The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1869-07-13


followed close behind US. From this
point the aspect of the country
changed somewhat, and new and
strange features continued to be de-
veloped until we arrived here. The
route is through the richest portion
Of the State, and yet the country
seems scarcely settled at all, as com
pared with the East. The country
becomes more rolling. and dense for
ests Of large trees become more ire
anent and line the road for miles;
and the streams Of running water,
many Of them of considerable size,
occur oftener. The towns, however, |
as we progress, become less frequent, |
and have the appearance of building |
hastily, though they look attract
i've and substantial, and many of |
them present unusual evidences
of thrift; and what is more
remarkable, where the largest and
most h0urishlng towns are now To-
Gated, two years ago, the plow lad
not touched the smooth surface OF
the rich soil. At seven o'clock IN
| the evening, we stopped at one or
| these towns, the name of which has
unfor escaped US, for supper.
| 1t was a large hotel In connection
with the railroad depot, and was in
| tended specially as resort for those
who desire the benefits Of the climate
/ of this season, which Is represented as
being very fine Here we sat down to
the first palatable meal that is to be
found between Chicago and this city.
We had delicious white American
rolls, none of your foreign compost
ton, as is usually the case, weighing
a pound each, but light, spOngy and
delicious and then to have we'll
| cooked fowl and other meats, vegeta-
bles that hadn't been stepped IN
grease, and sweet butter and store "
coffee we'll prepared-it all eliminated
In real knock down argument In
favor of the place.
The meal was IN all respects well
worth the price, and we left better
satisfied with ourself and the world at
large, than is usually the case after
patronizing one of these way station
: eating houses. Il seems to US that 1t
would be work Of real philanthropy
, to reconstruct the culinary depart
ment in the West, If we may judge the
character of all by our experience
thus far
The country along the road, especi-
ally from this point, is one Of unsur-
a passed fertility, producing all the
S sereals in rich abundance. There Is
much more and better timber land
here than In most other sections
and on this account is more dc
/. sirable as a place of residence tt
a those who contemplate coming
West to till the soil and ally
their worldly interests with those Of {
q new and strange country. The land
: for the most part lies in gently undu-
A lating prairie; soil deep and black anC
very rich we'll watered, and tim bereC
with hickory, ash and cottonwood
! The ruling prices of lands range al
the way from So 90 to $15 90 per acre
with only very small portion occu
pied. The agricultural report of the
8 State shows that but one acre IL
q twenty is under cultivation and th'
population is a little over one million
y Even that under cultivation il
e not In the highest state o
productiveness; hence we may con
clude that the State would sup
u port a population of twenty millions
le Why are tens of thousands huddler
to together In the crowded cities of tn
i East and of the world, struggling TO
an existence, almost too miserable t
contemplate, when these invitin
is broad acres and undeveloped Wealt
~ is here ready for an abundant yield
- energy and hard work? Spectator
q have, 1t Is true, never stopped In yer
u great numbers. but have pressed fur
,h Their on, under the impression tina
es away out In the wllds OF the Yves
= lies the wealth. Sioux City, how
| tn 4 0rNF-
&c attention. Large numbers froI
the East have settled here, an
others are expected soon to follow
The place will probably in a fe,
Id years enjoy some nOtorIety abroad fC
he its business and connections. TIL
n location is favorable for the buildin
=. up of thrifty town. 1t is nestle
down in a narrow valley, and Is SUI
80 rounded By pretty knolls and bluffs {
o. every grade The citizens prefer t
believe that at this point will b
located the city. What on earth the
le can advance in support of such b,
e. lief is incomprehensible to us; bI
We they already seem to be we'll regulate
h. blowers" and propose building tn
j. town by huge blasts of wind. W
y could, however, name half doze
90 places that will, in all probabilit.
always overshadow its growth.
rv We reached Council Bluffs at 7 j
: A. NJ, and found the town buildir
i rapidly, and atthe same time substal
IL TALLY. It's citizens claim for it popl
Sc lation Of $4,000 or $1,000, which v
,ot should judge is a considerable stretc
- of the Imagination. 1t enjoys son
advantages over its 4" twin sister
partly in back country; and her pro-
lie. erty is chiefly owned by the citizen
not by eastern capitalists, as is til
case here to a great extent. tt
Bluffs is called a "slow coach
here, and will probably never ha'
& sufficient life TO get up a rivalry wi
eW this fast town. Its relation will a
IL ways be, IN all probability, VIII
i Brooklyn is to New York, or Gown
u ton to Cincinnati.
ID We reached this city at an ear
IT. hour, by steamer, this being the mo,
of transfer from the depot of Il
Chicago & Northwestern at Count
Bluffs to this place Omaha, as \
~ now find it, is very beautiful.
VI claims a population of 5000 sou
st, but probably has not more tn;
I'm $4,000 or 5000 all told. It is sit
: a ated on a slope extending westwa
from the ever muddy Missouri Rive
We that tortuous and much sung
nd stream, navigable for the large
re- steamers nearly six hundred miles we
,ne of it. 1t has for eight or nine mont
al. in the year, very prosperous al
1