The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1870-08-11
ooRREspoNnENoE OF THE 4pRRsss
GRHELT, coIoRlD6 TEaAlroHaE, July 90! 1870.
FES,,IrStslppi,ss i,,,,si

GRHELF, c6IoRlD6 TEaErroa4F,, July 3d. 1870.
/ iE6!ipENs lPRfss- -sfra an pursuance Of my "
promise when leaving Ravenna, to write you
concerning what might see during my jour-
neyings in this western country that would be
lfKelNto Interest s0uF READERS II send you this
as one instalhReata !lt,is suRIee eessaryi to give
yog any description OF, our ncighboring States
OF Indiana ard Illinois. But the State Of Iowa
ItRink kasiunaerestinia BY Eastefn people
ptis truly q land fertility although
it has been very dry there during the entire fore
part of theseason, they were harvesting most
b1dn tittig troR ~ small srain When left there
Such fields Of wheat. oats and barley, it does al
felll9Y good tq lopk upon, and then the WAY they
have of harvesting. They are using quite ex-
teHsfve!y pa reaper called the Marsh Haryestpr,
one man rides away up on the hursicane deck
and nayigatas- the machine, wifie-two men
stAnf down below and bind the grain, which is
carried;oyen by, an endless Apron and deposited
in frohf Of them upon q table, each taking
afsalterately .i9rliey have an awning over
them TO, keep aoG the suu4I This arrangement
takes the backache all out of the business. Then
they have machine called a header" which
is arranged "cart before tho AoFsp'' It is a
ponderous great thing, cuts ton Qrl twelve feet
wide, merely taking on, the heads of grain
which are carried over BY an endless apron and
deposited iaJ a4srge wagon box which accom-
pahies the maeaine atltp side. q saEt of convoy.
regard ta the lay af the land in this prairie
country, our prec1pceiyed ideas get wonderful,
" shattered! liter crossing the Mississippi ut
CiatoA tor soma iistaaes1 tile country Il rather
leFel, bpt as ,you approach the middle of the
State il becomes more rolling, and near Cedar
Rapids It is quite broken and hiliy, yet still
prairie. ,7G9lET= ihG1lli4 9di STo4ST 81 so
Cedar Rapids, is "a thriving town Of six thou
sand inhabitaRts, situated at the rapids Of the
Cedar River, Which furnishes very fine water
pof%eE I9hefas areseVeral Railroads intersect-
ingihere already, and more in course of con-
strpction and contemplation. The prospects
are fair for its being an important railroad CEN
teri II Is surrounded by d magnificent country.
Itis.at Fairfax Station, eight miles west of Ce-
Oar Rapids, that have been stopping until
about ten days since It Is at this point our
former townsHan Capt. 10. Weeks, is located
He has q beautiful situation on quite an emil
nenee on the prairie, about one mile from the
depot, With q very fne brick house situated in
the center Of his i60 acre farm, 90 oniInandIng a
view of the country for miles in all directions
He has this year 40 acres of splendid wheat
which he was just harvesting; he has also 10
acres 6reofn 6f which he feels Justly prouud!I
Standing at his door you look out upon an al.
most hpupd(ess sea Of waving grain, as far as
theeye can reach, It stretches away, one grand
pleee or sloslac. The bright yellow of-the rip
cning wheat qats andbarleys contrasting beau
tifully With the alternating patch work of dark
green corn, and then consider, i've years ago
this vas almest1 an iunbroken wilderness of
grass and NOW it blossoms as the rose. Truly
the ihctarhofphosis seems almost ehciiantinent
Busabst yinni pahricrE shnuidi gather from this
letter, that this is-a land of Spontaneous pro-
luction, of ease and idleness, paradise of slug-
g.frs, let me sayto them. all this TRANSFORMED
ti6n hasboon wrought byo nothing but unccas-
ing TOLL slNeYpr saw people work until came
to Iowa. For the benefit OF your readers must
tell y little practical joke saw played at one
of the Touring MILLS In Cedar Rapids Passing
through tho tnill taking notes. 4 observed some
ten -four basEeh hran,ied ON the head "Best