The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1883-04-19
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JENNINGS, La, April u, 1883.
EDITOR PLAIN DEALER.-From st
Louis to Texarcanl through Mis-
souri,, Arkansas. by the Iron Noun
tain railroad. through Little Rock
aud many small villages. seems 10
.ac like 4 journey through Il wilder
ness. Tremendous forests occapy
most OF the country, which Is gcner-
ally level. rather fat. not very fertile.
and not much in advance OF Howard
county IN ealliness OF spring. Trees
are bare or leaves and 10 blossoms
even on peach trees until you get
near Hot Springs, Arkansas. At
Tcxarcana forests are clothc in the
garb Of spring: from there to Hous-
ton, through eastern Texas. is hcav-
lily timbersd. mostly pine OF fine
quality, aud the principle business
il numbering and the towns are
merely lumber stations, saw mills
the principle buildings. The bust
ness Is prosperous but, rs the people
say, there i right smart OF chills
here. People cannot work all day
IN the sSamps larcfootcd with i'm
Irunity. It will lie q healthy country
when people take proper care OF
themselves. Houston is Il railroad
city Of scnle importance, aud d pQpu-
la;ion Of 10000. The city is well
built, having nine railroads an. some
Of the best buildings in the state
front yards and gardens ;.Ic very
fine here; vegetables ready for the
table, potatoes half grown, roses
everywhere Il great variety. beauty
and fragrance. 1t would be de-
lightfnl place to live in. From there
east 10 Jennings, Ia.. Is Il prairie
covered with the greenest grass and
tremendous herds Of cattle and
horses. These herds live the year
round without care. How much
better for them aud their owners
could they receive a little attention
during cold storms III winter. Orange,
on the state line, is Il growing city.
Lake Charles is II beautiful sheet of
water, about two miles across. full OF
fish and alligators; ] have not seen
any yet, not even Il fly. mosquito or
fica. But ] digress. All this is for
eign to the subject which should be
oranges, SO l hasten, after saying
that Lake Charles City Is place Of
1000 people. built up by the lumber
interest and having an immense
trade with Texan points. No limit
to orange culture here. / see it
stated that one tree here grew $50
worth Of oranges in one season.
This is also the county seat Of Cal
cnsicn Parish. As we go eastward
from the pine woods the soil i'm
proves fast. Ninety miles brings us
to Jennings, our future home, a city
Of twenty five inhabitants: but its
possibilities are great. 10000 acres
Of beautiful rolling prairie in sight.
and from the depot platform l
counted 1900 horses and cattle.
Two miles east OF us lies Il large
body OF very valuable timber, which
partially surrounds the place. 1t
lies Oh both sides of the Nez Piqua
tNipeka) river, which extends north
into the finest pine region in the
state, long leaf pine, which can be
floatcd upon the stream at any time
either in logs to mills below or in
lumber TO market by steamboat or by
railroad. All this prairie land seems
to be natural timber soil; heavy
land with clay subsoil. Fruits OF
most kinds are entirely at home
Peaches, pears, figs. apricots and
berries are almost Indigenous. The
coast and timber land is burdened
with oranges, the finest in the world,
and these orange lands can be bought
for Il song land sing it yourself
Lake Arthur, ten miles south, has
thousands OF acres Of the best orange
lands, Cameron parish ditto. Nor
| menteau, three to four miles east
Of Jennings, has large groves; one
man there this year sold 81 400 worth
from a few trees, at the rate OF s35
Tor each tree. Selected lands with
large amounts Of good timber and
| plenty Of orange lard can be had at
ridiculously low prices, 50 to 81 per
acre. / examined 400 acres at the
request OF the owner Over half, a
fine growth OF timber, giant pines,
white, red and live oak; indeed. a
fine variety; part Il beautiful prairie
between two rivers where stock can
| find a range Of thousands Of acres
and are prevented from wandering
by the rivers where the tialber i.
| full Of switch cane, {; small bush
said TO be equal 10 corn for winter
feed. This 400 acres is for sale ut
| Il per acre. / venture TO say that
| that land with this climate any
! waelc else Oh earth would bring
| 500 per acre. As TO health it Is be-
You'd Il question summer or winter
:, | have gained tand you know am Il
small eater one pound each day ]
have been here. | weigh e.ch day
after dinner and generally have u
half pound TO 90 Oh till the next day.
Thermometer has ranged from 90 to
| 50 since my arrival. The prairie
land is mostly L. s. and some state.
-Four claims are good here, home
stead. tree culture, presumption and
| state land, l60 acres, at 12se., and in
any desired quantity at zoe per acre.
| When you ask me what's the matter.
let me say, nothing. only l discover
ed this country, that's all The best
way to come here is by the Illinois
Central railroad. Write to Capt
| Merry 1T Manchester, Iowa. Nature
Is fairly wastefui, extremely lavish
OF her lnxurics, but her children are
| sluggards. Doe Reed here tells me
that u day the orange trees along
the coast in Cameron parish lof which
he is IL natiye) hing full OF frui,
which is falling off by thousands te
the hogs. These sound like fair,
tales to me but / cannot doubt the
facts. Yours truly, s. l.. CARY.
s-u~S.<szN<~<sr<SNz&as
! Godey's Lady's Book makes it
appearance earlier than usual thi.
month, and also brighter than usual
It's frontispieca and fashion plate.