The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1867-10-31

about $500. There are very few very |
good houses. The best house is owned |
by Duncombs, Esq, and is built of
gypsum, which is found in great abun-
dance within three-fourths of = mile of
the town.
Invent out one day with Mr. Plumb,
to visit the gypsum bed nearest town.
I Isecured specimen Of the rock, which
you can see when I return. The beds
visited were along Soldier Creek. There
are huge strata Of these rock, piled, prob
ably, to the height Of fifteen or twenty
feet, aud running back, 1t is thought, for
miles from the creek. They have not
gone to the bottom of the rock in their
blasting, and hence they cannot tell the
depth. In the vast Quarries south Of
Ft. Dodge two and . half miles, the vein
they are now working at is three miles
wide and five miles long. Near this lat
ter quarry they are getting out large
quantities of COAL Coal is found all along
the Des Moines River.
While visiting the gypsum quarry
first referred to got into den of black
snakes. saw twelve or fifteen lying
around, some on the lodges Of the rocks,
some entwined about limbs, some in the
grass, and some in the water beneath the
over-hanging rocks. The first one saw
was wrapped about grape vine, and my
natural instructive desire to kill 1t at
once prompted ME to pick up a stone and
throw at it. missed it, when it crawled
into ledge in the rock. Then one here,
and another there began to show them
selves. One was hanging Immediately
in front Of me, almost over my head, one
just at my feet coiled up, and two or
three sticking their heads out Of the
crevices in the rock. I stopped down
and looked under the rock, where I
counted on one ledge four or five. l
threw at the one over my head and bro't
him down into the water beneath, when
Mr. Plumb called my attention to the
one at my feet. Just about then all my
desire to kill snakes left me. | looked
on in bewilderment, never having in my
life seen half SO many snakes before at
any one time. l presume l did not see
one tithe of the number that were there.
Some were very large, others quite
small. 1t was pleasant afternoon, and
suppose the sleek, Shiny serpents, enl-
boldened by recent events, thought 1t Il
good time for Snakes to be out. When
told what had seen the Ft Dodgers
opened their eyes considerably, as the
people have been doing lately in many
other places, to find such u waking up of
the ''snakes."
While at the gypsum beds visited a
lime kiln l was interested in. Instead
of putting in wood and stone in alternate
layers, as usual, and then letting it
"burn-out," rs it is called, they have a
large cupalo, or furnace, with a fire place
in the lower part Of it, with arching
CRATES, SO constructed that the heat read
lily passes through the stone above,
which enables them to draw off the lime
regularly every eight hours-tifty BUSH
els at Il time. The fire is kept up con
stantly; the charging with stone above,
or drawing off the lime below not inter-
ferng in the least with tie fire. This
may not be new, butt was ahead Of any
thing of the kind had seen before. The
inventor of the process has patent for
it.
I liked Ft. Dodge very much. The
people are very cordial and friendly.
! They are rs genial and socable as any
ever met with.
| 1t is one of the most beautiful locations
l ever met with, and when the railroad
is completed here, with the excellent
country they have around them, it is
destined to be place of a great deal of
Importance.
Imet here Messls Cue and Moffet,
both pleasant, gentlemanly fellows.
They are in the drug business, and are
doing well. Major Williams one Of the
Oldest inhabitants, formerly of Musca-
tine, seems hale aud hearty.
They have an Episcopal, German.
Lutheran, Presbyterian, and Methodist
church here. / attended church and
Sunday school at the last named church,
on Sunday, and heard good sermon by
Rev. w. E. Smith. They have all ex.
cellent organ and good singing.
have never been in place that
seems so quiet and moral. Only heart
one or two oaths, and did not see a droI
of liquor sold, or q drunken man, al
though was there about four days.
Their Court House is a large stone build
ing costing, I believe, 5000. The stones
have become discolored and the buildin:
presents rather dingy antiquated ap
pearance. The style and architecture
are poor. Court was in session while
was there. Had the pleasure of making
the acquaintance of J. II. Bradley, Esq.
the efficient and accomplished Distric
Attorney of the 5th Judicial District
{ Ft. Dodge is noted for its healthiness
The Des Moines River abounds in salm
on, bass and pike, and the praries furnis
vast numbers of prairie chickens. TIL
latter are scarcer this year than usua
though saw hundreds on the prairies
+ few miles west of TT. Dodge, along til
Lizard river.
The facilities for public education ar
very poor. They have some very goo
select schools, am told.
This has been great rendezvous fo
several years for land spectators. Ir
deed it affords entertainmentand amust