The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1876-06-14
Prom Mercer County.
HAMLET, June 18th, 1876.

Last SUNDAY fr0I. 1uDDdTu. pTeeiueHt
of the Northern Illinois College, at Fulton,
officiated at morning and evening services
in the Presbyterian church 10 this place,
and very large audiences we're present.
Communion service was held in the morn
ing. The Presbyterian congregation is
quite large one, and the church generally |
regarded as in a fourishing condition.
Rev. Fiske, the pastor, is one of the ablest
ministers in this presbytery, although a
very unassuming man. He is quite liberal
in his theology, and his sermons are
models of plain and practical compost
ton. addressed to the reason in an argu |
mentative anu reasonable way. Calvanism
will not cram down peoples threats in
these enlightened times, ard the preacher
who expects to accomplish any good by
pulpit appeals, must address his audience
as if they were sentient beings, capable OF
comprehending for themselves.
The singing class of Prof Young is
practicing almost every evening for the
| Old Folks concert this week.
Miss Caddie Candor, one of Hamlet's
fairest daughters, who is attending college
at Fulton, made brief visit home last
week. She returned to school to partici-
pate In commencement exercises.
1t is enough to make taxi payer utter
profanity, loud and deep, to travel over
the roads all through this section. About
four ffths of the money annually expended
in repairing the roads is absolutely thrown
away. Pathmasters are elected who are
no more competent to superlntend the
construction or repairs Of road, than they
are to manage a ship. The bridges are
constructed so that dead rabbit will
block up the channel, and the roads
are ploughed up as if preparing for corn.
Men are allowed to go to work with the
single view of working out their taxes, and
in small squads, here and there, all over the
country, without any one to direct them.
,, passed oyer several roads the other day
that had been ploughed up until they
were absolutely impossible for a loaded
wagon. and dangerous tor any kind OF a
, vehicle, and the dirt just stirred up
sufficient to make a complete mortar bed
until the first fall of rain. In the districts
referred too, the roads we're ploughed,
commencing in the middle, out as lar
as the cutters should be, but there
4 were no cutters or drainage of any kind,
and the middle of the roads were consid-
erably lower than on the edges If the
: roads were left entirely alone they would
: wear smooth and entirely hard in the
. course of time. and a good team could
= haul something more than an empty
y wagon, but the manner in which they are
f narrowed up every year by blockhead
q pathmasters, is not only foolish expense
e but damnabe aggravation. Bridges are
:, put in SO that they have to be repaired
). after every sun shower, and yet there is
y sufficient money expended, if properly ap
:. plied,to have good solid road beds in few
years time.
With the view Of keeping THE ARGU,
e readers informed of matters pertaining tt
n the new railroad, | visited the ground
r wherein is to be the station at the corner
!, of the four townships. New Jerusalem,
It is the name applied by the people abou
h here, until the town is properly laid OH
A. and chrlstened. The location is an exec
% lent one as a town site, the land be
j. ing high, with the best of drain
K age facilities. The country surround
ing is thickly populated, and tn
, soil is of the best. There is no doubt bu
= that this will be, as predicted by tn
% ARGUS, the most important station on tn
=, road. just as soon as the town is lai
= out, and lots ready for sale, there viii
I rush equailing that of border railroa
~ towns.
10 ~ The photograph car will pull out fo
- Presumption next week.
of Potato bugs have put in their appea
n ance, although not as bad as last season
:. The crops generally look fine, but til
- corn is backward
There will be good average fruit crol
on Cherries are plenty. Apples promise
tut middling yield.
m m Aledo folks are making strenuous effor
Gy- to nave big time on the Fourth of Jul
en- If one were to judge solely by the pr
": gramme of arrangements for the occasio
lin it might be inferred that a tremendol
us time would be had. but to any one at
familiar with Aledo bombast, it is only
ne flash in the pan. If every man in Il
niS town were made a chief marshal it mig
60 60 prove success. 1t is just as impossit
NV to get up demonstration in Aledo witho
IL running it into politics or religion. as tho
T ~ who take it upon themselves to favor a
III thing of the kind by making the necessa
III arrangements will find they are oppost
ne by everybody else for fear some one shou
5le have undue need of popularity