USA > Iowa > An illustrated history of the state of Iowa, being a complete civil, political, and military history of the state, from its first exploration down to 1875; > Part 62
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O'Brien takes a back seat now in the county, of which it was the first settlement, and most important place. The position of the village rendered a change necessary, when a more gen- eral settlement took place over the county, but the place is really very picturesque and well situated on a plateau seventy-five feet above the level of the Little Sioux river. The river incloses O'Brien as if iu a horse shoe, and the high banks on the side opposite the village, constitute quite a pleasing variety in the landscape. The country in the neighborhood is very fertile, and when shipping facili- ties come to this locality, as in course of time they must come, there will be a beautiful and prosperous city where O'Brien now stands.
Osceola County stands in the north- ern tier of counties, second from the western boundary of Iowa, and its su- perficial area is three hundred and ninety-two square miles. The county is like most of the counties in Iowa, well drained and well watered. The east fork of Rock river is one of the main water courses, and besides that, the Ocheydan, the Otter, and several smaller creeks contribute their aid toward the complete irrigation and thorough drainage of this area. The streams mentioned run through val- leys of acknowledged fertility and much beauty.
The farmer finds in this little county a vast area of land ready for the plow, but without timber enough for fences, buildings and fuel, and in consequence, settlers will have many troubles to en- counter from which they are saved There are no stratified
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rocks exposed in this county, but boul- ders, which were left here during the glacial period are scattered over the surface in great plenty, and upon these most of the people will rely for the erection of their dwellings, unless they procure lumber from a distance. The St. Paul and Sioux City railroad cros- sed the county in 1872, and since that time there has been traffic across the territory from and to other points, but some time must elapse before there can be any large amount of commerce arising in Osceola county. The soil is rich, with vegetable mold overlying the drift formation, from which excel- lent crops will be obtained, but the want of wood is a great drawback for the present.
The first white settlement here took place in 1870, but it was not until the following year that the county began to be permanently inhabited, and in the following year a separate organiza- tion of Osceola county was effected. Until that date Woodbury and Osce- ola had been unequally yoked together.
SIBLEY was the first town laid out in Osceola county, and it is the county seat. The Sioux City and St. Paul Railroad Company laid out and named the town in honor of one of the promi- nent men in that organization, but the youth of the town leaves very little to be said as to its progress. There is a good court house in Sibley, which cost $5,000, and there is a newspaper pub- lished here, but the population is small.
The first school was taught here in 1871, and there is now a commodious school house which cost nearly $4,000, well provided with all the best means of arresting the attention of youth. When the resources of this county are developed, this town must partake largely in its prosperity, as there is here a first class shipping station.
ST. GILMAN is also a railroad station, seven miles southwest of Sibley, butit is waiting for the country to be de- veloped before any considerable growth can be realized.
Page County is the second east from the Missouri, near the southwestern angle of Iowa. The general surface is undulating and the area is well drained in consequence of its configuration. Creeks and streams of various dimen- sions carry off all surplus water, and
there are no swamps to poison the air with their miasmatic exhalations. The bluff formation in this region alter- nates with, and in some instances has been found mixed with the drift de- posits, and the soil resulting from these changes may be praised very highly. The prairie, wherever the plow has not touched it, is covered with a fine crop of native grass, such as few tame gras- ses could excel, but as a rule the prai- rie is cut up into profitable farms.
The rivers Nodaway and Nishna- botany flow through beautiful valleys, which owe their richness of soil and picturesque appearance, very greatly to the larger streams which once rushed like a torrent, where those gen. tle and translucent waters flow calmly on toward the turbid flood of the Mis- souri river. Along these valleys, with their emerald slopes mounting to- ward the prairie uplands, there are some very choice farms whose owners have settled down for life, and are making everything around them as charming as their art will enable them to accomplish. The slopes are, in some places, more abrupt than in others. Along some parts of both streams the valley stretches from half a mile to one mile across, and then the ascent com- mences rising from one hundred to one hundred and fifty feet. Sometimes there are ravines down which large streams must have coursed their way from the prairies ages ago, and these breaks in the scene are truly delight- ful. The ravine usually has some lit- tle rivulet towards its center, serving the purpose of drainage for the up- land, and reminding one of days in which currents were stronger and streams more powerful.
The drainage of the county is se- cured by many streams. The Noda- way is represented by hoth branches, east and west. The Tarkio, East, Mid- dle and West, and all their tributaries, flow toward the southwest, and along every stream there are springs which feed the running creeks and rivers and give the very best water for stock'and domestic use during all seasons of the year. Wells cau be made serviceable for all the year, on the bottoms, by sinking from twenty to thirty feet, and on the uplands by sinking a depth of from seventy-five to eighty feet. The well water is good, and the springs are equally good but not quite so cool.
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The Nodaway river has many good | speedily followed by other young men water powers, which can be relied up- from the same state, who all made their home in Buchanan township, where they laid the foundation of the Three Forks settlement, at the junction of the East and West Nodaway and Buchanan Creek. The red men were still in the country, but they were be- coming, more and more pleasantly, rare visitors in the white settlement. on nearly all the year, and the Middle Tarkio has many small mills already, but the supply of water is not quite equal to the continuance of the work through the year. Over the whole of this section of territory there are streams so distributed as that hardly any portion of the county is without a beautiful stream, which serves all the purposes of stock, and materially assist, agricultural development.
The eastern part of Page county has abundance of woodland, many very heavy growths being found along the East and West Nodaways. Elsewhere along the several streams which have been named are fine supplies for the present needs and prospective wants of the county, whether for fuel or for building. The varieties are just such as are found elsewhere in this state, with this difference, that climbing plants are more numerous and of greater diversity.
Coal beds are being worked on the banks of the Nodaway, especially no- ticeable workings occur in the banks about two miles from Clarinda, where the vein is nearly eighteen inches in thickness, and the quality equal to that found in the Des Moines valley, where bituminous coal abounds. The beds are not likely to be mined, secun- dum artem, but along the banks and ravines the deposit can be cheaply re- moved, supplying an excellent fuel at very little trouble and cost. Many ex- posures have not yet been worked to any extent.
Wherever there are coal measures, good stone can be found, and usually excellent clay for pottery and for brick. Quarries are numerous in this county. There are splendid qualities of stone at Clarinda, and along the watercourses of the Nodaways. Along the course of the Tarkio there can be found at intervals a hard, bluish lime- stone which seems to traverse a wide area of country. Much of this lime- stone is not fit for the manufacture of quicklime, but it is largely used for some building purposes, and is highly valued.
Brick clay can be found in many places, and very good brick are made Amity, Hawleyville and Clariuda.
The first white settler came here, in 1840. from Missouri, and he was
Page county was organized in 1850, and Boulwars Mill was declared the county seat, the business of the new organization being transacted in that location until the year 1854, when the county seat was located at Clarinda. The court house was made quite a temporary affair until 1856, when a more substantial building was under- taken, and the town has progressed ever since.
CLARINDA, the county seat of Page county, is about six miles from the eastern boundary of the county iu the valley of the West Nodaway, on dry, undulating land, below the level of the prairie, yet well up in the valley. Coal, wood and stone are all close at hand to this location, and the town cannot fail to prosper. The present population of the county seat is about fifteen hundred.
The public school building is very fine in Clarinda, having cost $10,000, and all the arrangements point toward a very high degree of efficiency in this department of the public service. The library and museum in connec- tion with this institution is an evi- dence of much skill and industry, and the feature of this branch of training which is most gratifying, is the large use that is made of the museum and library under inspection.
There is a woolen mill here, a plow factory, carriage and wagon shops, flouring mills and saw mills, besides numerous other industries which em- ploy men and women. The amount of shipping business transacted at Clarinda is already large, as it is the terminus of the Brownville and Nod- away Valley Railroad.
SHENANDOAH stands on the Nebras- ka branch of the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad, and it is a very thriving town in the western part of the county.
The town stands in the valley of the Nishnabotany river, and was laid off by the Burlington and Missouri Rail-
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road Company, in the summer of 1870. The country adjoining Shenandoah is exceptionally fertile and extremely beautiful. The commercial man gen- erally will be interested in the fact that it is a busy shipping point on the road mentioned. The earliest steps of the infant settlement were aided by the railway company, who granted the use of their depot for educational purposes, before proper buildings could be otherwise procured. There are two elevators and warehouses here, and the business premises are substan- tially built.
The school building here is very commodious and well sustained, the edifice is of brick, the management highly effective, and the results com- mensurate.
HAWLEYVILLE has the honor to have been the first town laid out in Page county. The location is on the east bank of the east Nodaway river, about six miles from Clarinda. The country round Hawleyville is very fertile, and the time must come when the town will be very prosperous. There is a school established here.
AMITY stands about three miles from the south line of the county, with a post office known as College Springs. There is an excellent institution for educational purposes here, the place having been originally laid out by an association, which took its rise at Galesburg, Illinois, with a capital of $30,000, which was invested in govern- ment lands in Iowa and Missouri, for the benefit of a college. Should the railroads visit this locality, there will be a large accession to its prosperity, as the country is very fertile.
HEPBURN is a village surrounding a station on the Brownville and Noda- way Railroad, connected with which there is a post office, and a large ship- ping business is being done at this de- pot. Some few enterprising business . men have established themselves at this point, and a good local trade is - being transacted here. The popula- tion is small, but with the growth of - the farming interest, it must increase. There is a very neat school building here, and the interests of the pupils - are in good hands.
'ESSEX is a small town on the Chica- go, Burlington and Quincy Railroad, the Nebraska City branch having a station here, and the advantages of the
shipping station for the northwest of the county, secures a very good busi- ness, with a moderately good local trade.
There are several post offices at Bradleyville Center, Franklin Grove, Page City, Snow Hill, Tarkio, Union Grove and Willsburg, and around all these there are villages of small extent, which must become large and import- ant.
Palo Alto County contains an area [ of five hundred and seventy-six square miles, and it stands in the fourth tier from the west line of the state, second from the north boundary. The Des Moines river flows southeast across the county, having numerous tributar- ies which flow into the main stream from both sides. Cylinder creck and Bridge creek are among the chief of these. This county is remarkable for the number of lakes which it contains, none of them very large, but nearly all of them very pretty, and all of them except Medium lake, near the western boundary of the county. The largest lakes are named Elbow Lake, Silver Lake, Lost Island Lake and Rush Lake. The scenery around these lakes is invariably picturesque, and the wa- ters are well supplied with fish, the kind and quality of which forbid the idea that these lakes have always been as limited as they are now.
Timber is not very plentiful in this county, as there is only about a thou. sand acres of woodland distributed over the whole area, including the groves near the lakes and the more considerable supplies along the course of the Des Moines river. The kinds of wood that grow in this county do not largely vary from the growths else- where in the state; but the wild fruits that flourish in Palo Alto county are large and very fine.
The surface of this country is rolling prairie, with a deep, rich productive soil, but along the course of the Des Moines river, there are valleys and bottom lands which are well adapted for corn and cereals. Prior to culti- vation there is an excellent crop of native grass on all prairies and bottom lands, of which cattle are remarkably fond. Partly in consequence of that fact and the plentiful supply of water, farmers have given much attention to stock raising and dairy farming, more
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especially the former pursuit, which has proved highly profitable. Fruits are raised with great ease, certainty and profit in Palo Alto county, as far as experiments have been made, and with care much more may be done.
There have been some beds of peat found in different parts of the county, but they have been very partially used as fuel. There have been no exposures of stratified rock in this region, and of course the county is beyond the coal region. The boulders of the glacial period abound, and in the absence of quarries, even that supply of stone is of considerable importance. The boulders are fantastically arranged in some places round the margins of the lakes. Good well water of an equable temperature at all seasons of the year can be obtained on prairies and on bottom lands at very moderate depths, and the supply has never yet been known to fail.
The western part of the county touches the great " divide" which sends the drainage of the state partly to the Mississippi and partly to the Missouri.
A party of Irish farmers, who came to this region in 1856, and settled near the town of Emmettsburg, constituted the first white settlement in Palo Alto county. Most of the men came from Illinos, and their families came with them. The larger part engaged in stock raising, and the colony grew with great rapidity for a time, num- bers of their friends from many parts of the union being invited to join them. When the massacre occured at Spirit lake in 1857, there was much consternation among the settlers, and the growth, which until then had been rapid and continuous, was suddenly checked.
In the year 1858, although the people hardly numbered fifty at that time, the county was organized and the county seat was located at Paoli, where a court house was built shortly afterwards, but eventually, the town of Emmetts- burg, named in honor of the Irish patriot, was made the permanent re- cipient of that honor. Soda Bar, a place near the center of the county, was at one time the locality in which county business was transacted. Most of the settlers were Catholics, and a church was erected at Emmettsburg, where also a newspaper was published,
expounding the views of the colonists, as early as 1869.
EMMETTSBURG, the Palo Alto county seat, was the first town regularly laid out in the county, when the popula- tion, never large, was much smaller than it now is, and the progress of the place has been very slow indeed. The town is built on the east side of the Des Moines river, in the delight- ful valley which stretches on either side of that stream almost its whole length, and it has the additional ad- vantage of being near to some of the best groves of timber which flourish in that sparsely wooded country. The location is a very pleasant one as well as advantageous, and some of the water powers available here cannot fail to become very valuable indeed. The ground slopes toward the river, and it is therefore excellently drained.
The town was laid out very early in the history of the county, but until the year 1871, it scarcely assumed the appearence of a town which would be inhabited. In the year mentioned, the town plat was enlarged in the expecta- tion that the Iowa division of the Mil- waukee and St. Paul Railroad would be extended to that point, continuing a very profitable line up the Dea Moines river valley. The direct line of travel from Algona west to Spencer, Sibley, Rock Rapids and Sioux Falls, passes through Emmettsburg, and there is a very fine farming country which must center at this point.
Plymouth County stands in the third tier from the northern bound- ary of the state and on the western line of demarcation, containing an area of eight hundred and forty square miles. The county is well watered; the principal streams being Floyd river, West Fork of Little Sioux river, West Branch of Floyd river, Perry, Willow, and Broken Kettle creeks. The river first named flows from northeast to southwest diagonally across the county, having numerous tributaries which drain and supply stock water to a large proportion of the whole county. There are good sites for water powers on Floyd river. The remainder of the rivers and creeks complete the work so ably commenced by Floyd river, and the whole county is thoroughly drained, the natural configuration being such as to prevent
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the formation of morasses. The water is sweet and clear in all the streams, and stock thrives well along the bor- ders of the ever running waters. Many springs of great purity and brightness burst from the river banks in all parts of the county.
Rolling prairie and some broken land, with all the characteristics of the bluff deposit in the soil, will account for much variety and great fertility in the uplands, while the bottom lands have enriched the same formation by a deposit of vegetable mould excep- tionally rich.
Many extensive and excellent farms are being worked in the valleys of Big Sioux and Floyd rivers, and it is found almost impossible to exhaust the fertility of the land. The water supply everywhere is very good; and it is clear that Plymouth county will become famous as a stock raising re- gion, the pasturage being everywhere first class, and the soil such as will give unlimited supplies of root crops for winter storage.
Timber is not plentiful here, conse- quently it will be necessary for farmers to plant groves as often as their other duties will permit. The timber so planted will give a fine revenue in the course of a few years, besides giving all the time a very desirable addition to existing shelter. Osage hedges are already being planted, and the appear- ance of the uplands, as well as their value for most purposes in husbandry and stock raising, is being largely im- proved. Big Sioux river has some considerable bodies of timber on its banks, and there are groves and belts on the West Fork of Little Sioux and on Floyd river, but the aggregate is not large. It is gratifying to observe the numerous groves which have been planted some few years, coming to quick perfection, and many planta- tions of native wood are springing up, especially in the broken lands.
The stratified rocks in this county do not quarry well, as the stone will scarcely serve for building. Quick- lime can be made in fair quality but not really first class. Brick clay can be found in most places, and the builder will mainly depend on that material for his best structures.
rivers attracted men and their families. The town of Westfield was laid out, and it was supposed that the metropo- lis of the great Sioux valley was then located, but L'Homme propose a Dieu disposes, and as we believe has before been remarked, " The best laid schemes of mice and men gang aft aglee; " and the project did not prosper.
The county was organized in 1858, and the county seat duly located at Melhourne, a scattering settlement in the valley of Floyd river. Up to the time that this location was effected, each of the officers made his center where he pleased, and the public were not always benefited by that arrangement. Westfield was a candidate for the loca- tion, but Melbourne won the game, and soon afterwards the original me- tropolis was overrun by half-breed Indians, the fruits of miscegenation, who came in and settled upon much land in that neighborhood, under cer- tain legislative rights which had been conferred upon that class of people, in the state of Iowa, more especially.
LE MARS won from Melbourne the location of the county seat, upon an appeal to the voters in the county, an overpowering majority approving the change. This event happened in 1872, and since that time Melbourne has made no sign of its existence as a town. Le Mars is a very pretty town in the valley of Floyd river, just at the point where the Illinois Central Rail- road makes its junction with the Sioux City and St. Paul's line, and the im- portance of that combination of facili- ties cannot be overestimated in assess- ing the prospects of the city. The towu was laid off in 1869, and, in a short time thereafter, some ladies who visited the location helped to make the appellation now given to Le Mars. The first lady was called Louisa, the second Anna, the third Mary, the fourth Arabella, the fifth Rachel, and the last Susan. These initials make up the name Le Mars, and it serves, as well as any other could, to distinguish a beautiful spot.
There has been a newspaper in Le Mars since 1871, and there are now two; there is a fine school building which contains all that an edifice can to contribute toward education, and the staff of teachers is really first-class. There is an elevator, a bank and two
The first white settlement in Ply- mouth county dates from 1856, when the valleys of Floyd and Big Sioux | flouring mills in the town, and in the
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county, there is a population of nearly six thousand persons.
The Sioux City and Pembina Rail- road Company is pushing its works in the west of the county, along the val- ley of the Big Sioux river.
Pocahontas County contains five hundred and seventy-six square miles of territory, and it stands third from the northern and fourth from the west- ern boundary of the state of Iowa. The west fork of the Des Moines river drains the northeast of the county with numerous subordinate streams, which mcander far and wide before emptying into the river. Some of these streams stretch far towards the east. The principal tributaries of the Des Moines are, Pilot creek, Lizard river and the south fork of Lizard river. Cedar creek and its main afflu- ent Little Cedar creek, with their tri- butaries, water and drain the west of Pocahontas county. Cedar creek owes its source to Swan lake, and flows nearly south across the county. Swan lake and Clear lake are two of the largest lakes in the county; but there are smaller bodies of water, almost in- numerable.
With such an admirable supply of water, it might have been anticipated that the county must be well timbered; but the facts are much against that conclusion. There are some fine groves on the Lizard rivers and on the Des Moines, but the total of woodland in Pocahontas county only amounts to about three thousand acres. Many of the farmers have raised large groves which are already of sufficient growth to be valuable as fuel; but the woods planted are generally intended for much more ambitious and more remu- nerative purposes.
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