Tama County Republican. (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1867-1872, 1872-07-04

Al StiS ''tibh vi tiS -fiSNSAti siNNi
ard has inflicted upon his readers
prolongation Of this yarrulous rcpor
Of his travels.
Omaha occupies position upo
the western bank Of the Missouri
river. 1t is located in Nebraska
For several years the Union Pacifi
railroad has had its eastern terminu
there, and. it was lorg the fitting on
station tor travellers and immigrant
to the frontier west. 1t was and i
a larger town than Council Bluffs
These considerations have generate,
PRIDE. 1t disdained its neighbo
across the river. 1t affected to be
leve itself, if not a second Chicago
n follower in the footsteps of tina
I.akccnd city. 1t is situated upol
an eastern slope, high but not steep
1t has very many public and privat,
buildings that would reflect cred,,
upon any city. There is one stree,
whose business blocks are substan
italy and compactly constructed
Generally, however, the city was laid
out with magnificent distances
"Scatteration, not concentration, was
tho policy. Too large proportion
of the portion Of the city decoted to
business is either vacant or occupi-
ed by old wooden buildings. Oma-
ha has not failed in one of the (pre.
snmcd) great elements of success in
the life Of western towns, growing.
a stranger. having heard nearly all
his life so much of Omaha, comes to
believe most he hears of it. A visit
to the city will disappoint him. He
will not find those evidences of pres
ent prosperity and promises for the
future nc was led to expect. With
"Blain's cut OFF, on the north and
the Is. & NJ. II. road passing it on
the south, its monopoly is broken,
and it will be henceiorth city of
less Importance than it's friends hop.
ed for it.
The iron bridge across the river
must strike all visit ors at once. 1t
is 2275 feet in length and high
enough for steamboats, to freely pass
beneath. 1t is surprising that a struc-
ture so light fragile in appearance
should be able to sustain its own
weight, mnch less bear up long
trains Of freight cars.
a ferry boat still plies between
the two shores OF the river, and
horse cars convey passengers from
the river to Council Bluffs,a distance
of three miles. Unlike Omaha, which
displays its broadsidc to the full
view, Council Bluffs give the APP
preaching traveller no indications of
the real importance of the city. Its
business houses are compact and its
business concentrated on two prlnci.
pal streets. These are so level and
shaded with trees that one must en-.
ter the streets to form an idea Of the
place. This city very seldom blows
its trumpet very loudly. It has qu,.
city and steadily pursued it way to
prosperous ripeness. Though less
jim the number of inhabitants and less
than half the size in point of area
covered, its business is approaching
that of its rival across the river. It
won its point in its contest for the
terminal point OF the Pacific railroad
because it was in the right, and 1t is
reaping the rewards Of that victory
in its increased commercial activity.
The location of the eastern terminus
of the Pacific road here must give
this city SC great an advantage that
its future prosperity is assured.
The Chicago &c North w estcrn
railroad. runs north from Council
Bluffs, leaving the river at Missouri
River Junction, whence branch
road runs to Sioux City.
Thence, following the valley Of the
Boyer, to Denison, it runs through
field Of magnficen. beauty, fertile
and wealthy.
1t is long ride, especially on so
warm day as was Tuesday the 10Th
of June, from Council Bluffs to Tama
City. No grateful shade of tree or
hill, but one long level Of prairie,
slightly broken by low ridges and
monotonous creeks. It is an eleven
hours ride, with twenty minutes
stop at Dunlap for breakfast and at
Boone for dinner. 1t was relief to
reach home, after an absence of nine
days, AID q travel Of not less than
eight hundred miles.