The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1869-07-29
Ottlinwa.

Mr.. II. S. Doggett, of IIillsboro,
Ohio, who has been stopping in oar
city for some time, with his relative
9. Lawrence, ESQ.,, writes the follow
ing interesting items Of Ottumwa to
tho Cincinnati Daily Chronicle.
The most important town on The
D. V. Railroad between Keokuk and
Des Moincs is Ottumwa. This thrl-
wing little city was laid out some
twenty years ago. 1t is situated on
the north bank Of the Des Ncines
river, seventy six miles from Keo.
kuk. The Des Moines Valley and
the Burlington & Missouri River
Railroad cross here. The North Mis-
souri, road, now finished TO Bloom
field, twenty-five miles south of this,
will be completed to Ottumwa the
present season. This road is to be
extended to Cedar Rapids, thus Civ
ing this place a direct connection
with the railroads of Northern
Iowa. Another projected road from
here to Cameron, on the Hannibal &
st. Joe road, will soon DO in
process of construction. This road
is to be built from here to Washing
ton, the present terminus of the road
from Muscatinc. Whom these roads
are completed Ottdmwa will be one
of the most important railroad CEN
tres in the State. As it is, the city
is rapidly improving, and it's business
and property on the increase. The
population Of the city is now estima-
ted at about seven thousand, and the
demand for dwelling and business
houses is much beyond the supply
Quito number Of fine business hou-
ses are going up this season. These
are generally three or four stories
high, built Of brick and stone, with
iron fronts and Mansard roofs, giving
an air of solidity and strength not
often seen in Western towns.
The manufactures of the place are
OF considerable Importance, embra.
cling furniture and chairs. carriages
and wagons, breweries, &C., There
are several large wholesale dry
goods stores here, and one of the
finest drug stores found anywhere
The propriotors of the latter, Messrs.
Taylor, Blake & Co., are among tho
most enterprising citizens of the
place.
A good daily paper is published here
by Gen. j. NJ. Hedrick, 4 w. G. Hol-
den, and We are glad to know, ismeet-
ing the liberal support it deserves
Persons in the East who desire to be
posted in regard to this part Of the
West should send for the Daily Cou-
RIER.
The business part OF the city of
Ottumwa is situated on the river
bank, while the residences are on the
hills TO the north. The city could
be made o beautiful place If the citi-
zens would display as much energy
in grading and paving the streets as
they do in their private enterprises.
As 1t is, they seem to have been sat-
is6ed to drag around in the mud,
considering it all right as long as
they are making money. On this
account their lively little city fails
to impress strangers as it ought to,
and the short sighted policy which
leads them to neglect their thorough
fares until they are almost impassa-
BILE, constantly works on their disad-
vantage. The etfeets OF Ottumwa
remind one of those of the mush-
room railroad towns of the far West,
where the people are too busy cheat
ing each other to think of the mud
and water they tramp through while
doing it. With this one exception
strangers will find Ottumwa one of
the pleasantest and most thriving
towns in the West.
The Democratic State Cnyention
have nominated Mr.. Gi!laspy, of this
place for Governor; but in this Re.
publican State that is o mere matter
Of form. II. S. D.