The New Student's Reference Work/Des Moines

Des Moines (dā-mŏin′), the capital and largest city of Iowa, is on the site of Fort Des Moines, which was a United States garrison in 1832 and at that time the farthest west of the northwest forts. At present this fort has new and modern equipment, making it one of the finest posts in the United States. It is situated in a lovely valley of the corn and blue-grass belt, surrounded by sloping hills, and is rich in coal-mines and deposits of clay and shale. Among its products are wire-fencing, carriages, pork and cotton and woolen goods, brick, sewer-pipe, etc. The output of 25 or more brick and clay-product factories exceeds 1,500 carloads annually. It is one of the leading railroad-centers of the country, haying nine trunk-lines, which operate 19 distinct roads in and out of the city, besides electric-car service. Des Moines is the home of 44 insurance companies, has 94 churches, several colleges and technical schools, 47 public-school buildings, 19 banks, 4 daily papers, etc., and has a large jobbing trade. Population, 86,368.