The Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1863-1886, 1867-09-19
Letter from Missouri.

Esq, now Of the State Of Missouri.
The letter is dated Carthage. Mo-,
Aug. 10, 1867" and the extracts
given below will be found exceed
ingly interesting, We arc truly
glad to learn that our friend Koontz
has his lines cast in such pleasant
places. i,m.
"You ask me how / like my new
home. Let me say, Sir, that l
could not like il better, and my
wife and all the children are in the
same fix. lam living 5 miles from
Carthage, (the county scat of Jas
per county) a very flourishing
own n--- over 40 new buildings gone
up within thelast 5 months. Tho
town is situated on Spring river, a
beautiful stream of water about the
size of Hook Hocking below the
mouth Of Rushcreek and Clear.
creek. 1t is rapid stream, afford
ing plenty of mill sites, and apow-
er sufficient to drive all kinds Of
machinery. We have good socie-
ty, of the first class, yet it is a mix.
ed society; that is, they are not
all No / any more than they are in
old Fairfield. ! am living on a
Prairie north Of tho river, that is
level and dry; and | have $40
acres of farming land that is just as
good, every foot of it, as the best l
had in Ohio and ] have $50 acres
Of timber, good for the country,
but will not compare with the
timber in Ohio. Again, can stand
in my door and count 22 houses,
and 10 are within 2 miles of my
house. ! can cast my eyes a
north. east direction and see 22
miles over as pretty a country as
any man ever laid his eyes upon
with plenty of of excellent springs,
some gushing out of the earth, a
cold clear stream Of water the size
of mans body, Then the Prai-
rie is covered over, or rather inter-
sperscd with beautiful flowers from
early spring till late in the fall;
and many of them more beautiful
than any cultivated flowers l ever
saw in Ohio. You ask me wheth-
er cur country is favorable to stock
or grain growing. | answer, both
1t can not be excelled tor either.
never raised as good corn in
Ohio as / Ihave raised here this sea :
son, and / sent medium sized
stalk home by Joshua Shaetfer,
which l would like you to see and
after all my friends have seen it !
would like to have it deposited
with my friends the Editors of the
Gazette. As to stock growing, the
prairie grass will now cut from 2
10 % tons to the aero; and our
lands produce timothy, clover and
blue grass equal if not better than
in Ohio. Then as TO wheat, we
can and do raise from 20 to 45
bushels, and some claim that they
have raised over so bushels to The
acre but / shall be satisfied with
40 bushels. You also inquire in
reference To Springfield, The coun
try around Springfield is not SC
nice for farming purposes as it il
with us. The prairies are more
rolling and near tho top of tho
mountains; yet it looks nice and
pleasant, and the town is q great
business place for an inland town
The people are courteous and so
ciable and live quite stylish. The
town is built over as large-a space
Tor very near) as Lancaster, but
not near so compact, and mot such
fine buildings. But let me say thai
you or almost any other man with
means can do well here /; if he has
any o-aheadativencss about him
Very little means is required tbe
lieve that have answered all your
inquiries, and have done it hon
estly and candidly. If | have ex
ggeratcd the least in anything
you can restassured that it. is no
wilful, but want Of Judgment
: But for farther proofl refer yol
to John s. Shaeffer and his son
Please read this letter to them ant
ask them whether | have ovcr
drawn the thing or not. You will
,, please give my kindest regards t
your family, DR.. Wagenhals, MI
Henry Orman, Douglass & Cole
and Ladies, Rising, Trout, ]. c
Weaver, Noble, Conuell, Garaghty
, J. D. Martin, the Gazette Office
, DR.. Scott, and all other good Re
: publicans and kind friends, and al
low me to say to you that the Pa
Z litical atmosphere Of our county
!, . pure and healthy. Oncc in a Ion
while you will find o copperheat
J but their tongues are paralyzcc
!, By tho way | had q rebel office
I take dinner with met q lew day
ago. He was quite q gentlemaI
and o scholar, and said he nd
fought hard to establish q confedC
!. racy South but he was whippe
I and he now wants to be loyal an
:. peaceable but says that il tn