Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1881-07-28

lie instrumental IN the Manifestations
electrically, mesmerically or psycalogi'
cally. and with this very brief expla-
nation leave this part Of the subject
expressing no opinion as TO the pro-
ducing power of this strange TO mel
and incomprehensible phenomena, and
only give the facts as they were.
our next stopping place was south
ern Iowa, where we found a very line
country 10 look at, and some well to-do
farmers, some of whom were that class
Of Mormons, dissenting from Brigham
Youngs doctrine OF polygamy, robbery,
murder and plunder, returning to the
States and setting upon their own hook
like any other good people. The soil,
like Illinois, is black, rich and deep,
but quite rolling, with many cuts by
rush of water from the higher grounds
lnjuring the beauty of fields and con-
venience of farming. The chinch bug
has rendered the raising Of spring
wheat Impractlcable, and the winters
are about sure obstruction to sall SOW
ing, hence the wheat crop is practically
out of the question in this part OF
Iowa. Coru is the principal depend
ence of the farmer to be condensed in
to money through swine and cattle.
Oats however, are receiving some at
tention more recently, and quite large
acreage is seen in this district. Our
next stop was LINN county, eastern
middle portion of the State, less roll
ing and beautiful faced country as
ever need to lie out of doors with ex.
cellent soil and well to do people. Here,
too, the chinch bug is the dread of the
farmer precluding all hopes of raising
wheat during its stay, Gn spring., and
the same trouble with the winters, on
fall sowing as before mentioned.
Dairying is becoming somewhat con,
spicuous in this part, creameries and
cheese factories reported to be sue
cess, and oats and timothy meadows
are entering quite largely into the
farming interest in this section. These
prairie farms where once stood not a
tree or bush to break the winds or
guide the traveller on his way, now
present to the casual observer and
passer-by, the appearance of an old
settled timbered country where second
growths had been reared to substitute
for natures original gift that had been
previously cleared away by and for the
use of man. Showers and floods have
been the rule during our stay, until
quite recently, washing out railroads
and other bridges, causing great dam
age and delay to travellers. A horse
was killed by lightning in the pasture,
standing under small cottonwood, but
few rods from the door where we
were stopping, through curiosity | re-
paired to the spot where the dead AMI
NAL lay, but found no marks on the
tree. Such are the freaks of the cleo
trio fluid.
Our present stopping is Stockbridge,
Wisconsin, near Wlnnebago lake, a
6ne strip of country, crops very thrifty
the principal being barley, which takes
me back to my boyhood days in the
old Empire State, where the same croE
was raised to fatten the pork, and
the more essential purpose to make the
whiskey for stomachs sake. In con
clusion, must speak of the perfect
civility of the people everywhere and
frien dllness and hospitality of all we
have chanced to meet, and general po-
l1teness extended to us as travellers
among the mixed multitude that is
always encountered upon tour. The
news flashed over the wire of the
shooting of the President, was received
in the west with horror stricken coun
tenances by men of all parties, every
body denouncing in the most emphatic
termsthe cowardly assassin who had
attempted the murder of another Pres
ident of the United States. And with
general outburst Of sympathy for
President Garfield and the country, one
common expression was heard through
out, Having already tresspassed upon
your columns too long 1 conclude for
this time with regards for home and
friends. o. Q. Y.
STocKBRIDGE, Wis, July II, 1881.