Daily Davenport Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1864-1874, 1868-11-30
DAVENPORT. IOWA. MONDAY, NOVEMBER go 1858.


twenty 4vs millions Of acres Of prarle land
have not yet been touched By the plsw.-
Honssteads may bs secured in many Of the
counties Of osrth>wss,srn Iowa, on govern
rnent lands. while the greater portion Of
unimproved lasds may b bsusht q frsm
t~o and half 70 ten dollars per ssrs and
nearly svsry sers Of il 10 - god lead %
any which hes yet yielded its wealth to
cultivation.
Iova has some twelve 1ilrea6e with
moro then fourteen hundred mites oflinse
in operation. Several other cempaniss
have been organized, some tf which are
grading their ROAD beds, while others are
engaged in preliminary work. Within .
year, at least, three railroads wiz traverse
the whsle State from ssst to west-cne
being already finished. Other reads in the
sane direction and several north and south
roads are in progress. Telegraph linss ae
company the railways, and an independent
line following the Mississippi river, has
just been constructed acrcss the state.
In tho ninety seven organized counties Of
the State, there were in 1867 g. .229 schools,
with . eress attendance of 25i,2sl pupils,
costing for tuition s., ,l6l. .65S The school
houses we're valued a. $3.45o,97S. The
State has made ample provision Tor the sup
pert Of free schools. The proceeds Of oil
lands given by the General Government fer
school purposes, and Of the 100000 acres
Rivsn under IN oct Of l64l the five per cent,
granted BY the United States on lands seld
within the State, and the estates Of every do.
ceased person diving without viii OF hslrsi
constituted . perpetual fund, the interest OF
which gees to the support Of common schools
The msnsy paid fer exemption freo mill.
tsry duty,ss we'll - the clear proceeds Of oil
fines collected for breach Of the penal laws,
are similarly devoted TO the support Of the
schools. All these resources, with the ad-
ditien Of tax Of from one mil to two
and half mills. g to the payment eftssch-
srs. Tns building Of scheol hsusss. keeping
them in repair, fuel. apparatus, rent, ete ,
are provided for by special tax. The
amount expended for these purposes 10 1867
was about $3.50, 900. IL 10 believed that our
system Of popular education is ~ good %
that of any Of the Statss. In addition, "
have . State University with ~ income ol
$4,000, aside frsm the appropriation made
by the General Assembly There 10 alec .
an estimated income Of $4,000 Bssides
these. private schoslJ Of high order. 40
adsmiss. colleges, and universities under
the oontrol OF varisus denominations ol
Christians are numerous throughout the
State. From the earliest settlement Of The
territory, the friends Of liberal adusatien
have persistently labersd for the advance.
msnt Of the cause and have at oil times been
able to influence 70 some extent the lsgis-
lation Of the State in this behalf and now
it 10 beloved no State in the Unisn Of ,ta
years has made more extensive previsien
for universal education.
have thus sndsavored to convey to you
in the fswest possible words, the informa.
tisn you desire. Permit me to add, that to
this young but growing State, blessed - il
10 with . salubrious climate, with soil oi
unsurpassed richness with an intelligent,
progressive population with wise and
efficient system ofpepular education with
many institutions Of lsarnisg Of . high
grade, with rivers and railways bringing o.
about to bring markets to the very hsms,
so 10 say, Of al the citizens with millions
Of acres of fertile lands which may now be
had at very low prices, but which will rap
idly increase in value With low taxes, and
IN unusually sound financial condition /;
with the privileges Of rslgisn aesursd to
oil alike; with past prosperity hardly
squallsd in the conntry, assuring undoubtsd
future greatness and rank amsng the emf
nent States Of the Republic, ws most Ger
diaIy invite upright citizens Of oil lands
and crssds, to come, here in this favored
land II maka thems vea hanpv homaa and
help NJ to build up the fabric Of what is
surely destined to be . mighty common
wealth.
have the honor 70 be, sir,
yeur ebsdient ssrvent,
SAMUEL MERRILL,
GovofnOr of Iowa