Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1875-01-07
IMPRESSIONS OF IOWA.
IGOR. Sandwich 0ll.) G8zctte.I
STATE CENTER, Iowa. I
Noy tx 1874

The most fertile valley on the globe, bounded
In part by The grandcst river on the continent,
capable 81 bearing upon Its bosom to tide
water the combined products Of the great
Northwest, between latitude 40 deg. 20 min.
and 43 deg. 30 min. north and longitude 30
deg IL min and 96 deg. 53 min. west, lies
Iowa, "Land OF the beautiful whose ex-
tent north and south Is POS miles and east
ana west 3U0 miles, with an area Of 5O,9f4
square miles, or 30 5s4, 900 acres. The State
tecnth State Of the Union, admitted under the
Federal Constitution, and occupies almost the
heart OF the continent.
BIRDS EYE VIEW.
In passing westward on the great North
western Railway for more than 200 miles,
the country Is well developed, exhibiting
on the vast stretch Of prairie continued
series of farms, well cultivated, with neat
cottages and well-appointcd out-buildings,
and with every appurtenanee for comfort,
while at near intervals are cities and villages,
which are centers OF vast trade in farm prod
ucts, which here drift into the great com
mercial tide that flows ocean.ward, whittier
they float TO distant peoples for their con-
sumption, who send hitler their productions
in return. This is as 1t should be. The. first
striking peculiarly that grccts the eye 10 the
beautiful undulating surface, which Ia said TO
extend over the entire State, and wonderfully
adde TO the value Of the soil as well as TO the
salubrity Of the climate, as these swells form
natural drainage TO the surface, not only,
but facilitate all kinds Of early farm opera
tons In the spring time At this point mics
question arises regarding, the agency Of the
universal undulatory surface OF the State.
Any man has right to suggest reason
and, though his reasoning prove fallacious,
by discussion it may be finally explained. AT
some very distant period, how long ago 1t
would be- exceedingly difficult to determine,
the whole country was submerged and we
"a al that fb1 on in
the direction Of the great water courses, and,
az all running bodies Of water bear along the
soil over which they course, the soil so borne
onward was uneveuly deposited, and thus
these earth waves from changing currents re-
suited, which subsequent ages from descend
ing rain, the action Of frost, heat and moist
ure, have worn into wellturned hillocks.
Now we patiently await opinion from some
one better informed. Along the beautiful
rivers and streams are fine wood belts, reliev-
ing the eye from Its weary efforts to encom-
pass the otherwise vast expansc; while the
State abounds In grassy lawns and yerdant
plains and the whole area is covered with
thriving villages at near intervals.
GBoLooICALLY CONSIDERED.
The rock formation as a physical feature
Of the carth's crust, Ia less striking than In
many other States. The formations belong
exclusively to the class Of Palieozoic rocks,
their range in the geological column being
from INC sdUubJDHe W inc COdl
measures inclusive. view OF this condition
may be had in any work on geology or In the
Geological Reports Of Iowa. This formation
occupies the south and west portion Of the
State, and reaches within few miles at the
southeast corner OF the State, Of the Mssissip-
ri River, from which II Is separated by belt
OF about twenty miles over which the carbon
ferrous limestone Is spread. The outcrop OF
limestone thence extends diagonally across
the State to the northwest corner. Accord
ing TO Prof Halls report the course Of the
rivers rs they descend from the northern bor-
der Of The State to the Mississippi Is along
the range OF these formations. and IL Ia
noteworthy fact that each river keeps along
the same geological belt for nearly 200
miles The successive belts are thus
designated by the State Geologist advancing
in the descending series from the coal meas
ures and the underlying carboniferous lime
stone toward the northeast. The Hamilton
and Chemung groups, Of the Devonian series,
the LeCIaire and Niagara limestones Of the
upper Silurian, the Hudson River shales, Ga
lena limestone, Trenton limestone, st. Peters
sandstone, and Potsdam limestone, sandstone
Of the lower Silurlan--the last group occupies
the northeast corner OF the State. by the
lowans the coal measures are considered the
most permanent source OF mineral wealth,
but the lead mines In the Galena sandstone
have attracted much attention, and are likely
TO become a marked source OF wealth. and
lulpOftuflb Ill blle value Oh Oh
the State. In addition TO coal and lead Iowa
has an abundance of iron ore OF the best quail
ity and other minerals In abundance not less
valuable IN an economical point OF view.
THE SOILS.
Tie soils Of Iowa. as has already been
limited, are diversified and excellent, and no
State OF the Union has more arabic land ac-
cordiDg to the same number Of acres. The
valleys of the Iowa River, the Cedar and Des
Mninos bpdy ~ AGRICULTURAL lanHa
which, taken iis "A whole, for richness In Or
ganic elements, for amount Of saline matter,
and the silicates, 30 essential to the growth
and perfection Of cereals, present q combna-
ton of elements that belong only to the most
fertile Of upland soils. II Is said by those
best acquainted with practical agriculture
that no State In the Union furnishes a greater
variety and better combination Of soils. The
State at large is one Of the most salubrious
countries Of the globe, fact which must
alone be attributed to the excellent natural
drainage furnished by the universal rolling
surface. Every known product Of the tenn
pcrate zone hourlshes by intelligent tillage,
and most of the fruits thrive IN different por-
tions Of the State.
IowA's ANCIENT OWNERSHIP FRAG
MENTs.
The number and character of the owners
of what now constitutes the soil Of Iowa
would not only furnish an interesting chapter
territory Of Iowa, far back In American his
tory, had been taken possession Of by La
Sale, for his master, Louis XIV, Of France.
Des Moines Is French name, given to the
river upon which the Capital City Is now stu
ated. As the seat Of government Of Iowa has
peregrlnated perhaps more than any other
State government In the Federal Union may
not be embarrassing to give few fragments
Of history concerning the migratory law
making power ere 1t came to Des Moincs TO
stay, In 1897, at the peace Of Ryswick, oil
Europe acknowledged the claim Of France TO
theVa,ley the Mississippi, the richest domain
contained anywhere upon this green earth.
France" the historian says, obtained, under
Providence, the guardianship Of Iowa, not as
il proved for Its own benefit, but rather as
trustee for the infant nation by which it was
one day TO be inhabited" But the current of
events show that France and Frenchmen
made slow work In colonlzing this great
Western world. When the South Sea bubble
collapsed and France had lost Canada 1t
readily yielded to Spain again this western
dominion. BY the treaties of st. Idelfonso
(Which followed great political changes in
France and Spain) Of Oct. /, 1900,
and Madrid, March, 1908, was cedcd
the whole OF that extensive territory TO