Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1871-01-05
Where and What is Iowa ?
BY PROF. J. d. BUTLER.

In latitude, half of it lies north and The
other half south of Chicago. Forty years
ago Iowa had no white families, its popu-
lation is now 100000. 1t has gained
more than half million in the last ten
years. 1t is larger than England and can
feed twice as many. It's last wheat crop
was "a, 100000 bushels, and that OF Indian
corn sevonty-two millions. Its taxable
property exceeds $300,000,000, and it's
State tax was only two mills on dollar.
Its completed railroads measure nearly
5000 miles, and more are in construction.
IOWA IS THE FARMERS PARADISE.
No State so populous is 80 free from
great cities, which Jefferson called "great
sores" Half the State is underlaid with
coal, many mines are worked, manufac-
lures years ago amounted to sixteen mill
lons,-but agriculture is the main bust
ness. The B. & M. r. Railroad which
runs on the parallel of New York City,
while still lacking 100 miles of completion,
carried eff more cattle. hogs, sheep and
wool, than any Of the seven T9Aas which
transport products out Of the State
proof that those who purpose to raise these
staples will do we'll to settle along its line.
More than a million bushels of grain were
also carried eastward last year on the B.
& NJ r. line, and that product will great
ly increase. Old settlers on the Missouri
hOEb in Oh
that their crops are sure because they can
never be either drowned out or dried up.
The prairies are not fat as in Illinois, but
rolling, roll away agnes and render
swamps impossible.
Grain is bulky for transport, and so
most farmers deal in cattle. They raise
few,-letting them Craze on wild grasses
and browse in cornfelds till winter breaks
up,-feeding them only two months. They
bay many more of their neighbors,--or
that are driven in from the Cherokees, or
Texas The only shelter usual for
cattle, ia the winding and wooded ravines
alongside brooks. Experience has proved
that this is enough. A single car--for
from G15 to $50. according to distance,
will carry II cattle or 80 hogs to Chicago.
Fattcners buy at from 3 to cents, and
sell at from to 8 cents, after adding from
$50 to $50 pounds to the weight of each
animal. Thus they find a homo market
for thor corn Each hoovo cooks and dI-
gesta corn enough to fatten two hogs, and
each bushel of corn fed out will add either
Eve pounds to the weight of a steer and
five more to the hog who follows him, or
ten pounds to the fat Of swine if fed to
him directly
EDUCATION.
The common schools of Iowa, good
enough for the best are cheap enough for
the poorest, being open to everybody
gratis. They are 5000, scholars 100000,
outlay for teachers a million and half
yearly.
THE HOMESTEAD LAW
permits any person to occupy public lands,
80 acres within Railroad grants, and
twice as much outside of them, on stating
to a local United States official that he
wishes so to do, ana paying $14 in fees.
Five years occupancy entities the settler
to deed from the government; 10000
bomesteaders took up farms last year.
SOLDIERS HoNEsTEADs.
is not one man as good SIS auother?'
Yes" said an Irishrnan, "and a great
deal better" So orr last Congress enact
ed that every soldier is equal to two other
mep,--an act approved by General Grant,
July IS, 1870. Il provides that every
person who eerycd loyalty for 90 days in
the National Army or Navy is entitled 10
"enter and receive patent for one whole
quarter section of land" that ia 1850 acres.
where other men can only enter 3d.
"of the alternate reserved sections along
the lines of any one OF the railroads, wher-
ever public lands have been granted by
acts of Congress In order to gain these
privileges the soldier must pursue the
same routine and pay the same fees as if
he we're a civilian, but he gets twice as
much land. Nebraska il fast filing up
with soldier homesteaders. Where the
carcass is there will eagles gather.
Since last New Year two thousand
homesteaders and as many preemptors
have filed their claims at Lincoln, which
is one Of the four Nebraska land offices.
During the same time aud in the same
vicinity half as many settlers have invest
ed in railroad lands.