The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1870-05-10
LETTER FROM IOWA.
Correspondcnce OF TIC UtspatcH'
NoRrHERN Iowa, April 81. 1870,

NORTHERN Iowa, April 81, 1870.
Relieving that news from the great and
growing northwest viii prove acceptable to
some of your many readers, will jot down
some Of the observations and reflections OF
an old yirginian now travelling, and for n
limited time residing in northern Iowa and
southern Minnesota.
Every feature Of western life strikes with
wonder one accustomed TO the comparative
" monotonous life In the Oid DOMINION.
EVERYTHING Is restless, continual change,
hustle. and activity. Here mighty cities
grow from rude assembly Of log huts,
around and within sight and hearing OF
which the buffalo feeds, and the Indian
sounds the wild war-whoop, In less time
than is takes o second-class village to ac-
qnire "local habitation and name ON
Virginia soil. Here, where " the wild this.
tie mods in the wind, and the fox digs ms
hole unscarcd /" where you may stand WIN
the broad rolling plain stretching into the
blue distance as far as the eye can feacn,
vast illimtable ocean," where waves iuxu-
riantlv the food ofthe fire-demon which pc
riodically, with swift, far-reachiDg, and re-
sistless fury, rolls its red, heaying surges
DER the broad eXpanse, forming scene
which, for grandeur and terror, cannot be
exceIled. See ! "A change comes DER the
spirit of your dream" Like the cloud
shadow passing over the landscape, with
quick, sure, and steady front, civilization
advances, and in her wake, instead of the
wild scene we have been contemplating,
are seen green fields Of stately corn and the
rich, golden sheeve of western harvest ;
cattle are grazing on the grassy slopes the
wild shrek Of the locomotive has taken the
place fthe savage whoop, and the halls OF
education and religion are reared where 80
lately the red mau lived in heather igno-
rance. The great tide of immigration is
ever advancing and spreading over these
fields of Natures own making, where the
farmer finds the grass ready growing for his
stock, and the long, tedious, and laborious
clearing" is entirely dispensed with, and
terms not found in his vocabulary. The
plough and drill are the only implements
required in order TO secure an abundant and
never-failing harvest.
The rapidity with which the great and
fertile valley Of the Mississippi is being peo-
pied almost exceeds belief and what will
be the final effect Of the mingling of all the
"kindreds, and tribes, and tongues" ,
who are pouring their thousands and
tens Of thousands into its fertile bosom
from all parts of the eastern world,
past all conjecture, and time. alone
can prove. 60 into any considerable town
here and YOU will find representatives of
every nationality in Europe, and of least
three-fourths of the States in the Union. An
occasional Indian OF even Chinaman COM
pletes the picture--a picture never before
seen, an experiment never before tried,
and Times rapidly rolling wheels will ere
long demonstrate its success or failure,
The past winter has been the mlldest
known here for years, though sufficiently
severe for native of Virginia. The lowest
point reached by the thermometer was only
twenty degrees below zero, and zero was
only reached four times besides during the
entire season. The climate OF this section
has moderated very much since its first set
tlement, and it is altogether probable,
Judging from analogy in the Old World,
that in the course of a century or two such
extremes of cold as have been experienced
here will be entirely unknown. Some of
the changes during the past winter have
been very violent, utterly disproving the
opinion held by some concerning the equa-
bilty of the climate. On the night of Janu-
ary 18th retired at half-paSt ten, with
warm rain falling, and woke next morning
to find the thermometer indicating four de-
grees below zero. Between the afternoon
of the 10th and morning of the 10th instant
there was change Of fifty-tiye degrees. For
the past four weeks the weather has been
beautiful, unprecedentedly beautiful Tor
this season. Repentant nature seems to be
making amends to the farmer and every
body else for the incessant rains OF the
fall.
The spring sowing is about over. The
farmers have not put in as much wheat as
usual, both on account OF not getting the
accustomed amount of fall ploughing done,
and on account Of the ruinously low prices
which have ruled the past season.
twelve inches than the flood of 1859, caused
by the melting snow from three to six feet
deep on its head-waters, and has caused
much damage to property, though much
less than would have been the case had it
not risen so slowly as to give ample time
for preparation. It is and has been for seye.
ral days abating. But lest grow too long,
will reserve the remainder OF my obserua.
oations and reflections, if any, to another
communication. Y. V.