The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1877-02-01
FROM AN OCCASIONAL CORRES-
PONDENT.
INDEPENDENCE, Missouri,
January 10th, 1877.


ceive a letter from one whom / trust yol
are slightly acquainted with, l have
been resident of this place nearly two
and one half years, and my experience
in this, the "0rchard City" as 1t is called
has been varied and pleasurable.
A brief history of Independence would
probably prove interesting, so | will give
sketch of it as have it from an Older
citizen.
1 alluded to it as the "0rchard City,
and it is well named, for, If a person will
take the trouble to ascend to the top Of
the Court house tower in the spring, he
will be little over one hundred feet
above the level of the street, and five
hundred and fifty feet above the Missouri
river which is four miles TO the north of
u.s. and turn your eyes to any point of the
compass, you behold as it were vast or
chard of peach and other fruit trees, and
in fact you seem to stand in very large
orchard, the effect is heightened if they
should happen to be in bloom. When l
first saw the sight it reminded me of be-
ing up in the spire of the Methodist
church in your own beautiful city,
The landscape here is more varied,
and with the aid of good telescope,
Pleasant Hill thirty miles away may be
plainly seen. The above place is on the
Missouri Pacific Railroad, in an adjoin-
ing county-Cass-while at various points
all the notable places'of the county are
visible which shows'a fine level country.
Most prominent amongst them is Kansas
City, nine miles to the West of us, and
beyond that, Wyandot in the State of
Kansas, can also be discerned, and is Just
across the Kaw or Kansas river, and
en- paSsant, is hourishing and beautiful
place.
The county of Jackson, like some of
our more unfortunate States, has the
honor of having two heads, or at least
two seats of Government. But am hap
py to say, we have not "the clash of re.
sounding arms" but what is still more
harsh and grating to a refined and sens-
tive ear, the warfare of faction or local
partisans for supremacy. The points |
refer to are Kansas City and Independ.
ence. Each has its Court House, and
each its lawyers and men of influence, but
Kansas City evidently holds the winning
hand as her population is ten times that
of ours, and her facilities for business are
greater having about fifteen lines of
Railroads, running to all points of the
compass, besides water communication
with the great Northwest and terminal
ing east at st. Louis.
To continue the history of this place it
was laid out a short time after the State
was admitted to the Union, ,andIwhile yet
in It's infancy. During the California
gold panic of f184S.49 it was the extreme
frontier post, and the supposed great
American desert was just beyond some
few miles distant and here was the grand
place for those heavy trains
that went overland to the distant Edo
RADIO, as we'll as what then seemed the
distance to Santa Fe in
New Mexico which is about eight hun
dred miles.
l can look back to my boyhood days |
and turn to the maps of my old school
atlas and yet in my mind can see indeli-
bly, photographed that old Spanish town.
Would your readers believe as high as
one hundred and twenty five wagons
with eight and ten yoke of oxen attached
would leave here daily, and all of the
wagons, harness, yokes for the oxen and
other articles were made up here. Here
might be seen the Mexican with his SOM
OrerO and gaily decorated trappings for
mis- horse, and the speculative Yankee
md adventures of every nationality be-
ng represented, and common sight that
las been seen time and again, but which
n these corrupt times may never be seen
lgain; viz, Spanish coin in packages sewed
lp in raw hide and piled up in the street
without guard. | have been told by
persons who saw it that such is the actual
act and the spot has been pointed out to
ne. At that time the premises were oC-
upied with log cabin which was used
IS post Office, and at present magnif-
ent building of three stories occupies its
,lace, and the post Office is still there,
minus the raw-hide and silver dollars.
Independence has also other historical
POINTS of interest. 1t is here that Gen.
Price of the Confederate forces, beat
TASTY retreat on his way South in 1854,
lis rear CALAMITY protected by Gen. Joe
shelby, as gallant and brave all officer as
ver drew a sword for the "lost cause"
Here also Quantrell fourished, and
many of his men are in this place that
we're with him at Lawrence-it is said
hat he was native of Tuscarawas coun
y, in your State-as also many of Shell
VS. brigade. / meet them on the streets
ally and they are among my most inti-
nate friends.
Jackson county is certainly very pro-
productive in its agriculture, but in me-
hanical interests there is plenty of room
Or Improvement. In our hardware
torres see some of Canton wares made
" Ballard, Fast & Co., as we'll as an
gency of the Buckeye Reaper and Now
r in the charge of Mr.. M. Nichols, who
old quite number of the Akron ma
hines last year.
This place is also the proposed location
f the 10. Smith branch of the Mormons.
o the west of the city is lot belonging
0 that church, and some years ago
orner stone for their temple was laid
nd they are living IN hopes ofeventually
utting up their place of worship on what
J known as the Temple lot.
The Smithites as they are called, are
lot followers of Brigham Young; they
re monogamists and do not believe
n the plurality of wives. They have a
hurch, and there are several families of
hem living here and in this vicinity.
Year before last it was thought the
rasshoppers would have ruined the
rops when they appeared, but such was
Iot the case. Some persevering farmers
tainted their corn four times, and finally