Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1871-01-30
NO. 25.
LETTER FROM THE WEST,
CLINTON, Iowa, Jan. oath, 1871.

CLINTON, Iowa, Jan. oath, 1871.
DEAR JOURNAL Il find myself at this point
yet, having been here since last Thursday.
had intended to get through my business and
be in Ohio to-day; but it is otherwise ordered
and must submit with the best grace possi-
Bile. l was showed in for four days in Illinois
l do not think ever experienced a storm in
Maine that was so disastrous to telegraph
companies or to railroads. Wires and poles
are down in all directions, and it will require
days yet to put them in order. The trains in
to Chicago are all right again. 1t is estimat
ed that there have been two thousand men at
work upon the Horse Railroads in Chicago
since the storm, and they are not all in run
ming order yet. The fact is, they are not pre-
pared for such storms as in New England,
where they are expected as matter Of course
Yet the order of things seem to be reversed,
this winter at least. While in this part Of
the country the cold has been intense, mercury
having been as low as 29' and now eighteen
inches of show and good sleighing,-I find
you have been favored with the reverse about
all through.
1t is an unusual event to have sleighing
here. Everything that can be made to form
runners is extemporized for the occasion.
should like to see some of your Kennebec
turnouts appear on these streets some morn
ing. Wouldn't there be some staring? But
you see snow is too uncertain a commodity
to take much stock in here.
The ice crop must be immense in the west
ern waters and must have great influence
upon the market south. The ice cut here in
the Mississippi is foot thick and very fine am
told. 1t has thawed very little since the s'big
Storm but the ice men are not generally
looking for it to be any thicker this year.
find at this place two Of your Augusta
young men, II. r. Whitehouse and C. F.
Alden, who are engaged in the dry goods and
carpet trade They are wide-awake business
men, are doing the larger part of the business
in their line. They have a larger stock than
any of your firms in the same trade, and prob
ably sold more goods the past year than any
firm in Augusta. So much for attention to
business and honorable dealing. am told
they are favorably known throughout the
western part of the State and are already sell
ing to the merchants along the railroad as
well as can be bought in Chicago.
This place has population of 5000 and is
constantly on the increase. In 1856 the Iowa
Land Company bought this tract and laid it
out in lots and named it Clinton in honor of
the county of which this has been the shire
town for six months past. They built hotel
and a school house, started railroad and
were bound it should succeed At that time
railroad extended two thirds the distance from
Chicago to the Mississippi river; it was soon
pushed through to Clinton and in short time
the continent was spanned by the iron rail.
This is real railroad city. The shops
cover several acres of land making it busy
place. | ought to speak of the draw bridge
across the river at this place, which is an i'm
mense structure, costing over 100000. 1t is
owed by the Albany Bridge Company and it
was built in 1864. The city is lighted with
gas and has horse railroad. There is a
paper mill here that consumes thirty tons of
straw per week, and the paper is all sold to
the first time. There probably is not place
in this country where so much lumber is man
ufactured, as at this place. Over one thous-
and hands are employed, and TO make long
story short, other branches of business are
carried on in the same proportion. And in
fine it is destined to be one of the largest
cities on the Mississippi. So much for ener-
gy, and public spirit.
Farmers in the interior of the State are
probably feeling the effects Of low prices o
produce more than any other class. A gen.
tleman informs me that he attended court in
the interior last week and over two hundred
farms were entered for foreclosure of mort
gage. Many have come to the west with but
little means and have been obliged to run in
debt largely, and it is very common to pay 90
per cent at interest, and the short crops and
low prices together, have ruined them, and in
many instances they will be obliged to lose all
their improvements. Wheat is worth about
$l.00, corn 40c, potatoes, SOC, and soon in re-
gard to other products. l am told that there
are over three million bushels wheat stored in
Chicago, held ON speculation. From all can
learn the wheat is pretty much sent to market
if we except portions of Minnesota. That
being the case we may look for higher prices
in the spring. hope am not writing in the
interest of spectators, but state the facts as
find them. l would not mind buying a
thousand bushels of wheat at 81 90 per bushe
and selling it for $l.25. That time has gone
by for this year, as see it has gone up to
Sl.27 in Chicago to-day.
Perhaps have already written more than
is profitable but the west is called fertile
country, and furnishes material for thought
also, and must confess do not know where
or when to stop. Suppose l stop here.
| Yours Truly,
j. II. SAwrELLE.
/