The weekly Oskaloosa herald. [volume] (Oskaloosa, Iowa) 1855-1885, 1871-03-09
A FLYING VISIT.

a few brief mentions.
As this was my first ride upon any por-
ton of the Central road, it will probably
be expected that will say something
upon the subject. We left Oskaloosa at
1890 a. m, on the day speciAed, In good
order, and remained in such condition
until we reached Ackley, the terminus of
our visit in Northerly direction. l
was very much astonished in passing over
the road to see the vast improvement
made in the country. My mind naturally
reverted to June, A. d. 1865, that being
my first visit to the country, when much
of the country on the line of the Central
was "out of doors"-wholly unlmproved.
1t was my privilege at that time to pass
through what is now New Sharon, there
then being, if my memory serves me cor
rectly, small store and one or two small |
dwellings. l could scarcely believe my |
senses in passing the place on Tuesday, |
that it is actually the place l saw in 1865.
From a small store and dwelling or TIVE,
it is now business point of much interest,
where the people are beginning to put on
Getty airs" and where everything indi-
Gates thrift, prosperity and ultimate
| wealth. 1t is located in as good section
of country as can be found anywhere, and
will, in very short time, be town of no
mean proportions. 1t has set of indus
trious, enterprising and worthy citizens,
| who, together with some of Osnaloosa's
| fail 70 b
desirable and profitable point for trade.
The citizens are intelligent, moral and re-
ligious, who feel, as such persons ever do,
deep interest in schools and churches
indubitable marks of good place to raise
family of children, and to live quietly
and happily.
The country through which the road
passes looks the very picture OF thrift and
enterprise-the farmers showing that they
appreciate the enterprise by which the
Central was pushed through to compile
ton, and that they could not be thought"
to dispense with it with any amount of
money-in fact its value cannot be es-
timated in dollars and cents. Every one
is already feeling the benefit of it, and
this will continue to increase until 1t will
show one of the richest and best develop
d countries in the West. There are per
sons who profess to believe, that railroads
are moral injury to the section of country
through which they pass but | am not of
this number. While there are some
things, such as Sabbath running, &C. that
we must greatly deprecate, yet there are
other influences which tend to build up
the moral and religious influence of the
country. 1t is truth, that wherever en-
terprise finds place, there will there be
an increase of intellger &c, morality and
religion. II is said that the east is the
source of light, and if this be true, the
time is fast coming, when, if eastern peo-
pie do not look well to ther laurels, they
will find that to be the place of darkness.
The west is fast eclipsing the east in
almost every particular, strange as things
may sound liz the ears of eastern men,
who appear to actually think, that what
they don't know is not worth knowing. If
such self-sufficient individuals will conde-
|
ed to see how they are behind in every
thing that goes to make up go-a-head-
iVeness. | am not ignorant of the tact,
that eastern people-and | mean by these,
persons who live as far east as the Ohio
river-conceive the idea, that western
people are dolts, who may be led about
by the nose by their more wise neighbors
of the east. Permit me to say to such,
that if they come west they will get their
"eye teeth cut )" but am wandering from
my purpose.
The several towns on the line of the
Central, such as Grinnell Marshalltown,
Eldora, Steamboat Rock, &C., are looking
equally prosperous as New Sharon, and
the country around shows evident thrift
and prosperity. Upon arriving at Ackley
we witnessed the smouldering remains of
the Bowler House, one of the largest
most commOdious and well kept hotels in
all the west which had been totally de-
stroyed together with all of its contents,
on the morning of the same day. The
building presented, as was informed, $50
feet frontage, was of brick, three stories
: high, with store room and one of the
best halls in the State, the hotel was well
and recently furnished, having been open
ed on the 18th of January last fine stock
of goods having very recently been put
into the store room, some of which was
saved with a loss of about $780, as l was
told. Tho hotel, wish its entire contents,
register, books, &C., included were de-
stroyed, the persons occupying, with per-
haps two exceptions, escaped with their
lives merely The fire originated about
O'clock on Tuesday morning in the fur
mace IN the basement of the building, and
it was the remark of those who witnessed
the progress of the flames, that the destruc-
tive element was more rapid
in its work than was ever before
witnessed in a brick structure-not more
than two hours having elapsed from the
time the building was discovered to be on
fire, until the whole structure was upon
the ground The loss is estimated at
$4,000. with about $4,000 insurance.
Bad as this is, it does not compare with
the loss Of the lives of the two young men,
at least, who are known to have persisted
in the flames The books having been
destroyed, and the house being full of
| people many of them travellers, it is i'm.
possible to tell exactly how many persons
actually persisted. Of the two young men
johnson and Williams-who were en-
| ployees about The house, there can be no
donbt, notwithstanding their remains had
not been found on Wednesday morning,
though dilligent search had been made for
them throughout much of Tuesday. The
grief of the father of young Williams, with
whom travelled from GrInnell 10 Ackley
on Tuesday, was beyond description. He
resides at the latter place, and was tele |
graphed home. 1t is an illustrated truth, |
that ''in the midst of life we are in DEATH"
and in plain view of this solemn fact, how
very important that we should be always
in readiness for the dread messenger as
he will surely come at some time, however
10th we may be TO acknowledge the fact. |
''The fool hath said in his heart, there is |
no God" When we look the matter calm
ly in the face, is it not worse than folly, |
is it not suicidal to practically deny the ex-
istence of God, by giving no heed to His
many and alarming warnings? That