DAVENPORT TO I) ES MOINES. 425 



The city stands at the mouth of the Raccoon River, 

 IS three hundred and fifty-eight miles west of Chicago 

 and one hundred and forty-two east of Omalia. Its 

 shape is quadrilateral — four miles long by two miles 

 wide. The Des Moines River flows through its centre, 

 dividing the East from the West Side. The city 

 stands on a declivity, its highest part extending to 

 about one hundred and sixty feet. The Post Office, 

 Court House and city offices, the principal depots and 

 hotels, and the greater portion of the business houses, 

 are situated on a plateau about a mile long and half a 

 mile wide, rising about fifteen feet above high water; 

 and on the higher ground beyond are some of the 

 handsomest and largest private residences. 



On the East Side is another business locality. Cap- 

 itol Square contains ten acres on an elevated site com-, 

 manding a fine view. The State House was erected 

 at a cost of nearly $3,000,000. The Public Library 

 contains some 30,000 volumes. There are over twenty 

 churches of all denominations in the city. The Post 

 Office and Court House buildings are of marble and 

 cost $250,000. There is also a State Arsenal, a large 

 County Court House and many public improvements 

 found only in first-class modern cities. Two daily and 

 upwards of a dozen weekly papers are published here. 

 In the vicinity are mines of excellent ceal and a num- 

 ber of manufactories of various kinds are in operation. 



Before leaving the Jones House it is but just that I 

 should say that I was not more courteously treated 

 during my journey than by Messrs. George W. Jones 

 and Son. Professor Bo wen and Captain Conrad with 

 many others saw me off. 



The next day a copy of the Des Moines Leader 



