The weekly Oskaloosa herald. [volume] (Oskaloosa, Iowa) 1855-1885, 1872-08-01
THE COUNTY IN WHICH WE LIVE.
Our ON THE UPPER AND IN ON THE Low
Err MILL ReAD ADAMS TOWNSHIP.

| The COUNTY IN WHICH WE LIVE
OUT ON THE UPPER AND IN ON THE Low
ER MILL ReAD. ADAMS TOWNSHIP.
The first thing worthy of note in pas
sing out of town is the $4,000 worth of
building put up by the Union College
Association of Friends Standing as
| it does on fine site, it is destined to
| be when finished, one of the finest, and
most imposirg Of, Oskaloosa's best The
present building is but an eli to the main
one that will go up in the not distant flu
ture. Just beyond, the Friends Yearly
Meeting House stands silent and lone, but
viii soon be filled with representatives of
the Society in attendance upon the Yearly
Meeting; after the adjournment of. which,
the house will be closed to wait the COM
ing of another september. Passing down
the hill adjacent to the meeting house, one
sses indications of coal mine in its lncip-
lent stage. Believing that it was under
laid with COED vein of coal, a MrssASpill
bought SOME land, paying therefore s$112
per acre; opened bank and though not
meeting his expectations, it promises well.
The coal is of good quality, as saw, but
owing to a rock formation in the center of
the vein, il is very difficult to mine. Mr..
| s. showed me some specimens of what he
7 called iron ore The railroad badly fiat
ironed The farms along here, and tbs said
made the Lilly puts Crisp-in their manners
ever since its building. "And l saw
race of men whose stature and rotundity
compared with mine, was as mine COM
pared to the pigmies.' 49, It
The Alpha Mills, better known as Up
per mill, is now run by Whitmore & Co.
Its present appearance is in striking con-
trast with that of seventeen years ago,
when first saw it. Have not seen the
Omega yet. ..tiG1 ~'aI.EHI
But moments glance is necessary to
show one that Time, with busy hand has
wrought many and great changes since
even ten years ago. Instead of wading
and wallowing through the water and
mud of the bottom, as in former days, far
mers can now load their wagons and start
to market regardless of whether ''the river
is up, or not; we'll knowing that the
'grade" affords them solid, though rough
roadway to the iron bridge that takes the
place of the old wooden one, which dis
placed the original ferry. Thus we 60 on
from year to year, and on the compound
interest plan make improvements from i'm
provements made. A suggestion in refer
ence to the northern approach to the bridge
may not be amiss here 1t is very unsafe.
There is nothing to prevent frightened, or
vicious team from boiling down. the side OF
the embankment and doing much damage.
Adams Township has the Skunk river
for its southern boundary; Monroe and
White Oak TIPS. its eastern; Union TIP. its
northern and Madison its western; is AZ
| miles long on the west and ~ on the east.
It's principal stream. Middle Creek, runs
through it from northwest TO southeast
Along this creek is found very good tim
Der of all desirable sorts, sufficient for the
wants of the township. The soil is of the
very best, especially in the northwest cor
ner, or on the tract known as the "diyide."
Many of the farms in this section have
been opened within the last five years aud
are without the large and imposing build
ings of the older districts, but they have
the foundation and will soon outstrip their
older neighbors in the race for greatness.
All through the township may be seen
long rows Of hedges in all stages of growth,
and presenting very thrifty appearance.
particularly noticed the care taken to
clean out the fence and turning rows; one
of the sure signs of thorough farmer.
Among the improvements of the past
year or two, I noticed house of G. Dough
erty's, 3Sx40, 211s story, with cellar; prob
ably the finest house in the township
kitchen VIM Pagan in the same
neighborhood has new house. Mr.. f.
met me on the road and instructed me to
visit his orchard, telling me where the
best were TO be found. Jonathan Roberts
hasn't quite finished his house /; size 16xs6,
with Axle ell, IL story, and cellar;
very neat and convenient building
Land is valued all the way from $15 to
$40 per acre. The very best farms, with
first class improvements can be had for
from $40 to $50 One farmer offered a
good, improved farm for $3.50 per acre.
A short time since Jonathan Sarvis sold
his farm Of 206 acres in Monroe Tp., just
over the line from Adams, to G. W. Hen
derson, of Louisa county, for $4,000. A
rare bargain. ...... ... .... ....... ..... /
But little waste land is found in this
township, there are two or three slough
bottoms untillable, but they afford pasture
for stock. and are valuable. '- 49,.
Some Of the good people of Adams have
reason 10 remember certain Jere-
miah Dodson, who represented "mil-
lions of money in England" About two
years ago he visited this Tp., and mulcted
some of its dear people handsomely One
man who boosted to me that he had lived
there twenty years without takinga pa
per, paid $40 towards securing portion
of the millions of money" To-day that
man mourns as one without hope. He
knows that jeremiah was false A two
dollar bill invested in any good newspa-
per would have taught him that millions
of money" don't lie st the command of
such men as jeremiah. '".
The political element of the township is
q. X. (oll korrect). The Republicans are
for Grant and Wilson, while the Demo
Gratis say on the Greeley question, mot
for Joe.' Not a single Democrat with
whom conversed recognized the Greeley
claim. IL. G. r." in his communication
in last weeks HERALD, spoke the Demo.
cratic sentiment of the entire township
The DR.. Greeley pill they think too thinly
sugar coated for them to swallow ST." 81
The school districts are not all supplied
with school houses, but soon will be,
there are however, several very neat school
buildings, and they are well filled with
scholars during the school year. Most of
the schools have closed for the summer ]
The crops are good Wheat better than
In the southern part of the county. Corn
gives great promise. A farmer in talking
with me about the corn crop said What
will we ever do with it. There is now
a crop of old corn IN the country, and if
the new crop keeps up toits present prom I
Use, we won't know what to do with it ALL.
What said in reference to Monroe Tp.,
regarding its locations and other advanta-
ges, is equally applicable to Adams, and in
fact to all the townships that lie wholly or