Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1869-01-15

From The New York Trioune of the 4th.

The State of Iowa.
From The New York Tribune OF the eth.
Tn 1896, that which is now the
State OF Iowa contained 900 inhab-
itants. In 1888 it was detached from
the Territory of Wisconsin, and in
1916 1t was admitted as II State, hav-
ing a population Of $1,000. In 1856
the population had Increased TO 5l6,-
600, in 1867 TO 9l2, 900, and at present
II must have about 1,lT0,0o0. The
Cause for such rapid gr.wth must be
looked for I'm natural advantages.
On each side IL is bounded 10y two
rivers which arg among the largest in
the wori..., while il lies within lines
a.. latitude which give II climate IN u
high degree favorable to health and
human activity; and a'so for the
production of staple articles of food
which are of quick sale, and which
are produced i'm brief periods of time
and with little labor. The area i'm
square miles is $4,000. nearly equal to
England. Nine-tenths of the surface
is prairie, with a soil from one foot to
two feet deep. The Des MoineS, t'e-
dar, Iowa, and other rivers with their
affluents penetrate into the interior
of the country, giving abundant wa
ter power, and it Is conceded that tile
scenery along some of these rivers is
as beautiful and imposing as any in
our band. The deficiency of timber
is supplied Ivy coal, which is found
in many parts of the State, aud by
lumber from the Upper Mississippi
which is transported by railroads.
One great advantage, although 1T has
been mainly prospective, and-it will
he more sensibly felt in the future
than IL Is in the present. is thecon-
verging of railroad lines upon her
western borders to unite with the
Great Pacific. The difference in ex-
pense or in facility between running
these lines through North Missouri
and Iowa could not have been great,
both are prairie regions and both
characterized with majestic swelis
and elevated plateaus; but undoubt-
eddy these routes are laid through
Iowa because she is on a direct line
populous. commercial and manuiac-
turing States of the seaboard. AL
ready Iowa las twelve railroads,
l,4O0 miles in extent, while several
Others are i'm the process of construc-
ton, including two additional ones
across the whole State from the Mis-.
sissippi To the Missouri. e.. -.....lE
Iowa rates as fourth among the
whole States for its corn crop, which
last year was $4,000 600 of bushels,
white her wheat crop is not far from
20 900 900 of bushels. Or other grains
aud of general furm products. the
amounts are proportionately large.
We believe that Iowa has no palhic
debt. During the war her people
were SO patriotic that 10 assessment
was made for the purchase, of substi-
iutes, nor were the regiments of any
of the other States more wholly com
posed of volunteers. Her free school
system Is sustained by funds so ample
as not To I've exceeded by any OF the
Western States, except. perhaps, by
Nj nnesota, while the state Univefsi-
~ has Il cash endowment of the val
ue of 81, 900 year, and the AgricuI-
tural College has an annual endow-
nemt of40, 1000. This last named in.
stitution receives young ladies' as stu
dents the same AS Young gentlemen,
which IL All advance movement OF
which no other State except Kansas
can boast, The liberality and the in.
dependence ofthe people of Iowa at
the last general election, when they
gave TO all men the liberty To vote, is
another advance, and IL is predicted
that i'm 10 distant future the elective
franchise will be still further extend
ed. o.. -. b 81 .f.' .'...-
This view certainly indicates O
high degree of prosperity, and yet,
ia 81 of the organized counties, two
thirds of the land is unchitivated-
that il, there yet remain 25,00O.0 900
of as rich land rs any upon which
the sun shines, and which lie cover
ed with the uubroken' prairie sod.
III is true that such unoccnpied land
is remote from main lines of travel,
aud roads are To he made, and villag-
es, towns aud cities to be created;
but the same means which entered
into the construction and adornment
ofthe older sections are not only still
importation, but they are more speedy
in action and more powerful in IFS re-
suits, because an Increase of pUpula-
ton as well as experience and skill
are brought to bear. Another con
sideration is of no small importance.
Iowa has been settled, not by people
from New England, such as made the
Western States nearest To Us, pros
porous and wealthy. but by their de-
cendants. who have advantages i'm
means, culture and enterprise superb
or 10 What their fathers POSSESSED. 1t
is true that this is Ia be safd of all the
extreme Western States; but for sew
eraI reasons this condition has more
particular reference To Iowa, and
hence Ii is that greater progress in u
few years has been made in whatev-
err il Of substantial and valuable
character than i'm many years was
made in Western New York, Ohio,
or Indiana. ...l,