The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1868-04-02
Correspondence Of the News
Letter from Iowa.

/ 0o''SJ OSoS1Styy &C.
WILLIAlEsTowE, Iowa, March l3, 1858.
Mr.. EDITOR:-Perhaps you o.
some Of your subscribers might be in
terested in hearing something about
Northeastern Iowa. I propose a few
words. Although that vividness OF
description which first impressions
produce viii be wanting, yet its place
may be supplied by facts, which a
residence of nearly three years has en-
abled me to collect.
And first I would say that this is
comparatively
/ A NEW COUNTRY.
Twenty years ago, the Indians were
roaming all over this section of coun-
try. Now, villages and cities are
springing up in every direction with
surprising rapidity. True, sometimes
there is an unhealthy growth, espe-
eially along the new lines of railroads.
For instance, Conover, in Winnesheik
county, on the Milwaukee, Prairie
DuChien & Western Railroad, now
Milwaukee & st. Paul R. R. In July,
1865, this town contained just three
houses. In less than a year, it claim
ed nine hundred inhabitants, and put
on "city airs" 1t was then at the
end of the railroad, but within anoth-
er six months, the railroad had been
extended. The expected junction had
not been made, and Conover was
GoNE-ovER, having no natural advan-
tages to sustain it. This is a sample
of Western town being gotten up on
purpose for speculation. A few made
money and many lost it. But most
of our towns have a healthy growth.
For instance, Lansing, on the Mis-
lsissippi, twelve miles from the Min
nesota line. In August, 1865, it con-
tained twelve hundred inhabitants.
In May, 1866, two thousand. In
May, 1867, three thousand five hun
dred, by actual census. It gives eve
~ indication of a healthy growth.
McGregOr, A miles down the river,
and nearly opposite Prairie DuChien,
was merely a steamboat landing few
years ago. Now it is city, with
fine farming country tributary to it,
Extending from fifty to eighty miles
into the interior. Others might be
named, but these must suffice.
Railroads are being constructed rap
idly, and instead of the labor being
scattered all along the intended route,
it is concentrated on a short space,
usually from one station to another,
until the cars are on the track. Thus
the company secures the profits as fast
as the labor is applied, and the coun-
try is benefited, even though the Com
pany should fail. These roads assist
wonderfully in opening up this prairie
country. Many thousand acres of
virgin soil are being annually brought |
under cultivation.
The process of developing the coun-
try here is necessarily different from
a timber country. There the settler
can take his ak, although he may not
have a cent of money IN his pocket,
and in short time he will have a
cabin constructed, a spot cleared and
fenced, and under cultivation the first
year, and if industrious, he may add
a few acres to his Improvement each
year; but about the time he gets his
farm under cultivation, he is old and
worn out.
The first thing to be done here, is to
break a greater or less quantity, ao-
cordlng to ones means, (Which cost
last year, about 81 per acre,) then
fence it at leisure, before the time of
sowing the next spring. In the spring,
as. soon as the surface is dry enough,
a harrow is put on it, and it soon be-
comes mellow without re-plowing,
and the crop, wheat, oats, or corn, is
put in without further trouble. In
this way it is not uncommon for a
forty, eighty, and even sometimes a
hundred and sixty acre farm to be
brought under cultivation in a single
year. Then buildings absolutely
cost something here. But this being {
accomplished, the prairie farmer is
ready to make money. He has neith-
er logs, trees, sprouts, nor briers to .
contend with. His land is not only
cleared, but it remains cleared. .
Bnt here a great objection presents
itself to one who has been brought up
in a timber country, and that is, h
SCARCITY OF TIMBER.
AS the superabundance of timber
in Southern Ohio and Indiana retard-
ed the development of the country, so I
the scarcity of timber here retards to
some extent the development of this ,
The great practical question J
On this point is, What is the minimum :
amount of timber necessary for actual b
consumption? and it is wonderful to
zee the various means resorted to, in
,rder to save it. Legislation has ,
stepped in, and all the porkers in the /
country are sentenced to imprison-
nent for life, Consequently, three
boards or rails constitute a lawful Z
fence, provided certain requirements
are complied with. For instance, the
lower one must be at least sixteen
inches from the ground. =
The most common fence here is
,,7o Of v,orte with rolls Or boords