The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1877-06-28
correspondence of the News.
Letter from Iowa.

CRoss P. o., Ringgo!d Co., Iowa, June 70, 1871.
Mr. BoARDHAS According to promise win
try to give your readers some idea Of this country
RinggoId is situated in the southern tier of Iowa
counties, about 100 miles east Of the Missouri
river. and on the western slope Of the watershed
between the Mississippi and the Missouri rivers.
It contains an area of about coo acres, of which
not more than one-third is under cultivation.
Population about 1o,0JO, and rapidly increasing.
It is made up Of people from all of the older
States and Of nearly every nation, consequently we
have society open TO oil, and not restricted BY
any old-time 'castc." Integrity, intelligence and
enterprise are the only tests, and these admit you
to the best society.
As to the soil, we have deep, rich, black
loan. varying in depth from six inches to as
many feet. The latter depth is found 10 the val-
lays or bottom land, while the soil the upland is
not so deep, but very productive, The soils well
adapted to tie raising Of small grain, bat corn is
the muIu crop and can be raised cheaper than any
other and pays better profit BY being fed to cat
tie and hogs.
There is no better stock county in the West than
Ringgold. A better grazing section never was
seen. A man here may own eighty acres Of land,
and keep one hundred head of cattle, and do it
easier than he can keep ten in Ohio Some may
ask, "How is that?" I answer, that on his eighty
acres he can raise all the corn he needs; then for
hay he can go out on the Prairies, cut and stack
all he wants, and all it costs him is his time and
labor in putting it up. During the summer his
cattle can roam over the prairies, feeding where
they win. But in Ohio, every farmer knows as
well as I, how many hundred acres of land he
IN fsr,e
raising with the Western man with his eighty
acre farm.
Good water can be obtained by digging from ten
to thirty feet In some parts there are springs Of
water. Numerous streams traverse the county
north and south, which, with their tributaries,
furnish an abundance Of stock water, and also
serve as a means Of drainsge TO our beautiful
prairies.
The timber supply is, in localities where the
greatest scarcity exists, sufficient for fuel and
fencing. The southern portion Of the county is
well supplied with timber
The county is well supplied with churches and
schOOl-hOuses, and we hope to have railroad in
the not very distant future, which will give rs very
many advantages that we do not now enjoy.
Mt. Ayr, the principal town and county seat, is
situated in the geographic center of the county,
and is built on very elevated site, giving its in
habitants commanding view of the surrounding
country, and an atmosphere free from malaria and
malarial diseases. Population about 1000.
To any who may think of coming to Iowa I
would say, come to Ringgold county, where you
can buy land cheap, where law and order are rgidy
maintained, al the people clever and hospitable,
ready and willing to aid you In selecting a home,
and spending yOur cash.
wish we had some Of your Murphyites ont here.
Mrs. W. C. II fGGINS