are, some very good business
houses, several churches, good
schools, etc. We were very favora-
bly, impressed with the place and
people during our stay with them
From Memphis, we 60 directly to
Edna, county seat OF Knox county.
We were not very fayorably Impress
ed with, the northern portion of
| Knox, as it is broken, and rough, and
does not have the appearance Of be-
ing q very rich SOY corn not, over
half crop, and perhaps less than
that. Edna is about as dead town
as we have visited in Missouri, or
anywhere else. There are a few very
good buildings, business houses, &C.,
but there appears to be but little do
| ing. There is Catholic church
here, and perhaps q Catholic school,
and large number of "Erins sons
and daughters, are scattered through
ont the county, The rebel element
has been. strongfin this par. Of the
country, and we hear, of some who
have gone to Iowa, who could not
stay hero. There is but one hotel
| here, and of course they charge ex-
horbitant prices for very poor accom-
modations. Population about $780,
From Edna we 80 west IS miles to
Kirkville. The country as we APP
pfoach Adair County becomes much
more inviting. 1t is beautiful prai-
RE, gently rolling, and veil supplied
with timber and water, and the corn
crop bids fair to be an average one.
At KirkviIle we attended the closing
exercises of a & Teachers Institute .
and We're highly entertained in listn-
ing to speeches, lectnres>and reading
of essays. The. citizens manifest
great zealin educational interest.
At this place we learn that tho North
Missouri r. r.. is now completed and
the cars running to Atlanta, IL miles
north OF Macon City, and If he work
progresses as rapidly in the future rs
T it has done in the last month past,
will reach Kirkvillc the present fall,
end when there will soon reach tho
Iowa line, and $50 mote it be-"
KIRKvILLE, Mo-, Sept. 2. J.E. q.