Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1875-09-23
Correspondence.
GALEsBURG. Ill. I
Aug. 20. 1875. }

GALEsBURG. III.
Aug. 20. 1875.
Mr.. Editor:
This place was settled in 1885, by a col
Ony from Vermont and Central New York,
who came here to found a community in
the Interests OF religion and education. IL
is the seat of Knox College which as well
as the county and county seat was nam
ed for the same General Knox. Galesburg
now is a city, cont aiming about II 900 inbab-
itsnts. has at least ten churches, u young
ladies' Seminary connected with Knox Col
le:e. and Lombard University under Uni
versalist auspices and concentrating In the
Northwest. Ii Is great railroad centre
three roads converging here. all owned by
the Chicago. Burlington aud Quincy. X. x.
and about eighty trains per day enter and
leave this city. Here the Railroad Com
pany maintain very extensive shops for
building and repairs, and employs from 300
TO 500 men. A large mandatory of corn
Planters. which has manufactured from
5000 to COCO machines each year, for the
last several years and employed about
$50 men, Is erecting an additional building
200 feet by GO feet, 3 stories high. Other
large manufacturing establishments are
maintained and prosper here, while il is
the center of large. fourishing and it,
creasing local trade and il now the shire
town of Knox county. For an inland city.
without either lake or water power. IL thus
far. has u'isscd The fostering care OF Prov
idcnce. noted hy the DISCERNING. old lady
who said that where there MAS great
civ. She had always noticed that God al
WAYS made large river; bnt man, who
makes The town. has donc much tor it in
the WAY al embellishments and adornnent.
aud here without any display or o,trnta-
ton and without any extravaganza either
in public. on private buildings. there Is
universal air OF comfort aud prosperity
throughout the city; while not only with
in the limits, but tor half a score Of miles
around, the taste and refinement, of its So
cial. religious and educational advantages,
are seen in well finished and well furnished
residences, OF well TO do and wealthy
farmers, who have imbibed the spirit and
culture OF the early founders of this famous
rity whose soubriquet is the College city.
In the ten days have spent here, the
weather has been delightful. though some
what unreasonable. the month OF August
here. being usually dry and sultry. what
the owners term good corn weather."
while the season through. has been wet
and cool, with immense growths OF all
farm products. The harvesting has been
difficult and small grains have suffered.
aud the farmers. Who are never sure Till
the crop is made, Tor early frosts which
would cut down the value OF the corn crop
at least two thirds. But three weeks of
dry. hot weather, will for all Northern ILL.,
nois. ensure a crop OF corn vast beyond
parallel, nearly double An average crop.
You can within the daily rides. which have
taken. which have not extended into the
farms (say tracts OF 200, 400 and 600 acres
see fields OF corn. of 80 20 and co and some
100 acres, where the corn stands from 10
to l3 feet high. and large part OF 1t with
two ears from Is to Is inches long on a
stalk.
Corn is the great crop OF the region. aad
this is very largely fed out on the ground
TO cattle aud hogs. wish had space TO
describe one Of their stock farms. They
calculate to fat a hog 10 = steer. A friend
OF mine TO show what stock Is here, told
me OF a single car load of sixteen three
ed 2.l0o pounds. and the lot averaged
500 lbs. on the hoof. and sold live weight
at the railroad here for 6 IL cts, or about
$500. nearly three-iiiths OF which was
profit And on his little farm, little over
100 acres, and he hot n farmer but en-
gagged in other business, he has over 200
head OF neat stock, besides sheep. horses
and over 200 swine.
But even here crops fail. and all are not
prosperous. Misiortunes of fire and food,
have come. have ridden out no less than
four times about four miles over the track
of tornado. which swept around th. city
over track OF country from eighth TO
half a mule " ide. and twelve 10 fifteen miles
on an irregular are of a circle, in which
corn is stripped OF its leaves and not untrc-
queutly of its ear; hedges OF Usage or
angc, the most sturdy of smaller
trees. especially when annually cut in
pro,irated. orchards uprooted. not turned
down but lifted up bodily, roots and al! are
visited of. Huge trees not merely strip
ped Of leaves aud smaller branches, but
lett blasted trunks only. the very bark torn
of. In one place u small story and hslf.
deserted farm honse, stands alone unharm-
ed but on either side OF it are for many
rods around, the ruins Of outbuildings aud
the remains OF a ten acre orchard, not one
tree left standing. but either lifted ont by
the roots or twisted of and twenty rods
distant. is the ruins of another farm house,
and barn aud out buildings, 80 completely
destroyed aud mixed up, that it i. iii fiicult
TO distinguish them, were it not for
stone foundations 10 have determined
where they stood. but singular TO say, in
all this. but one human being lost his life.
AT one place. school honse 20x30 feet.
WA lifted bodily from its foundation. and
left Standing Tor future use. otherw ise I'M
harmed.
But | must close this garrulous letter,
which owe the American for lis hebdom.
email visits which nave afforded me SO much
pleasure. +. L.
Letter from Boston.
From our Boston Correspondent