The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1875-04-15
ST. JOSEPH, Mo, April 9Th, 1875.

EDITOR DEhOCRAT:-l lelJ canton at
7 p. m. Thursday, April lst, for short
visit to Missouri. l came to this city by
way of indianapolis, st. Louis and Kan
sas City. The route I found a very
pleasant and comfortable one. At
Crestline you can take splendid sleep
iEg coach and not leave ituntil you reach
st. Louis, and at st. Louis another for
this city. Though this route is five miles
longer than either of the other routes by
which traveller can come to this city
from Crestline-the time is about the
same. l left Canton at 7 p. m. Thursday,
was in st. Louis at $50 p. m. Friday, and
at Kansas City 945 a. m. Saturday, and
in this city at l:30 p. m. the same day.
This is the train time. ] did not come
rectly through to St. Joseph; stopped
# some thirty miles below to spend the
Sabbath. The only drawback by this
route is that the railroad cars are not
permitted to run over the bridge at st,
Louis, At East st. Louis we have to take
carriages in which We cross the bridge.
This is not 30 pleasant and occasions
some delay, but this will be remedied in
few weeks. What a magnificent struc.
ture that bridge isl What wonderful
triumph of science and artI 1t is massive,
yet graceful and beautiful. The bridges
on which the trains cross the Missouri
river at ST. Charles and Kansas City are
magnificent and beautiful, hut don't
equal the one across the father of waters
at st. Louis.
] spent the Sabbath in Weston, a town
of some two thousand inhabitants, seven
miles above Leavenworth city, on the
banks of the turbulent and changeable
Missouri. 1t is one of the Oldest towns
in this State, having been settled more
than half century. Forty years ago it
was a town of considerable Importance
the trade of large territory centered
there. 1t was the place whence supplies
were furnished to Fort Leavenworth, and
continued such until Leavenworth city
was founded; since then the town has
had but little business or growth. Like
most Western towns it is well supplied
with churches, having only ten, each be-
ing house of worship. As might be ex
peCted, not one the churches is able to
support a minister decently. was sur
prised soon after my arrival in Weston
to meet the Rev. Mr.. Dibble, who some
years ago was the minister of the Dis
ciple Church in Canton. He is Superin.
tendent of the Public Schools in Weston
and breaches for the Disciple Church in
the town on Sabbath.
This city (St. Joseph) is one If the
most prosperous places West of the Mis-
sissippi river. 1t has a population of
over twenty-five thousand Its growth
now is not rapid, but steady and healthy.
The wholesale trade of the city is large.
There are many public buildings-the
court house recently built is one of the
largest and finest l have seen in the
West. The public school buildings are
very fine and the schools of high order
It fills one with wonder and surprise to
stand on one ofthe high hills in the city
and look over it's numerous buildings,
many of them massive and elegant, and
see it's evidence of wealth and prosperity
and enterprise, and then reflect that all
this has grown up within half a century.
l met since l came to the city lady who
once lived in Stark county, but who has
resided in st. Joe over forty years, who
told me that when she came to this
spot in lS4l, there were but two or three
log cabins and a few tents here. The
prairie grass was five and six feet high
oil over where the city now stands.
What changes she has witnessed here,
What changes will the next fifty years
make in this city and this whole Western
region. Neither you nor will be here
to record them, but our children and our
children's children may.
Missouri is connected with Kansas at
this city by very fine bridge, Five
railroads carry travel and trade to and
from this city, This city would become
manufacturing point if fuel were
cheaper and more abundant. Most IF
the coal which is consumed here Is
brought from Fort Scott, Kansas, and
Richmond, Mo. 1t is soft coal, inferior
to the coal we get in Canton, and yet
costs Sl7 ton. Even at that price fami-
lies are using it in preference to wood.
Yesterday l visited large starch fac
tory. One thousand bushels of corn are
used each day in the manufacture of
starch. twenty-five pounds of starch are
made out of each bushel of corn, making
twenty-five thousand pounds of starch as
the product of ten hours work. Corn is
now worth sixty cents bushel, and the
starch wholesaled at five and half cents
pound. The larger portion of the starch
made here is shipped to South America
and Germany. The part of the corn left
after the starch is made is fed to hogs
and cattle. l saw in the buildings built