Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1868-10-03


Yards of Council Bluffs.
Editorial Correspondence of the Star.l
COUNCIL BLUFFS CRY,
Iowa, Sept. Il, 1868
We left Chicago at 3 p. m. yesterday by the
Chicago and Northwestern railroad, arriving
here at the same hour this afternoon; making 500
miles in the twenty four hours. Leaving Chi
cago in this direction, one enters directly upon
the vast prairie, and for long distance the
road traverses country as level as house
floor, and with scarce tree or shrub IN siyht.
The only trees, in fact, to be seen are those
planted by settlers in the vicinity of their
houses; generally the cottonwood or some soft
wood, quickly growing tree.
Ihe ride from Chicago 10 this place is calcu-
lated to impress the traveller with the i'm.
mense extent OF land-rlch virgin soil-yet
untouched by the hand of man, in the
immediate vicinity Of great railroad lines, and
in direct communication with great markets.
In the days travel over the rich rolling prairies
OF Iowa the signs of human habtation are so
sparse as to scarce dot the landscape. The gen.
tie slopes and swells, grassy and covered with
Mowers seem to have been smoothed and culu-
waited under the highest art of landscape gar.
dening, and the eye wanders involuntarily in
quest Of the castles or fine mansions to which
such magnificent park-surroundings would
seem naturally to belong. This road, (the
Chicago and Northwestern,) has, however,
been completed but short time to the Mis-
souri, river, and this part OF Iowa will un.
doubtedly be soon filled up with settlers. Near
ing the Missouri river the country becomes
more Drcken; the Nebraska side of the river Is
distinguished by high bluffs, surmounted by
the ex-State House of Nebraska overlooking
the City OF Omaha.
The City of the sun Flowers
These Western cities, like the languishlng
damsel told of in song, dearly love TO be called
pet names. Chicago calls herself the .sGarden
City" Why "Garden''l She does wonder
fui things, and beats creation in packing pork,
shoveling grain, and handling lumber; but
why "Garden''! This place calls itself "Coun.
Gil Bluffs City" Why Council! Where.
fore s.Bluffs"l 7 On what account ..City''l 1t
is struggling collection of building manly
frames, situated upon the river bottom three
or four miles from the river, and nearly lost 10
view in a dense growth OF wild sun flo wers
To be sure there are bluffs in the rear of the
settlement, but they are no buffer at hat point
than elsewhere along the river. It is three
miles from anywhere to anywhere else at
Council Bluffs. Thus it is three miles
through the sun. flo wers-from the Bluffs to
Omaha, three miles-also through the sun.
howers-to its down river steamboat landing,
three miles, Through sun flowers eighteen feet
hlgh,) from one OF its railroad depots (the
NortnWestern) to the other, (the s.. Joe,)
and so on. 1t is a mystery 70 the stranger
why the 'sCity" should hug the hIlls So
closely, instead of getting near the river
as do most Western cities; but on witness
ing the pranks cut by the river in capriciously
seeking new channels through these bottoms it
will be concluded that the Council Buffers
ha va xxyi-a n
hills. AT this time the Missouri has deserted the
Omaha side of IT'S channel, leaving a wide sand.
bar directly opposite that city, where boats
formerly loaded, and is eating away upon the
Iowa shore at a great rate. This river has evil
IDENTIFY, at different periods of its history,
changed its channel at Will over the whole
width of this river bottom, including the pres
ent site OF Council Bluffs city. Yet, with these
disadvantages of position, the bluffs has
great aspirations. The ssCounch Bluffs Vonpa.
rea'' Of to-day has an editorial, in which IT
says that "The progress OF civilization
towards the West, demands that great cities
shall be built. The history Of the United
Stftes, commencing at the Atlantic ssa.board
and gradually and firmly reaching out towards
the setting sun, fully establishes the fact that
at certain intervals the tide Of immigration
halts, and population and wealth concentrate
there"
Warming up to his work, the editor proceeds
to remark that THE full cultivation of the
country demands this. The development of
commerce demands it. The requirements OF
humanity demand it. Therefore II is an In.
disputable fact that large city-aGreat Depot
ofCommerce-a Cradle of Industry-a Nursery
Of Science and Art will be built at this point"
Throughout the East" says the editor, ..thsre
is mythoplasm that cities standing on the
eastern bank Of Western rivers are doomed TO
be second rate" This humbuggeous and scan
daliferous mythoplasm hs proceeds to demol-
ish. 1t may be true OF other western cities, but
not OF the "Bluffs," because she ships her pro-
duce, not to the East but to the far West 70 the
Territories. Therefore, supplies Will accumu-
late here, on the eastern side of tine river, to be
assorted and consolidated preparatory to being
shipped westward. sThis is the great advaut.
age we possess over the village of Omaha,
across the river" Here crops out the rivalry
between Council Bluffs ana Omah1, which in a
small way is quite as heated as that between
Chicago and St. Louis .sl
Council Bluffs Is now the terminus Of three
railroads, the Chicago ard Northwestern rail.
road to st. Joseph, (called all through the
West st. Joe,) Missouri, and the Sioux Ci ty
railroad. The Chicago, Rock Island and Pa
cific railroad will probably be completed to
the Bluns during the coming year. The Union
Pacific Railroad commences al Omaha, on the
opposite side OF the Missouri, and it is ths fond
hope Of the Buffers TO have the great plssen.
ger depot for that road and its tran sfer bust
ness and freight depots on their side of the
river. Should they succeed in these aspira-
tons, and above all, should they be able to in
duce the turbulent Missouri to give up the first
mortgage il holds over all land titles on these
bottoms, then the sunfowers on the plains here
may be displaced, according to the Bluffs
dream, "by the golden products Of the Pacific
coast. and the skilled manufactures Of Canton.
Samarcand and other oriental markets.
1t should be added, in justification of these
glowing anticipations, that some cool, clear
headed men, General Dodge, for instance, one
Of the leading spirits Of the great Union Pacific
railroad, seem willing to take unlimited stock
IN the future of the bluffs
Politics at the Bluffs.
Everything in the Great West Is carried ON
on big scale; and the political slang.whanp.
ng INDUCED in by the editors here is Of luxa.
RANT ard gorgeous description, quite unkno wn
at the East The La Crosse Democrat ranks A.
the leading exponent of this Western "freedom
Of political thought but the Brick Pomerov
style is semulated by good many editors hare.
about. The Bluffs Democrat of to-day saws. in
reference to a brother editor who appeared as a
speaker at political demonstration here last