Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1886-12-18
LETTER FROM IOWA.
Greetings to Balmy California from the
Frost-Locked Western Iowa.


IREooRp- UNION correspondence
WATERLOO, Blackhawk County, La,
December 10, 1886.
The land of the blizzard and the tornado
sends erecting TO the home Of the orange and
the piae
The county of Blackhawk, containing
some of the finest soil and best timber land
of northern Iowa, is pre-eminently far
mer's county. Happy homes and general
thrift and cheerfulness abound, despite the
wintry storms now sweeping over them.
To an observer from California, there is
something marvellous in the patient endu-
rance of the rigors of the climate, and much
that is pathetic in the fact that large pro-
portion of the earnings of the short, bright,
fervid summer must be spent for fuel 10
sustain life Though it hardly secures COM
fort through the dreary winter days. With
the thermometer at 100 below zero, and
still falling, your correspondent can speak
feelingly, though not with warmth.
Looking about for information concern
ing this industrious and steadfast people,
CHANGED upon book printed in 1854, with
the title, Iowa As 1t Is" 1t was published
as an incentive to immigration. Its glow
ing prophesies of prosperity have long
since been merged into solid facts; but
what suggests thought is the character of
the immigration which about that time
poured into the young State. From the
over-crowded workshops and the impover-
ished farms of the Eastern States the
young, the vigorous, energetic and hopeful
sons of toll responded TO her call for work
ers. "Pilgrims of industry and hope"
The best blood of the nation was poured
into the warm, young veins of Iowa
"I-o-wahp The beautiful land as her
real children had christened her in the
DAYS when she had been all their own.
"I-o-wah' as they echoed it when they
retired with slow, sad steps before the ad-
Vancing white men. The character of those
emigrants make the Iowa of to-day.
The great moral battle of prohibition,
but lately fought, shows the strength and
animus of this people, rising in the might
of their indignation to crush the monster
evil, the devourer of homes, the oppressor
of the weak and innocent, from their
midst. No wordy war of rival factions
the soul of righteous people was in it.
Martyr blood flowed in the cause, and from
that seed springs a harvest of helpers in
the cause of justice and temperance.
The beautiful Cedar, tributary of the
Iowa river, passes diagonally across Black
naWk county, III SOulnedSlerlg ulTSCllOD
dividing the city of Waterloo into East and
West Waterloo. A friendly rivalry acting
as an active business stimulant exists be-
tween the two sides. The immense water
power advantages here are not improved to
their full capacity, perhaps because of their
very affiuence Cedar Falls, much older
place, at distance of ten miles, draws
much of the capital of the county. Water
loo is the county seat, having obtained that
honor after sharp contest with Cedar
Falls. Though bearing the name of the
distinguished Indian chief this county is
in no way connected with his exploits.
This is the third county from Dubuque,
same range. The ride of sixty miles from
Cedar Rapids has many bits of beautiful
scenery. Waterloo has been agitated dur
ing the autumn months, by the proposed
route of the railroad from Des Moines to a
point on the Mississippi, which is now sur
veyed, through the city. The Burlington
and Quincy and the Illinois Central both
pass through it. The rich, light soil of the
river bottom overlies bed of limestone,
which crops out at the river, but half
nile back retreats from the surface to a
depth of from five to ten feet. Wafer is
found at a depth of from twenty to sixty
feet 1t is hard, but cold and pure.
Should these few facts concerning an in
teresting portion of our wide Republic be
well received by your very numerous read
ers, more will follow, in the order in which
they are presented to the mind of stran-
ger, who is, at present, Just little home
sick for the " land of the citron and myr-
tle - r