Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1876-02-16
FROA KANSAS.
BAtfLE CREEK, KANsAs,3
EpbpsI1px, z 1879 Z

:
Dear Com1er.-Thc favorable re-
ception you have given to former
communications, coupled with de-
sire that friends in your community.
whom cannot well address individ-
ually, would like to learn something
of the locality in which reside. in-
duces me to take up the pen on the
present occasion, We have had, thus
far, very mild, dry and open winter,
following a dry autumn. FAN grain.
except where sOwn very early, does
not make much show. The only
shower we have had for months, suf-
ficicDtly cOpious to moisten the earth
anu slightly swell the streams. fell
about the 23d of December. Our
roads have been dry and dusty, with
but little intcrmission, since early
autumn. The fine weather in the
early part of January induced some
OF onr citizen to commence ploughing
for spring crops. As the prospect for
winter wheat is somewhat gloomy.
It may be inferred that spring wheat
will be largely depended on the en-
suing season. Those who cultivated
their corn properly, were rewarded
win bountiful crops: consequently
all kinds Of live stock are much better
provided for than they were last
winter. The proprietor of thc
Abraham mills, ncai Lincoln Center,
has bought large quantity of corn
at twenty-five cents per bushel L be-
licyc the highest price paid for rood
winter wheat has been eighty or
ninety cents. My old neighbour, liar
ness, whose large bcets you noticed
some time since, has been beaten in
the beet line hero, by a former citizen
OF Wapello county, as Joshua Sim
mons raised one weighing sixteen
pounds, and several others weighing
twelve pounds each.
The LIST inst, was the coolest day
OF the season. PrOsscr Creek, which
runs near my residence, has been
twice frozen over sufficiently to bear
mans weight, but brisk, dusty
south wind, on the 4th and 9Th, fol-
lowed by q mild, beautiful Sunday.
has melted it away considerably.
Ilheoin county, as YOU may see by
consulting sectional map Of the
State measures thirty miles east and
west, by twenty -four north and south
embracing twenty land townships, OF
/ t2O square miles. 1t is crossed near
It's central line from west to east by
The Saline river, which, were the wa
ter properly economical. would be
suhclent TO run machinery through
out the year. On il we have two
mills for manufacturing breadstutls
ana saving lumber; one near the
county seat, and the other at Rocky
Hill, three and n half miles below
The valley of the Saline is from two
to four miles wide, except fora short
distance near Lincoln Center. where
owing 10 a peculiar geological form
alton, ii is narrowed to less than a
mile.
Lincoln Center is three miles ca Il
OF The geographical center OF the
county. Its site is on n gentle clcya.
ton. nndcrlaid by bed of coarse
ilard calcareons rock, unlike any |
have seen IN any other locality, tho
outcrop Of which is more abrupt and
ciif-ilke than ANYTHING l have seen
FOR long time. The town contains
about 200 inhabitants, court house
built ofthe magnetism limestone, which
uhderlies the summit of the high
lands a large twO-stOry school house
OF the same material, of which, also.
the Presbyterians are engaged in
building a church ediffce. The bust.
ness houses are either built of stone
or wood, no brick having been man.
l'fartnred. The Baptists, Methodists
aud Presbyterians have church organ
izations. Ellsworth is the nearest
railroad station.
/ The hanks of the Saline are lined
with timber, principally cottonwood
besides which the most common kinds
Of timber are elm, ash and box elder
with some bur oak, black walnut and
blackberry, and occasionally few
coffee nut trees and willows NAV be
seen. There is neither hickory OF
maple trees to be seen: nor such
shrubs as hawthorn, blackhaw, crab
apple or hazel. The principal shrubs
are plum, choke cherry. gooscbcrry
and flower currants.
| The largest tributary of the Saline,
within the county. is Spillman creek,
which cGmes near the center from the
northwest. Salt Creek, a tributary
of Solomon river, is the next to the
saline in size. having its source in the
Blue Hills, IN Mitchell callntv. enter
aug -A-i.>Snlsa -tSs -sssssA ssssif- fssiit.s
north of my residence, and running
across the northeast part OF the c0un-
~ IN an cast southeast direction.
The creeks in this neighborho0d are
its tributaries. PrOsscr. or Eight
Mile creek, rises in the upIands north
Of Lincoln Center, and receiving Bat
tie Greek from the west flows into
ltaltlcsnake a mile aud half north
OF my residence. II Is q running
stream the year round. The lower
part of IFS valley is beautiful for farm.
ing. Other points at interest mud
curiosity ! will have 10 treat OF some
other time. Respectfully yours,
ID. Y. LEWIS.