Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1876-09-14
The Hawkcye state.
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The Hanwkcye state.
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SOME FACTS Apour TowA-ITs IN
rExnAL RESOURCES AND PoPuLA-
rloN--A NOBLE STATE AND ITS
RECORD.
Perhaps Iowa more than any other
State west OF The Mississippi Is de-
serving of attention by, tho people Of
the East. One OF the most prosper
Gus States In the Union, populated
BY q thriving, industrious. and en-
terprising people, II has Tor years
-aeEen%d inducements that have drawn
to its broad prairies Thousands OF the
best class OF emigrants from New
England and the States Of New York
and Pennsylvania But although
comparatively thickly settled State,
Iowa still possesses hundreds OF
thousands Of acres awaiting settlers,
and with view to attract immi-
grants OF desirable class 70 its
boundaries, ID has placed on exhibit
lon in the Worlds Fair display OF
its resources which cannot fail to In
struct all observers, and which will
undoubtedly do much In creating
deep interest among intending set
tiers in the West. Before proceeding
TO describe Iowa's exhibit II VIII be
well 10 give the readers o. the Pfess
come facts with regard TO the State
Iowa-meanlng In the Indian Ian.
gnage the Beautiful Land--has near
~ the figure Of a rectangular parai-
telegram, Its length from east TO
west being about 300 miles, and from
north to South, from Minnesota 10
Missouri, little over 200 miles.
Along lis eastern and western boun-
daries, on the Mississippi and Mis-
souri, rivers, are eisuated many
enterprising towns and cities whose
situation makes them the entrepots
in which contro the commerce OF the
State. McGregor, Clinton. Daven.
port, Dubuque, Mnscatine. Burling-
ton, and Keokuk on the Mississippi,
and Council Bluffs and Sioux City on
the Missouri, arc the most protni-
nent cities. The area of the state II
about O., 045 square miles, or BIB
500 acres. Iowa possesses q remark
ably uniform altitude, having no |
elevations which can be termed
mountains. The most striking iea-
tnre OF It's topography ~ the pre-
dominance OF prairies. which occupy
probably nine-tenths Of the State.
Timber is scarce, being only found
skirtlng the streams on the bottom
lands, whore Ia many parts Of the
State are TO be found elm, linden,
poplar, ash, black walnut, and white
oak trees, The climate OF Iowa is
mild and healthfal. la the north
orn counties bordering ON Minnesota
tho winters are occasionally very
severe. The length Of winter may
DO indicated by the closing and
opening OF navigation on the Aissis-
sippi, the average time Of closing
being December 70, and Of opening
February ~. Observations extern
ded over a period Of thirty-two years
show an average temperature OF ~
degrees ABOVE zero. The soil OF tho
Hawkeye State IL unsurpassed for
richness and fertility by no part OF
the Union. Ninety-nye per cent. OF
IL Is declared by tho State Geologist
TO be tillable, and with such unboun.
ded agricultural resources IL Is no
matter for surprise that the State has
attracted to 1t many Of the best class
OF farmers from oil parts OF tho con.
tinent. Specimens Of Its soil arc a
unique feature OF the Iowa display
In Agricultural Hall. They are six
feet deep, and arc iaken from large
number OF counties I'm tho State, and
are enclosed In glass tubes, which
show the different grades or this
exhibit, however, more hereafter.
The great staple crop OF tho State rs
Indian corn. In this production
Iowa IL second 10 no other State.
The ordinary yield Is from fifty 10
seventy bushels 10 the acre, but In
some localities, with good culture
successive years show from one hun
dred to one hundred and twenty
five bushels. TO give some idea Of
the enormous value OF this crop, II
may BIO stated that tho yield last
year amounted to log, 2Ss $40 bushels.
Spring and winter wheat, flax, oats,
rye and barley are also largely raised.
The State 10 rapidly taking stock
raising territory, and II Is matter
of note that In 1875 Iowa was the
head OF the list Of the hog producing
States of the Union, having had in
tho years previous an excess over any
other State Of2s0, 900. The number
Of hogs on July ono, 1874, was $780,
g73, Regarding educational advan-
tages, IL may be said, In brief, that
Iowa Is not behind any of her sister
States. In 1874 the permanent
school fund OF the State amounted TO
u. 294, 742.6s, yielding an interest Of
t2o4, 1864. The total receipts for
school purposes were ~ ,s27 ,2ss.0l,
To give some idea OF the progress in
made by this thriving
stats, a word or two may be said.
Ia 1888 the organic act OF the Terrific