- source: North Iowa Times, McGregor, Clayton County, Iowa, February 27, 1857
- Transcribed for Chickasaw County IAGenWeb by Sharyl Ferrall, May 2005
Correspondence. For the North Iowa Times.
Bradford, the County Seat of Chickasaw County, Iowa, is situated eighty miles West of McGregor and about one hundred and twenty miles North-Westerly from Dubuque, at the junction of the McGregor, St. Peters & Missouri River Rail Road with the Cedar Valley R.R.
The town plat is delightfully located on the East bank of Cedar River, on a table land, elevated some thirty feet above the river at that point, and finely studed with Burr Oak trees, making it appear truly beautiful and picturesque, and resembling much some of the Old New England Towns.
The original village plat was laid out about four years ago, which contained forty acres of land, but such has been its rapid and healty growth that, repeated additions have subsequently been made, until at present it comprises two hundred and eighty acres within its limits.
Its population has steadily increased, much more rapidly, however, during the past summer and fall than previously, and at present numbers about eight hundred and fifty inhabitants.
"The Big Woods," containing twenty-six thousand acres of very heavy timber and by far the finest timber in North Iowa, lies west and northwest of the town, serving the double purpose of furnishing fuel and lumber for this region of country, and also affording a very desirable shelter to the town from stroms, to which so many towns in the far west are exposed.
Among the timber will be found all the varieties of Oak, Ash, Elm, and Maple, also Hickory, Baswood, Butternut and Black Walnut, are very abundant, the latter attaining an enormous size. The carriage, plough and cabinet maker, in fact all who use lumber in manufacturing, will here find it in any desirable quantity and in quality unsurpassed by any in the state.
All who visit Bradford are invariably pleased with its surpassing beauty, and at once discover with what wisdom and prudence its location has been made and how admirably it is adapted to the surrounding county, that situated in the famous Cedar Valley, with water power susceptible of being improved to any desirable extent, with timber in abundance, and in the midst of such an immense fertile region, which is coursed by a thousand streams of pure spring water and which is capable of sustaining a dense population, where extreme healthfulness prevails, the atmosphere being dry and pure -- surely a high destiny awaits it, that of becoming the great commercial emporium of Northern Iowa.
Some idea of its present business and future prospects may be gathered from the following:
HOTELS
Bradford has three Hotels; the Farmers, St. Nicholas and the Bronson Hotel. The latter has recently been enlarged to about three times its original capacity, is now very commodious and beautiful, furnished elegantly and is equal to any hotel in the Cedar Valley. Col. George Bronson, the proprietor, as usual is on hand, and whoever has once been his guest, will not fail to improve all subsequent opportunites of the kind. There is also a large three story Hotel being built, called the Brink House which will probably be open in July next, and it will be far superior and magnificent to any public house in Northern Iowa. It will be elegantly furnished in a style commensurate with its magnitude and future importance. In addition to the hotels there are some dozen boarding houses in town.
STORES
Arthur Billings, General Variety; Pooler & Nicholas, do; Corey & Co., do; Harrison Gurley, Clothing; Haynes and Foster, Drugists; Dixon & Co., Hardware and Stoves; Lockwood & Busby, Furniture; Horace Smith, Books and Jewelry; David Purg, Groceries and Provisions.
SHOPS
Wm. Thompson, Saddle and Harness; Mr. W. Rhoda, Boot and Shoe; Ream, Tailor; Heald & Brother, Wagon and Sleigh; Albert Slatee, do; Hall, Cooper; August Preudhon, Cabinets; L.C. Petit, Blacksmith; Burdie & Babcock, do; Lewis Ellis, do; A. Babcock, do; Perkins, do; Delas Dixon, Tin and Sheet Iron; William Frager, Carpenter; Mathias Shane, do; Mrs. Lewis Ellis, Milliner; Mrs. George Pomeroy, do.
MISCELLANEOUS
Babcock & Sidney, Meat Market; Bums & Davis, Saloon; Crandall & Clark, Livery; Frager & Co., Brick Yard; Wm. Perry, Stone Quarry.
MILLS
Curtis Salsbury & Francis, one Steam Circular Saw Mill and Lath Machine, fifteen horse power; Taylor & Perry, do, with Shingle Machine, fifteen horse power; J.J. Bird, one do, with Planing Machine, thirty horse power; W.W. Foster, two water saw mills on the Cedar River. All the above named mills are in good order and have been doing a fine business except during the coldest weather. In addition to those above named there are two others within one and a half miles from town. Michael Cagley, Steam Circular Saws and Shingle Machine. Notwithstanding the abundant facilities for manufacturing lumber here, the demand has been so great, that but small quantities can be found on hand and at prices ranging from fifteen to thirty dollars per M.
NURSERIES
Dr. Isaac Noges & David Fritelier have each a fine nursery planted and doing well.
OFFICES
The office of the Second Division of the McGregor, St. Peters & Missouri R. Rail Road Company. Banking Office of Haskell & Bronson; Land & Exchange, do, Kimball & Co.; Land Agency, do, Smith Overfield, Lonson Corey and G.W. Howard.
LAWYERS
A.G. Case, L.B. Noyes, G.W. Howard and D.A. Babcock.
PHYSICIANS
Dr. S.C. Haynes, Dr. S.S. Troy, Dr. Isaac Noyes, Physician and Surgeon J.E. Smith.
RELIGIOUS
One Episcopal Methodist organization, Rev. Mr. Kendall; one Baptists do., Rev. Avery Babcock; one Congregationalists, do., Rev. Osias Littlefield and one Episcopalian being organized. The Methodist are preparing to build a church the coming summer and the Episcopalians will follow their example.
CIVIL ENGINEER
D.B. Kimball
MILLWRIGHTS
Ward S. Wells
MASTER BUILDERS
D.L. Campbell, Wm. F. Wrights, Mathias Shane, Henry Skank, John Dohorty.
CARPENTERS & JOINERS
Isaac Chapell, Jos. Cole, Samuel Lake, George Overfield, William Thayer, L.D. York, John Osborn, A. Rutherford and Burton Barney.
STONE & BRICK MASONS
J.F. Hawkins, L.J. Dored, Richard Brigges, Marcus Everests.
HOUSE & CARRIAGE PAINTERS
James Heald, M.W. Brooks, R.P. Watson
PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Two at present are in operation, No. 1, taught by Geo. B. Holcom. No. 2, taught by F.D. Bosworth. The Bradford Institute will go into operation in the Spring. The Institute Building is a large two story one, built of pressed brick, is of elegant construction and speaks in the highest terms of commendation for the tastes and enterprise of the inhabitants of Bradford. The Bradford LIterary Association has recently been organized which holds its meeting weekly -- L.B. Noyes, President.
OFFICES
Lorenzo Baily, County Judge; D.F. Hall, District Attorney; G.W. Howard, Recorder & Treasurer; Alfred Bigelow, Sheriff; F.D. Bosworth, Deputy clerk of Court; Wm. F. Wright, School Fund Commission; John Bird Esq., Police Justice; M.B. Taylor & James Heald, Police Constables.
INPROSPECT
Arrangements are being perfected by which a Flour Mill with four run of Burrs, will be erected the coming season, which will greatly augment the present business and supply a desideratum long felt. Ample provisions have also been made for making one and a half millions of Brick, for which there is abundant material of excellent quality, several hundred thousand are already contracted for and will be wrought into buildings as soon as made. An extensive Wagon and Carriage Factory will be erected and go into operation the coming Spring by gentlemen from Wisconsin. Arrangements for a Printing Press are also nearly completed, and when perfected, a weekly paper will be published, commencing probably in March or April.
MAIL FACILITIES
A tri-weekly mail is now being carried from West Union to Bradford and Osage, which will become a daily route after the opening of navigation. A semi-weekly line runs from Independence through Bradford to Osage. Walker's daily line of four horse coaches run from Dubuque and McGregor through this place last summer and will resume the daily line again in the Spring.
PRICE OF PROPERTY
Business lots on the principal business streets range in price from two hundred to five hundred dollars each, while those more remote and finely located for residences are worth from fifty to one hundred dollars each. Improved farms in the vicinity of Bradford are worth from ten to forty dollars, per acre according to location and natural advantages. Unimproved from four to ten. Timber land from ten to thirty.
WANTS
Bradford wants mechanics of all kinds, especially Carpenters and Masons, of whom two or three dozen would find very profitable employment the next summer. This point possesses great natural advantages rarely found elsewhere, in addition to inducements offered by its inhabitants, for men of capital who will establish an extensive chair and cabinet factory, a plough factory, and factories for making reapers, mowers, and thrashing machines. Being so far in the interios, so remote from the Mississippi river and competition in the Cedar Valley with no other points equally available, and with such a vast region tributary to it, makes it a capital place for such establishments. Who, then, will be the fortunate persons to [illegible words] opportunities?
RAIL ROADS
The McGregor, St. Peters & Missouri River Rail Road and the Cedar Valley R. Road, were both located through this town last fall, the former has been advertised to be put under contract, and we understand that it will be finished to Braford by the fall of 1858. We also understand that a company are organized to build a rail road from Galena in a north-westerly direction through Bradford to Mankato, Minnesota. This when accomplished, will make our rail road system complete. When we will bein direct communication with Chicago to the South East, St. Louis to the South, the Upper Missouri VAlley to the West, the St. Peters Valley and salt region to the North West, St. Paul and the prairies to the North, and more particularly with McGregor and Millwaukee to the East.
Real Estate is advancing rapidly and constantly changing hands. The inhabitants of Bradford are chiefly from New York and the New England States, from whence others are arriving almost daily, are moral, intelligent and energetic, and whatever is attempted here is pushed forward with an energy that defies competition.
A brilliant future is awaiting Bradford. Her skies are unobscured. Prosperity abounds every where around her, and success inveriably crowns all her efforts. Come on then, all ye capitalists, mechanics and farmers, who wish to invest and secure healthy and happy homes in this Garden of Iowa! Here are advantages paramount to those of any other place; here is a country truly inviting, where religious and educational privileges are engaged in their fullest extent.
GEODESY.