Page:History of Iowa From the Earliest Times to the Beginning of the Twentieth Century Volume 1.djvu/244



Illinois, touching the foot of Lake Michigan in its route to the Mississippi River. This will place the center of the Iowa District within sixty hours of the city of New York. It is only a question of time when the business of this region will support such a road.

“Some of the most beautiful country of the world is lying immediately west of this District. The Indians are now moving over to the Des Moines, finding the country along the Waubisipinicon, Chicaqua (the Skunk) and the Iowa no longer stocked with game, they are ready to sell. The pressure of settlers along the border has already created a demand for its purchase. The western boundary will soon be extended, and it is hazarding little to say that this district will have a population that will entitle it to admission among the States of the Union by the time the census of 1840 shall have been completed. Taking this District all in all, for convenience of navigation, water, fuel and timber, richness of soil, beauty of landscape and climate, it surpasses any portion of the United States with which I am acquainted.”

On the map accompanying this little book Lieutenant Lea has shown the territory now embraced in Iowa as it was then, 1835. Very much of it at that time had never been seen by white men. The southern boundary of the “Neutral Grounds” began at the Mississippi River nearly opposite Prairie du Chien and ran southwesterly to the Des Moines River near the south line of Webster County and the strip was about forty miles in width. The Iowa River above the junction of the Red Cedar was called Bison, and the Cedar was laid down as the Iowa. The Skunk was then the Chicaqua. The following lakes were shown on the map: Boyer Lake, Hahawa Lake, Clear Lake and Crane Lake. The town of Iowa on the Mississippi River, near the mouth of Pine River, was regarded at this time by Lieutenant Lea as the most promising city of the district, and likely to become the Capital of the future State of Iowa. He writes:

“Should the seat of government of the future State be located on the Mississippi River it will probably be fixed at Iowa, owing to its central position and commercial advantages. But if located in the interior it must be near the Iowa River, and then the town of Iowa will be the nearest port on the Mississippi to the capital of the State. There are some of the most beautiful sites for private residences on the river banks between Iowa and Rock Island that can be found anywhere.”