The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1871-07-13
LETTER FROM IOWA.
ATLANTIC Iowa, July 9th, ri.

ATLANI1C 1OWAs y ulY Utl, 49,
FRIEND ED You will probably be sur
prised to get letter from one in this part Of
the country, but as am at leisure part OF
to-day, thought aUouId write whether
acceptable or not. When left Kenosha last
wednesday morning to visit friends in Iowa,
thought was going into region wild and
uninhabited, except by few pioneers may
be. expecting to see only now and then an IN
habitant, living in a rude and uncultivated
country, people living in log houses, sc. In
every particular have been disappointed.
From the timeI left the Mississippi last Thurs
day morning, my mind has been in COM
plete state Of wonder and surprise at the
quantity Of grain now growing in this State,
or only that part of it through which the
Chicago and Rock Island Railroad runs. !
honestly believe that from Davenport to At
lantic, a distance of nearly three hundred
miles, there isn't waste land enough to make
graveyard, for, look in which direction you
may, all the time you are on the cars, you
will see beautiful farms, good farm houses,
all, frame or brick, or nearly all, as l think I
did not see more than five log houses in the
whole distance Timber is scarce, aud is the
only drawback to the whole State. All the
lumber used out here being brought from the
Mississippi river and Chicago, consequently
it is pretty high in price; common lumber
being worth $28 per thousand.
= This city, Atlantic, is one of the towns
built by the r. R. Company, or started rath-
er, about three years ago, and now numbers
population of about eighteen hundred peo-
pie. aresult which 1 think more than Won
derful, as [ can see no reason why town
should be at this place more than any other,
all along the road. To be sure, the land is
all that any land could be, but in that respect
it Las no advantage over any point on the
road. It is nineteen miles either way to a
station on the railroad, and the company
have erected water tanks and coal shed here,
which makes it necessary for all trains to stop.
In looking through this country, a stranger
is amazed at the enormous corn-felds, and
the gigantic height of the corn. Since my
arrival here. [ have been all around in the vi
entity of the city, and such cornfelds I
have ridden through fields, where they would
lie for mile and quarter beside the road
and eighty acres in width. There is a field
about three quarters Of q mile from town.
rode by last night-co uprising twelve hun
dred acres. The next field to it, owned by
another man, is not as large, there being only
about six hundred acres in it. Notwlthstand.
ing the enormous quantity of corn raised, the
smaller grains are not neglected, and have
never seen any prettier views in my life, al
though they may have been more romantic,
than can be seen in all directions from this
place. The country is all rolling prairie, not
gently rolling like Kenosha Co., but immense
hills, although not abrupt, farmers having their
whole farm on the side Of one. The farm I
have just spoken of, has been planted nine
teen years-eyery year with corn, never had
o pound of dressing on it, and last year yield
ed sixty bushels to the acre. Wheat out
| here, farmers think they will average from
fifteen TO twenty bushels per acre. Corn is
worth tWenty-seven cents bushel. wheat
one dollar; eggs ten cents dozen butter
ten cents pound beef twelve ana g. nall
cents per pound. ea &.. a
ATLANTIC is built on the side OF a hlil, with
an easy slope, just enough to glvelt good
drainage. It's principal street is one hundred
i feeJ WIDE ana mas q HuInOer VI Soou SUITES
of all kinds, and only three saloons, which
for a town of this kind, I think wonderful.
The city, of which Dexter T. Hawks, former
/ " Of Waukegan, is Mayor, very wisely have
put the price of saloon licenses at three hun
bred dollars, and consequently they have
hotels. all of which do a good business. Two
newspapers, the Atlantic Telegraph, republi-
can; and the Messenger, democrat, with cir
culation of little more than five hundred
each about as many stores as there are in
Kenosha a grist mill being built; have built
about forty houses since winter, and has
number in course of erection. 1t is lovely
town, and the inhabitants are. very justly,
proud of it, and expect to do great deal of
business after harvest. [ shall start Tor
will write from there. @ aas amsM, 4f
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