The Findlay Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Hancock County, Ohio) 1870-1881, 1874-08-14
LETTER FROM SPRINGFIELD, MO.

most beautiful districts Of our western
counrrv. We left home July 2Oth, and
on the 22d arrived in Springfield, Mo,
on. Of the oldest towns of the state,
and once the great trading point Of
Southwest Missouri and Northern Ar
kansas. Now it is a nice little city OF
700 inhabitants, and though its trade
j probablv not 20 large as 1t once was,
vet il manufactures make up the def
cheney.
The Atlantic and Pacific RR. which
passes this point, avoided the town, as 1t
did all other places Of any Importance
aIon. the line; and in every instance
used its influence to build up new towns
within one and one and half miles
Of the old sites. Such is the case with
Rolla, Lebanon. CRANKY, NeOsho and all
other places save one-Peirce City
which they built themselves on their
own land. This RR. company secured
an immense land grant in 1852 and this
will in part explain their avoidance OF
towns They wished 10 sell their own
lands. They have no competition, have
established monopoly, and have used
it 10 the best advantage possible, ,aFplr-
entity. Their fares are enormous, as will
be seen from thes figures. From Find
lay to ST. Louis 555 miles, S13.60. From
St Louis to Springfield, 242 miles, S11.9O
Double the distance, and 67 miles over,
and only 81 difference, or 313 miles
Tor $40.
The freight rates are said by parties
along the road, to be double what it
should be- Even making allowance for
its being new road. The company de-
manded of Springfield 800, 600 to run
inside their borough limits, but refused
SIS, ,OOO, all the city could raise, and so
run their road two miles from the public
square, built large hotel, and tried to
ruin the business of the place by build
ing a new town. But the activity and
energy of the citizens prevented this,
and now by connecting the two places
with Il street railroad it is thought the
new town will soon become thing of
the past as regards business.
This same mode of operations has
nearly ruined several fine towns along
this line. Springfield contains a large
cotton factory, which gives employment
to nearly two hundred hands, and turns
out some nice goods. 1t is a monument
to the enterprise of the citizens of
Springfield They have also several 9th
er large manufacturing establishments,
and small ones of all branches in abund-
ance.
\ few years ago the city contained
large and dangerous class of men who
knew no law, and were constantly caus-
ing disturbances, and kept the city in
constant fear This was so much the
case that public sentiment was aroused
to such a degree as to force the passing
ard enforcing of city laws which should
suppress this evil. So well has this
been done that few of this class remain
and there is but n small proportion to
that amount of intemperance there
once was Formerly there were twenty
saloons, now there are but three, and
two of them are nearly starved out, and
the third says his billiard room alone
saves him. So, it is evident that the
morals of the place are in very good
condition. There are twelve church
buildings, with fifteen congregations,
white and colored. The colored popu-
ulation is quite numerous, there being
/, 800 of them in the city.
Three miles southeast of Springfield is
located the beautiful cemetery establish
ed by the government for the burial of
soldiers killed in battle of southern
Missouri There are l, ,521 interments,
S32 of which are known and 679 un-
known. The grounds are surrounded |
by a find stone fence or wall and con-
tain fine building for the accommodation |
of the superintendent. The cemetery |
has lately been the recipient of large |
and very handsome monument, the gift |
of Dr. Bailly, a citizen of Springfield |
costing Sc, 600 1t is of granite and !
marble and is surmounted by figure in |
marble OF a soldier with musket at rest |
and head cast down, as if in mourning |
for those buried before him. The |
whole is thirty-five feet high. The cem-
eteryis is beautifully laid out, and any one
of your readers visiting Springfield |
should no fail to pay it visit.
The /. o. o. F. are building fine |
new tLree-story block, which, when COM
pleted, will be by far the finest block in |
the city. This Order is strong there, as
are also the Masons and Good Tenn
plars.
Drury College, which was established
in Springfield two years ago, mainly
through the liberality of Mr.. Drury, of |
Olivit, Mich, has begun what promises
to be a very prosperous institution. 1t
already has property to the value of
$50 900 and this is being increased al
most daily. There were 127 students
last fall, with prospects of a much larger
number the coming term.
But want of space forbids mention of
any more of the sights and enterprises
of Springfield So we will proceed fur
ther.
Leaving Springfield on the 3Oth, we
arrived after ride of three hours, over
a beautiful prairie country at Neosho,
seventy-three miles southwest of Spring
field This is pretty village l, 500 in
habitants, finely situated at the foot of
a high bluff, and contains some fine peo-
pie. Neosho is more noted for its many
very fine springs than for any one thing
There are nine of these springs within
the corporate limits alone, one of which
known as the big Spring, would sup
ply water for three such cities as Findlay.
These springs are never failing. and
there are supposed to be five hundred of
them in Newton county alone.
In another letter We will endeavor to
describe short trip to Indian Territory
on visit to the remnant of the Modoc
tribe of Indians and also TO CRANKY City
the greatest lead mining region of the
United states. J. VII.
THE DIFFERENCE.