Rensselaer Gazette, Volume 3, Number 27, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 26 October 1859 — JASPER AND NEWTON COUNTIES. [ARTICLE]

JASPER AND NEWTON COUNTIES.

We traversed, a week or two ago, over a large portion of the territory composing the county of Jasper, and the proposed new county of Newton—portions in which we had never been before—-and must say that we have a very large amount of prairie land in a state o's nature, that cannot be surpassed by any county in the State. The railroad that will shortly be finished through the southern end of this county, will run through territory very thinly settled, although the land for miles on either side, in the town- i ships of Jordan, Iroquois and Washington, is as beautiful and fertile in appearance as any we ever saw. In some portions of these townships there are sections upon sections of the best of land, lying contiguous, unimproved. In some places the eye may wander lor miles without seeing any improved farms. The only drawback we know of to this beautiful scope of territory is the scarcity’ of timber, but this evil will be remedied by the railroad. When the cars commence making regular trips, we expect to see the south end of the county fill up rapidly with an industrious and thriving population, that

will bring our broad, fertile prairies under cultivation. W lien Beaver Prairie in the west, and Grand Prairie in the south, shall be aliv» with the busy hum of the farmer and mechanic, Jasper and Newton counties will be unsurpassed in prosperity by anv countv in the West. And we may add, in intellfgence and morals; for our present population, though small, are remarkable for their intelligence, honesty and industry, which facts hold out strong inducement! to persons of like characteristics, who are seeking cheap homes in the West, to settle down among us. “Like begets like.” Toprove thattiie people ot the “State of Jasper’’ are a reading and intelligent people, we have only to state that there is no county in the Union, with so small a population, that supports a home newspaper as liberally as they do; and we' are not afraid to assert that they take ae many of the leading journals and periodicals of the conutry, pro rata, as the inhabitants of the most favored localities. We recommend to settlers who desire to find society in the West as good us they leave in their Eastern homes, to come to Jasper. There are thousands of acres of superior land lying waste here; but we would caution all not to buy land in this county until they have seen it themselves, as there is also a large amount of swamp land in market.