Year: 1876




The city proper is built on the bluffs.
or up lands, as all the level grounds be-
tween the bluffs and river are needed
for the large Rail Road business which
is done here. There are very many
fine residences built far up in the sides
of the bluffs, which have been so trans
formed by the hand of art as to not
only make them accessible, but beau
tiful. The business houses. are very
commodious, and many of them i'm
posingin architecture and magnificence
There are several lines of street Rail-
ways, and many fine public buildings,
and costly churches. Burlington is
certainly thriving energetic and
promising city, one of the best on the
Mississippi River.


On leaving this city, we go west on
the Burlington & Missouri River Rail
Road This road is one of the prinei-
pal trunk lines, running across the
State of Iowa BY iudicious manage
ment, a careful attention to the wants
of the country, and the comfort of
travellers, they have merited and are
receiving a full share of the western
trade, and business.


Twenty eight miles from Burlington
we come to the very pretty town of
Mt. Pleasant. Its population is some
thing over four thousand. and here is
located the Iowa Insane Asylum, and
also very fine University building
The town is very well built, the streets
being regular and roomy, and lined
with shade trees, givin the place cool,
healthy appearance.


Seven miles from Mt. Pleasant, at
the little village of Rome, we cross the
Skunk River, on a very substantial
bridge. This same River, which is a
beautiful stream, the banks of which
are well wooded, over the bottom
lands of the richest deserves a better
name. Why it should be so called
am unable to say, think Eot from the
euphonius name, and loud perfume,
for nine are now in sight Perhaps it
is an Indian name, and may mean i'll
their native tongue, sugar or minee.pie
This little town of Rome, though
nice place, cannot be dangerous rival
of the Eternal city.


Fairfield, the county seat of Jeffer-
son county has a population of perhaps
three thousand, and is situate on the
level prairie, and | should think in II
spring thaw, would very much resem-
BILE some of our muddy Ohio towns
This, like most all other interior Iowa
towns in which have been, has a pub
lie square in the center, around which
the business of the place is transacted.


The square in this town is ornament
ed with fine large growth trees, the
shade of which, on the hot day was
there looked invitingly cool There
are q few good business buildings here,
and about one mile north of the town
is very fine University building and
grounds | will here remark that
throughout that part of Iowa and Ne
braska, in which | have travelled, the
subject of education, and the facilities
far obtaining it, demand the most care
full and earnest attention of the peo-
pie.


At Ottumwn a city of seven thous-
and, and almost entirely built on the
the hills, we first got sight OF the Des
Moines river, a large, and here
handsome stream. This place appears
to be one of considerable Importance
as a trading point, and also Railroad
center. The ground on which the city
is built is very uneven, and conse-
quently the town to Inc presents rag
ged appearance. But there are very
many large and beautiful public and
private buildings, aud extensive bust
ness houses.


The river here is quite large and as
we cross it a few miles from the city,
and along up the valley for fifteen or
twenty miles we see the finest corn and
other crops We have yet noticed. AT
the village of Chillicothe we leave the
river and start out over the almost
boundless prairie.


The low lands along the Des Moines
are, or have been very heavily wooded
1t looked Ohio-like to see the stumps
and dead trees standing in the fields of
grain, should think this valley a very
rich one.


After passing over a fine country and
through several thriving villages for
fifty miles beyond Ottumwa, we halt
at the town of Charlton, the seat of
justice of Lucas county. Whilst this
is q thriving town situate in the midst
of a fine country, it is not a beauty
Much of it has a very old look, being
built of wood, and low unseemiy
rooms, on n level with the streets,
which must be very muddy in n wet
time The balance of the town has "A
very new look, being some fine bust
ness houses. and II few pleasant mod
ern residences. The contrast between
the two is not pleasant From this
place there is branch Railroad run
ming out to Leen q town some distance
to the South.


Sixty miles beyond Charlton we are
at the Railroad town of Creston.
say rail roGd tOaon, because here are
located the round house, and shops Of
this division. The country between
Charlton and Creston, is not so good
for agricultur purposes, as much that
we have passed through, being more
broken and subject to overflow after
severe rains. CrestOn is important
now only as n place at which the road
spends $40, 900 month in payment oil
employees. Yet it is improving, but
unfortunately much more rapidly than
is the country around it,


Coming is n busy prosperous little
village of perhaps twelve hundred IN
habitants. and situate in the midst OF
a good farming country.


Two hundred and forty one miles
west of Burlington is the town of Red
Oak, situate on the east side OF Nish
nabotna River. But shall have some
thing more to say of this place at anoth
er time.


Emerson is a small village at the
north end of what is called the Shen-
andoah Valley, which extends soutn to
Hamburg and Nebraska City. This u
one of the most beautiful valleys 1
have ever seen. Prairie Of the richest
kind. gently undalating, and bordered
by a range of low hills or up LANDS
and covered by an abnndantly proInis-
ing crop. No place 1t seems 10 me
could be much finer, and the sceLery Is
one of continual delight


At about two hundred and ninety
miles from the Mississippi we are on
the east bank of the Missouri, opposite
PIattmouth, Just below the mouth OF
the Platte river, and after crossing
over on tl,e ferry, which Is done by
running the passenger coaches OF our
train on the boat, We Will stop Tor
breathing spell.


We have now trayersed the entire
xvidfh of Iowa east and west and have.