The weekly Oskaloosa herald. [volume] (Oskaloosa, Iowa) 1855-1885, 1871-06-22
NOTES AND JOTTjNCS,

DEAR HERALD AS a semi excursion
ist it may not be amiss to jot down few
thoughts gathered during the excursion to
St. Louis. As usual in such cases, 1--WE got
aboard the cars :" and but a short time
elapsed ere we were speeding away past
fields of thrifty growing corn, bright, beau
titul meadows, and short, and apparently
parched wheat. AS far as daylight per-
mitted US to observe, we noticed that the
wheat seemed hurt by the continued dry
weather; much of it being very short and
showing signs of premature ripeniDg
Corn looks well; is well worked and free
from weeds and consequently of good color.
A ride over the G. R. r. of Iowa, is at
tendant with the joltings inseparable from
so new road; with this exception, it is
most agreeable road upon which to ride.
Ottumwa was reached about half past five
o'clock, and an hours time intervening
between our arrival and the departure of
the excursion train, it was proftably spent
in viewing the city of hills. In this re-
spect Ottumwa surpasses old historic
Rome, which is said to have sat upon her
seven hills; while the former is scattered
over about fourteen, large and small The
business portion of the city looks some
what metropolitan with its paved streets
and gas lights, Possibly greater amount
of business is done in Ottumwa than in
Oskaloosa,-w four railroads, why
should there not be but compared with
our city for beauty,-O, deliver US. At
six o'clock and forty-tive minutes the ex-
cursion moved off towards the destination,
St. Louis. A few minutes ride brings US
to Belknap, town at present existing
rather in name than in reality. However,
as it is at the crossing of the Chicago &
Southwestern r. R. it will doubtless soon
have not only the name but the game.
Passengers for Fairfield, Brighton, Wash
ington, Muscatine, Davenport, &C., here
change cars, and go east on the G. s. w.
This is also new road and is destined to
be good ore Railroads seem like mon
ey, the more we have of them the more we
want, and as we succeed in securing them,
so do we learn to utilize them and profit
thereby. Owing to the extent of the train
and some damage to a journal, our arrival
at stations was much behind the usual
time, and at ten o'clock it became evident
that ST. Louis could not be reached by the
time appointed. Being, as said in the
beginning of this letter, only semi-excur-
sionist, l got off at Kirksville, and leaving
a very sleepy, weary, and crowded crowd
to pursue their way, L sought the house of
a friend, to remain until the return ofthe
excursionists.
Kirksville, Adair Co., Mo-, is fair rep
resentative Missouri country town, with
plenty of room for improvement, one rail
road in operation, (the N. M one in pros
pective, (the Quincy s. Pscifc), dilapi-
dated square, six hotels, one bank and the
necessary dry goods, grocery stores, ETC.,
ETC., for population of $500. During the
war it was the scene of a warmly contested
fight between Gen. McNiel (Fed.) with
1900 men, and pieces of small ar
tillery, and Gen. Porter, (Reb) with $500
men. After three hours fighting the reb.
els were routed, having lost rs in killed
and wounded, many of whom are buried
in the village graveyard. 1t is hardly just
to compare the towns of our sister Missouri,
with those of Iowa, for while our farmers
and business men, and in fact all classes,
had many opportunities for making money
during and at the close of the war, this
country was torn, distracted and unset
tied, and has required years to get back