Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1903-09-16
Farming in Delaware County.

Farming in Delaware County.
Editor Barry Adage:-On the
steamer Quincy, at | p. M, we left
Quincy Thursday and arrived at Du-
|buque, Ia, at 4:30 a. M, Saturday;
hence by rail 80 miles to Manchester.
fla tortuous channel, green islands
and towering bluffs can be classed
as beautiful, the most fastidious
esthetic would be pleased with the
scenery between Quincy and Du-
buque.
Boats of any size to navigate the
upper river must run the stream
diagonally, or, as it were, run the
long line Of the triangle or go
aground; hence the necessity; of the
numerous government signals to
guide the pilot.
When Inotice what some call the
beautiful. and step within the halo
of reality | note at Keokuk the
river is quite wide, and here are the
DEVILS island, the falls, the govern
ment locks and about three miles of
rock wall or dyke, which is within a
hundred yards or so of the Iowa
shore. and it is here where Uncle
Sam has spent much money. 1t is
through the locks and narrow pass
age that the steamers float. When
a boat going up stream arrives at
the lock it comes to a halt and re-
mains SO until enough water is let
through to raise the water on each
side to level; then by machinery
the lock is opened and the boat
passes through.
On arriving at a lock going up
stream | mote the water is anywhere
from 5 to s feet higher on the OPP
posite side of the lock than it is
where the boat stops.
When one views such structures
where SO much mechanical ingenuity
was exerted he naturally drops into
the belief that the works Of man are
wnnaerfy,
Above Daven nispTs the ager lins
has done a great deal Of work in
building rock mounds upon which
are placed night signals, besides a
vast amount Of dyke work.
Muscatine, Davenport, Rock Is
land and Dubuque are towns of some
note, with heavy lumber interests at
Davenport and Dubuque.
For a few days only we are rusti-
eating six miles south of Manchester,
the county seat of Delaware county,
which is quite business town
located on the Maquoketa river, with
about $500 inhabitants. Without
boastful comment ! must say for
good stores, wide-awake, energetic
and thoroughgoing business men
Barry is right in the front rank,
to say nothing of the many good
things Pike county produces, there
fore my longing to get back should
not be wondered at after living there
long enough to become wise or
sufficiently foolish to think there is
no place any better when all things
are considered.
This is a gentle rolling prairie
section, just enough so as to give it
good drainage, and the landscape
may be viewed for miles in any
direction. and with its fine groves,
big red barns and creameIies it
makes picture worth viewing, and
without disparaging Pike county in
the least, this county (DeLaware) for
farm improvement stands second to
Lancaster county, Pennsylvania.
which is given up to be the best
improved and farmed county in the
United States. The roads here run
upon section lines and are about
sixty feet wide and well looked after.
When it comes to hogs, cattle,
horses, number of acres devoted to
pasture, hay, corn, oats and from one
to three big red cattle and hay barns
on nine farms out of ten, Pike
county is not in it. They don't raise
a bushel of wheat, but they feed
everything they raise upon their
farms and by 50 doing are keeping
their soil fertility at home and sell
ing the manufactured articles, such
as butter, beef, pork, mutton and
horses. Land here since 1870, has
advanced from SIS to $50 and S75
an acre Their cows pay from S25
to $50 per head from cream, besides
the calf that is raised upon the
SKINNED milk. Forty farmers owl
their creamery and support it will
five hundred COWS. They hire a gooc
butter maker at $50 per month ane
manage their business upon bust
ness principles. They ship theil
butter to New York city and receive
net % cents per pound. Which ii
the better, their system or ours il
conducting farm, | leave for otheri
TO say.
John NJ. Seaney
(The foregoing letter was written
to the Barry Qll.) Adage, by Mr.
Seaney, during the recent visit her
by him and his wife, with the latter
parents Mr.. and Mrs. NJ. Barr o
Prairie township.)
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