Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1873-07-24
ELDER JONES' JOURNEY.
He Dissourses About Crops Through Iowa
Gives a Full Account Of the Public Works
at Rock lsiand-speaks In High Terms
Of our Public Servants, Bite.

FENSIMoRE, WIS, July 10, 1873.
DEAR HERALp:-My absence from home
for the last month has been the subject of
some enquiry by some of my neighbors, and
wish, through yonr columns, TO give an ac-
count of myself. About a month ago hitched
my horses 10 buggy, and wife and got aboard
and started for crossing place on the Father
of waters, found ferry at Clayton Cor on the
opposite shore,) after waiting five hours we
succeeded in crossing into Iowa. Making our
way southwest, we passed through Fayette
and Dubuque counties into Delaware where
We found our mother, sister and brother; also
our old friend w. B. Fish and family, all en-
joying good degree of health ana prosperi-
ty. We also found many old Ohio friends in
and around Monticello, Jones Co. After re-
ceiving warm greetings from .hem all, we
looked over their fine farms, crops and stock,
and was impressed with the honest convic-
ton that they did not, in any particular, out
strip old Grant for beauty or productiveness,
and cannot compare with her for her beauti-
ful groves of timber, sparkling and babbling
springs and running streams, so indispensable
this heated season. Crops are fine, especially
small grain. Corn is Of fail growth, but
much of il is thin on the ground. Potato
Bugs have formed combination and are de-
termlned to monopoize prices for at least one
year TO come. But we found the Patrons OF
Husbandry arrayed against them in all their
strength, we also saw many others who for
the time being had ceased to war against the
Changers and had gone at the bugs with all
their powers OF both mind and body, as the
soldiers did at the Modocs, determined to ex.
terminate them, and with no better success
Leaving Delaware county, we passed thro,
Jones, Cedar and Scott counties. Found the
country, crops and bugs about the same, only
the crops more advanced as we got farther
south. We arrived at Davenport on the 4th
Of July, where we halted for few DAYS TO
visit old friends, not seen by us for twenty
hVe years After renewing old friendships
and talking up old times and things, and look
ing over the city TO our satisfaction, we tho,t
proper TO look after our interest in a large
amount OF property on the other side of the
river, known as Rock Island. This landed
estate consists of 10 900 acres of as nice coup-
try as the Indian ever left unhaunted for An
glo Saxon race. We are not doing a largr
amount of farming on this domain, and vet
we have at the present time one thousand
men and near hundred teams constantly al
work for US on this Island We contemplate
the erect ion of ten large rock, entirely fire.
proof, buildings. Several are already com
pIeted and others are in process of cree ton.
Each of those buildings are to have two fronts,
one front to be 400 feet, the other 300. These
are all to be filled with machinery and SUM-
Piled with men to work them, II is sight
not seen more than once in lifetime, by the
masses OF the people,-what we have already
accomplished and are doing now. But when
all is completed, and you have visited our Is
hnd, you will exclaim in surprise: This is a
great success, and you will wish 10 know the
secret of our success. The whole secret is,
we have been fortunate in choosing our agents
to carry on the work. You will readily see
1t must take largs number of agents TO do
the overseeing, &C., &C., and success depends
largely on the General Agent; and we do not
hesitate to say we think we made choice Of
the best present living man for our General
Superintendent. We have this confidence in
him, at least, and by this time you begin to
want to know who he is, he in the Naion's |
Victor, U. S. Grant. He consent ed TO serve
us one term, and because of his honesty, and
uprlghtness, and fidelity, we ask him TO con. |
tinue his service TO which he consented. But
II became necessary TO raise his salary. Our
employees, like others, some times strike for |
higher wages, and if we can't do without |
their services, of course the raise must come.
As said, we have horde of other servants |
at our command. When we say TO one go. |
ne goesj and when we say TO one come, he |
comes; and if we say 10 one do this, he doeth
1t. We are sorry we cannot say as mach for |
all of them as we have said for our General |
Agent. But passing those by of whom we |
cannot speak in the highest terms of common |
dation. we will say we have many others with |
whom we are willing to trust our interests at |
Rock Island, as also our other interests of |
similar character, and we are proud 10 saw
one such is ]. Allen Barber (who is one of |
our servants). He works right, votes right, |
and acts right. He works and votes AGAINST
this strike, and when it is carried against him,
turns his surplus back into the Treasury
Consistency, what a Jewel, these times; but |
because he does not go about the streets pro-
claiming his Righteousness (Pharasee like) he
is maligaed from Maine to California. Hop
ing to retain just Sc rvants in office as long as
may need them, am at home.
Yours, sc. S. N. JONES.
EANIn MrrrrMn a Dnnar. Mooa:-.