Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1860-02-08
LETTER FROM MISSOURI.
Correspondence of the ''Raftsman's Journal

CREAM RIDGE, JANUARY 10TH, looo
S. B. Row, ESQ Dear Sir: As promised
that after got out and had time to look around
little, would let you hear from me, take
this occasion to drop you few lines. We
left PittSburg in q steamboat. bound for Gin
cinnati, there took another boat for St. Louis,
there took steam packet for Hannibal, and at
that place took the Hannibal & ST. Joseph
Railroad to Chillicothe, which is within five
miles of where | live. The water being very
low, it took us fifteen days to make the trip,
which is a much longer time than it would
take il the water were in good order. The
fare for one passenger to Chillicothe, Living
ston county, Missouri, from Clearfield, is,
50 so to Tyrone. S3,95 to Pittsburgh, So to
st. Louis, So to Hannibal So, 20 to Chillicothe
total S26, ,65. On the cars twill cost more
50 80 TO Tyrone, $3,95 to Pittsburgh, $3.50
to St. Louis, and to Chilhcothe SS 40, making
$34, ,35-and on the boat your boarding is in
cIuded in the price mentioned; while on the
cars you have to pay for your meals. L have
travelled both ways, and much prefer the
stean.b boat, particularly when a person has
family along with him.
We live five miles from the city of Chilli
cothe, and within hearing of the iron horse.
We have good market for all that we can
raise, and prices are rather on the advance.
The prices Of dry goods in general way are
near about the same as they are in Clearneld.
Pork, to ID for good corn -fed-that which
was Killed in the woods, fattened on the mast,
is softer meat and sells fol- about cts. good
beef 81 to cts; wheat from 10 to 80 cts. per
bushel; corn 80 10 80 cts; oats 40 to % cts.
My impression is that raising stock is the nj
cest and the best paying business in this part
of the country, as feed is plenty and the WIN
ter short, and hogs and cattle are always in de-
mand, and can be sold for cash at any time.
We have Il better breed Of cattle here than you
have in Clearfeld. good mlch COW is worth
about S25 90. Butter sells from i5 to % cents
per Id. the year round, and some Of the citl-
Zens tell me that fresh butter is sometimes as
high as 40 cts. The reason is, they generally
let the calves run with the cows. and the cows
are not MIXED. To give yen an idea OF what
kind OF calves they raise here, will give you
the dimensions Of one among some that L
purchased When the boys brought it home.
/ took my tape line and measured it. From
tip to tip he measured 10 feet and round his
body feet inches. This is spring calf
Rents in this part Of the country are double
as much as they in Clearield. Wood is
worth 50 so to So, 90 per cord for good hickory
in town. Taxes are lower, and all the SC chool
tax there is to pay is when school house is to
be built. The schools are kept up by donation
of land, every sixteenth section of the land
being given for school purposes, and all the
expense the citizens incur is to keep up the
school houses.
The weather is much milder here than it is
with you. l see in the Journal, (Which is a
welcome weekly visitor, Keeping us posted in
all the news of the day,) that you have had
snow and fine sleighing, whilst the weather
was very pleasant here. When the winter set
in, it was very rough for two or three days,
and it was over. We had several little squalls
of snow that lasted few days and then dis
appeared. Comparing the winter, so far as it
is past, With what we used to have in Clear
field, and it is no winter at all. For some time
has han Il xrifb
fire in the house. To look at the burning
prairie, it does not seem like winter; and to
see the cattle outdoors picking about makes it
appear like the spring of the year.
Now would be a good time for persons to
buy land in this part of the country. There
are great many wanting to go to Pixies Peak
and TO California, who would sell low. Some
fine farms, well improved, can be bought at
$40 to S25 per acre. Prairie land can be
bought for ten to fifteen dollars per acre, in
good locations. If you or any of the Cearfield
folks should come out this way, l would be
glad to see them. l hope they will not pass
by without giving me cali. By inquiring of
Josiah w. Baird in Chillicothe. you can learn
where live. will give all the information l
can of the country. 1t is pity to see so
much good land here and no person to work it,
whilst there are so many in Clearfeld working
among the roots and stumps for so small re-
ward. wish there was a colony Of them here.
MY family is all IN good health, ana nave
haG no sickness since came to Missouri.
For my own part, | have had better health
since | came to this State than | had for ten
years past. l have not been sick one day since
we came here, nor have taken ons dose of
medicine of any kind, and whilst | was in
Cleariield / had to take medicine almost as
regular as the day came. have gained fifteen
pounds in weight since l left Clearfield.
Hoping to hear from you weekly through
the Journal, | remain yours truly,
LEWIS r. CARTER.
My post Office address is, Chillicothe, Liv
ingstop county, Missouri.
THE LADIES OF New York have organized a
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