Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1873-07-10
GOING WEST.

EDIroR TRIEyNE:-Considerab has been
said within the last few years on the SUBJ
ject Of going scest, but owing to prejudice.
either Tor or against the western country,
il is difficult for the reader TO determine
what tile country is until he sees it. With
but few exceptions every man has, or thinks
he has, the best location in the State /:
hence it will be my object not to Batter the
country, but men ton lew facts that can
not be denied.
Iowa has an area of SO, GA square miles :;
population in 1860, 674 ,94o; in 1870, L.
lol, T92 showing yearly increase of 10,
lI9. Number OF acres 81, $50, $50; making
20 acres aud fraction to each dwelIer.
Her domain lies in the embrace of the
two largest rivers of our country, navigable
far beyond her limits. Timber groves skirt
the numerous streams, and frequent clulnps
dot the landscape like islands in the prairie
sea. The face of the country is rolling
prairie, fertile and varied with luxurent
river valleys. Valuable lead mines are
found in the neighUorhood of Dubuque,
coal is largely ditfused through the State,
extensive beads of gypsum are found in
Webster county; and iron and copper
have been discovered in some localities.
Wheat, corn and oates, are the staple pro-
auctions of Iowa. The soil is we'll adapted
TO any of the productions common to the
temperate zone But 40 years ago Iowa
was wilderness in the hands OF the Indians
About 30 years ago the wave of emf grat ion
broke across the Mississippi upon its smil
Ing valleys and prairies; in 1888 it was
organized as a territory, and in SIC it be-
came Il State and member Of the Uuion
l ,ratp Ic. al r.
mon schools and acad mics The Iowa
State University is located at Iowa City,
Normal schools have bee, provided and a
deaf mute asylum, aud Institute for the
blind, both at Iowa City, care for those IN.
fortunate classes. In the matter Of educa
ton Iowa is surpassed by none of her Sis
tiers III the great northwest.
AS an evidence OF the rapid growth of
Iowa we may mention that in 1850 Bur
hnston had 1900 dweliers; in 1886 its
population was 10000, and thrift and
wealth had gained proportionaliy DG-
buque Is one OF the largest aud finest
towns in the State, standing on natural
terrace bounded on the west by range of
high bluffs, whose SUBMITS command a
landscape of varied beauty.
Now we all know that the soil is not all
alike IN country, some parts are better
adapted to certain branches of husbandrv
than others. For an example, Iowa
Grant aud Lafayette counties, Wisconsin,
are better adapted to farming than Sank,
Adams and Colua!bia counties So Uauil
ton county Hardin and We bster Iowa, are
better adapted to raising ducks and coal
than Ida county, but claim that Ida Co.
has within its borders one of the most
t,no t,,ly H. L., H..
that lies nnder the sun. From the Caro-
iIuas to Idaho, or, FROM Main to Texas, no
fairer valley is to be found This appears
much like boasting, but the facts will prove
the correctness o. my assertion. The soil
is unexcelied IN any country or cline. If
our brethren OF the eastern states who are
toiling every day to make living upon
their 80 or 40 acres of rocks clay and grubs,
would come out here and labor with the
same energy, and live with the same de-
grea OF frusality, they would be rich in less
than ten years. The valley of the Maple
will produce from its dark rick loamy soil
from SO to IS bushels of corn to the acre
Is to 30 bushels of wheat, 200 to 500
bushels of potatoes and other crops in the
same rate. To those who prefer stock
growing to cropping, no country in the
Not even the loot hills OF the Rock Noun
tain'S rich bunch grass, or the wild pastures
OF the Pacific Slope. We can raise s;ee,s
valued at from 45 to 80 dollars a head for
50, 90 (labor paid
Cheese factories are building and we
want more of th.m. | propose TO furnish
the milk of 200 cows for five years to any
one who Viii set up II cheese factory in this
vicinity.
Our present school system is of the most
liberal character-whereyer or more are
between the age of ) and 2 are enrolled
within "A radius of one mile they are en-
titled 10 school, and where the enroll
ment Is ) or over within The same distance
a school house is built for their accommo
dation at the expense OF the township.
Our climate is pure and bracing char
acter which prevails over much of the
Great West, and bids defiance to ANYTHING
like epidemic or contagious diseases; as
for that demoralizer Of all human energies
fever and ague, it has no abiding place
with US. Our dry and invigorating atmos-
pherc excludes it altogether.
We are not IL a Homestead country
This part of the public dominion was such
as to attract the earliest attention of capt
N''''No' "A IL" ytaiS "'ti VIC
say the whole northwestern territory was
Tor sale, eastern capitalists came and
bought up these lands as being good invest
ments OF money not otherwise employed.
Those sections where government lands can
now re had as Homesteads were even then
considered as entirely worthless.
These lands chat are held bv non residents
in the east and west, and lands that were
cd ~ o.; &c I-
the lands of which speak and can be
bought for from ST 90 to So 80 per acre and
some even cheaper. The lands are princi
pally OF The very first quality, and are sold
on easy terms to suit the purchaser.
Come and see us friends before YOU buy
4. italian.