The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1869-12-23

over 500.
The Bank during the past year has
made over fourteen hundred distinct
loans the rate Of Interest ton per
cent. per annum.
The Ottumwa Bank of Richards 4
Hale-This 10 . private Banking in.
stitution, which has been about four
months in operation, and makes no
report. The parties are Seth Rich
ards and George W. Bale. They are
doingssa good business, and are ~
sound an institution as can be found
in the land.
Resume.
In submitting the foregoing i'm.
perfect statement Of the business,
improvements, manufactures, 10,
Of the City Of Ottumwa, for 1869, it
must DO admitted BY the most casual
reader that Ottumwa does an i'm.
mense amount Of business, consider
ing ite size; in fact, larger perhaps
than any other city in the wost, not
exceeding her population.
To account for this, it must be
borne in mind that we are exceeding.
~ fortunate in our stu alton. W.
are at the Junction of the Burlington
+ Missouri River Railroad, with the
Des Moines Valley Railroad /; the
former now completed from the Miss
issippi to the Missouri, forming one
ofthe most direct and main lines TO
the Pacific while the latter 10 com
pleted from Kskuk via Ottumwa and
Oes Moines to it, Junction with the
Dubuque and Pacific City Railroad,
at q point six miles north of For,
lodge. Moreover tbs North No..
s"d ST. Louis 4 Cedar Rapids Rail.
road, forming direct line to s,
Louis, is now within . fcw weeks .,
The fart,est. Of completion to our
city. Then the Ottumwa and 81
Paul Railroad company which ia
project fairly on ito feet and which
is destined to be completed at ~
early day. thus putting us on tho sir
line between st. Louis, St. Paul and
the Lake Superior country and add
to these the Chicago 4 Southwestern
Railroad, which 10 to connect % by
an air line route with the Southern
Pacific KR.
In addition to these great Railroad
advantages, which have attracted
capital, and stimulated business to
such an astonishing extent, We are
situated in the geographical center
OF one of the richest counties in az.
ricultural and mineral resources in
the State, and which contains . pop.
ulation of nearly $4,000 people,
The Des Moines River divides the
County into two equal parts, diago-
nally, on the banks of which, and on
all its tributaries stone Of the best
quality is in iuexhaustible quantities
and tho most easy Of access.
The principal Coal fields Of Iowa,
are located in Wapello, Mshasks and
Marion, and uuderlie every foot Of
our county in veins easily mined,
and convenient to market, Of from 3
to 7 feet in thickness, which alone
IL . mine of incalculable wealth,
awaiting the magic touch Of labor
and capital to fully develope them.
Wapello is one Of the best timber.
cd counties in Iowa, and it may be
set down as an anomaly for prairie
countries, that here good timber land
can be purchased cheaper than prai-
RE.
Besides Ottu mwa, the county con-
tains Agency City, seven miles east
Of us on the Burlington 4 Missouri
River RR.. which is Q thriving town
hundred inhabitants, in the
midst Of an excellent country and
doing very fine trade. The latter
remark may be applied TO Eddyvil!e,
in the Northwest corner of
the County and which is q place Of
over two thousand inhabitants, sup.
porting two newspapers, and large
business Of all sorts.
The other towns Blakesburg, in
Adams township, IL miles south
west Ashland in Washington town.
ship, II miles south east; Bladens.
burg, 20 miles north east; Marysville
II miles nor,h-east; Dahlonega,
miles in the same direction; kirkvilIe
10 miles north west ard Chillicothe
TO the west eff that, all Post Offices
all surrounded by fine farming Ian .
in high state Of cultivation, and all
doing more or less business.
Farming lands havo rapidly ad
var ced during tho past year, in view
ofour present and prospective Rail.
rod facilities, as will be seen BY re-
ferring to our resl-estate sales else.
where. They range from $50 to $50
per acre. owing to quality and Local
lion, few farms being saleable be-
v,nd this outside figure, and but lit
lie below the minimum amount sta
ted.