Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1871-07-26
LETTER FROM IOWA.


LETTER FROM IOWA.
QUAsoUEToN,
Buchanan Co, Iowa,
July nth, lSIl. q }
En- WESTERN RESERVE CHRONI-
cLE:-Permit me through your col
umns to say a word TO my many
friends in old Trumbul, and especial
Iy in the township Of AIeeca, where 1
spent twenty-seven years Of my life.
On the 7th day Of April, 1861, ten
years ago, 1 left the then famous oil
regions Of Mecca, and started for the
far West, and settled in the vicinity
Of QaasquetOn, Buchanan county
Iowa. 1t might be Interesting to your
readers to know something Of the
changes that have taken place during
that time. The country was then
comparatively new. But few years
since the Indian had roamed over
these broad Prairies. Here and there
were remote from each other, you
would find the rude cabin Of the early
settlers, who trying to cultivate their
land without the protection ofa fence.
Things remained in this condition
with but little improvement until
the close Of the war, or about 1865,
when the tide Of emigration set in,
and since that time the old cabins
have given way TO elegant houses;
groves and orchards have been plant
ed oyer the prairies, and to-day there
Is scarcely q quarter section Of land
In Buchanan county that is not fenced
and cultivated, and II a person wants
to see perfect beauty in all its grand
eur and loveliness, just travel over
this country at the present time and
see the golden harvest now being
gathered. and see every farm with
/ from forty to one hundred acres Of
wheat, and about as much corn.-
Wheat is lighter than usual this year; ;
but the corn crop never was known to
be better, by the Oldest settlers
fWheat has Heretofore oeen the staple
crop. Most OF the early settlers came
there from the East, poor men, and as
wheat could be turned into cash more
readily than any thing else, they
went to raising It. A man can SOW
his wheat in April, and in August
can have 1t in market. Thus they
were enabled to live and improve
their farms.
The village Of Quasqneton, is situat-
ed on the banks Of the Wapsipiniean
river, about sixty.flve miles west OF
4 Dubuque, and within five miles Of the
Dubuque & Sioux City R. R. Some
of the earliest settlements in North
I ern Iowa, were in and around Quas-
queton. 1t has . population Of about
eight hundred inhabitants. Is beau
tifuuy located. has one Of the best
I vater powers in the state, and thous-
ands Of acres Of timber skirted along
the banks Of the river, convenient to
the place. The Iowa & Minnesota r.
! r. is being built through here and the
Burlington, Cedar Rapids & Minneso-
ia road will probably be built through,
so that Quasqueton has a bright
futnre before her. Independence, the
the county seat of Buchanan, ten
miles northwest Of here. It has q
population Of about three thousand.
/ Here the State Insane Asylum is be-
ing built, at cost Of one million dol
lars. It is situated on an eminence
about two miles from the city. In
dependence can probably boast Oi
churches and school facilities better
than many Eastern towns Of thesame
size. She has built within the last
four years, one hundred thousand dol
lars worth Of churches and fifty thOus
. and dollars worth of school houses
and a Touring mill built by a STOCK
Company, at cost of two hundred
thousand dollars. This much fol
, Buchanan county. Now we willloof
over the State a little. Ten years ag'
there was but few miles Of railway
Now the State Is spanned by thre'
: continuous lines of railroads, running
east and west, besides thousand
/, building and contemplated. The
want Of timber in some parts Of thi
State is one Of the difhculties tina
new settlers have to contend with
but at the present time timber is grow
! ing faster than consumed Timbe
grows very rapidly and farmers ar
Z generally setting out groves, and IN
streams Of water with which thi
county abounds are generally shelter
a ed with good timber. The climate
as good as can be found in the sam
latitude anywhere. The summer
! are delightful, and the winters ar
not so long as general on the West
eru Reserve. They are steady cold
a pure, bracing cir, generally healthy
II Is good for all kinds Of business
7 except doctors. Should any Of m.
friends in TrumbuH county have al.
inquiries to make, I shall be happy t
answer them At any time, and shoul
> any Of them ever visit this place, the
wIlfaIwsys ind my house open 70
their accommodation. ..r
JEREMIAH IRWIN.
SS-awS-
FL No young lady. can be too we
taught in anything that will afteC
a the comfort OF family. Whateye
position in society she occupies SD
LLoo5s- q r,raofical EnOvvlpdVe Of lOuse