The Evansville Journal

[Communicated.]
Southwest Missouri.

Sedalia, is 189 miles west of St. Louis, on the (Missouri) Pacific Railroad. The city has a population of about 5,000, and is situated in a beautiful country, the county seat of Pettis, and about Central Missouri. It has many beautiful residences and fine stores, and eight churches. The Methodist Episcopal Church seems to predominate. It is the center of a good local trade, and has, heretofore, enjoyed the benefit of a large Southwest trade, in fact, I saw wagons loading at commission houses here for Fort Gibson, on the Arkansas River, three hundred miles from this point.

It has just completed a commodious free school building, suitable to accommodate 500 scholars, at a cost of over $20,000. Its business men and inhabitants generally are first-class Eastern people. The city maintains two weekly papers, the Sedalia Times, a lively Radical paper, and the Democratic Press, which represents its side fully—comment unnecessary.

We left Sedalia, taking a southwest direction. Crossed Grand River, in Henry County, 45 miles from Sedalia—a beautiful stream, and, at no distant day, there will be flouring mills erected on this stream, as its water power is said to be unsurpassed.

We passed on 25 miles from Grand River, over a beautiful prairie country, rather sparsely settled, but apparently well timbered. Arrived at the Osage River, a beautiful stream, navigable for medium sized steamers some six months in the year. Crossed to the south side of said river, and going up it a short distance, we reached the new town of Altoona. The site of this newly laid out town is a most beautiful one, located in the midst of a lovely country and sixty-five miles south of the Pacific Railroad, in the center of the great Southwest. It did seem to me I had found the Italy of America: no new town in this State to-day has a brighter prospect than this place. It is situated on the south bank of the Osage River, in St. Clair County, at the head of navigation on the Osage River. Osceola, thirty five miles below this point, had been considered the head of navigation on this river ever since the country had been settled, until last year, some gentleman, with a steamer well laden with salt, determined to hunt for a higher point, and Altoona is the point of their search. I learned here that every preparation was now made to have all branches of trade represented on opening of Spring navigation. Engineers and chain men were measuring here and there, and a few new houses were under construction.

During my short stay here, I found the lands around this place unsurpassed, and much like the far-famed lands around Jacksonville, Ill., besides having the advantage of a more mild and warmer climate. I have never seen a heavier undergrowth of hazel, sumac, rosin weed, &c., which are always indications of good soil. Coal and good building stone are plenty; also, fine, never-failing springs of pure, cold water.

This place is extensively surrounded by a population of industrious farming people. Most of them came in from other States since the close of the late unpleasantness, who supply abundant support for themselves and the emigrants who are now flocking in by scores to this beautiful new South. At the head of navigation on the Osage, Altoona cannot fail to be a town of much consequence before many years.

Buck Eye.